My Apple Pencil (1st gen) pairs with my iPad Pro running iOS 12.1.4, but immediately disconnects from bluetooth. Has anyone had this problem?

It doen't matter, now.

If you hadn't kept that battery charged up in all these years, that Apple Pencil is dead!

The battery in the Pencil has completely failed.

If an Apple Pencil sits around unused and not kept charged up for more than a couple weeks, or so, OR LONGER, then the battery in your Apple Pencil may have failed and is dead and you will have to purchase another brand new Apple Pencil.

Sorry.

And it looks like some things about the newer Apple Pencil have not changed in the new version 2 model, either.

FYI and something Apple never divulges to it potential iPad Pro/Apple Pencil customers/users unless the potential customer/user is smart enough to ask about.

Due to the “always on and active/standby” nature of the Apple Pencil and, also, due to its very tiny rechargeable Li-ion battery (smaller than the eraser head on a REAL wooden pencil), the Apple Pencil needs to be constantly charged up to some significant charge level ALL THE TIME, even when not using the Pencil for prolonged periods of time.

The Apple Pencil needs to be kept charged to a minimum of 5-10% all the time.

If the Apple Pencil battery is allowed to drain down to 0% and allowed to stay in that flat condition for more than a few weeks, or so, OR EVEN LONGER, that very tiny little Li-ion battery is too small to keep at a 0% state for a long period of time and it will fail and the Apple Pencil will be dead and you may have to “pop” for another $99 Apple Pencil, once again!

You need to keep your Apple Pencil charged all the times, even if it is only to 10%-15% charge. It must keep some charge level in that tiny Lithium-ion battery at all times!

Whether you use the Pencil, or not!

Sorry & Best of Luck to You!

Well,

Here's the thing, I never liked the Apple Pencil, at all, and the new Apple Pencil 2 has this EXACT same battery flaw.

That stated, there are well over one hundred apps that support/are compatible the Apple Pencil.

My choice for a really good third party smart Bluetooth stylus drops your stylus app compatiblity to approx, 24 apps, or so.

BUT, my stylus of choice DOES support the more popular sketching/drawing/painting/writing/notes apps.

I use an Adonit Pixel stylus with my iPad Pro and I think it works fantastic with all of the compatible apps!

It’s the ONLY third party, smart Bluetooth stylus that I can, honestly, recommend that actually works well with ANY iPad model!

http://www.adonit.net/jot/pixel/

This smart, Bluetooth stylus works across a wide range of iDevices.

The Bluetooth connection is stable and its Bluetooth pressure sensing technology is very smooth, natural feeling and has consistent line drawing ability.

Plus it's a quality made, aluminum stylus with two programmable buttons.

I have been using this stylus for nearly 3 years now, and it is really good on my iPad Pro.

If you do not mind losing the whole side shading thing, as well as a reduced set of compatible apps,

I use an Adonit Pixel/Pixel Pro stylus on my iPad Pro for the last two years or so.

http://www.adonit.net/pixel-pro/

This stylus works wonderfully for me.

The Adonit Pixel Pro, is, exclusively, to use with iPad Pro models.

The Adonit Pixel works with iPads all the way back to the 2012, 1st gen iPad Mini and iPad 4th generation!

Has ON/OFF/app shortcut buttons.

Has a nice fine, textured pen tip AND a nice rubber grip.

Magnetically charges, has an auto 15 minute shutdown feature ( to preserve battery life ), charges in a hour.

Has both a small USB charger that that plugs into any USB charging block OR you can purchase an optional charging dock.

I find it only lasts for anywhere between 16-20 hours, but Adonit claims up to 24 hours of continuous use on a charge cycle.

Made of very high quality aluminum materials.

Works with about a dozen of the major/popular drawing/sketching/painting apps (the Pixel/Pixel Pro works with, but currently not “officially” supported with Procreate, but it still works and works pretty well in Procreate ), and about a half dozen of the popular note taking apps, a half dozen writing apps and about a half dozen PDF style/compatible apps.

You WILL have to perform some pairing and setup parameters in each of the Adonit Pixel compatible apps.

You just DO NOT simply turn on Bluetooth on an iDevice and turn on the Adonit stylus and expect to start writing.

The Adonit Pixel/Pixel Pro stylus is NOT an Apple Pencil in this regard/respect.

You have to initially Bluetooth pair the Adonit Pixel/Pixel Pro, setup the hand/palm position and in many apps, set up the stylus screen pressure sensitivity for each and every compatible app!

Once you have, initially, done all of this, all Adonit Pixel compatible apps will remember these settings for future use!

Some Adonit Pixel users claimed their stylus doesn’t work, but it does work well IF you properly know how to set up the Adonit Pixel/Pixel Pro!

Here’s my “up to date”, comprehensive, but still incomplete, list of Adonit Pixel/Pixel Pro compatible apps for the iPad/iPad Pro.

All apps listed support pressure sensing and palm rejection.

Compatible Adonit Pixel apps for drawing

Animation Desk

Amaziograph

Adobe Photoshop Sketch ( palm rejection ONLY, No pressure, no sensing line weight or opacity variations )

ArtRage

Art Studio Pro ( fully supports the Adonit Pixel and is just as great as Procreate on the iPad )

AutoDesk SketchBook

Colored Pencil

Comic Draw

Concepts

Interactive SketchBook

Inkist

Medibang Paint

ProCreate ( palm rejection improved using special, non-electrical conducting, lycra-based material drawing glove )

Pixelmator ( new versions, now, STILL support the Adonit Pixel, but it is now listed in the active stylus settings as “unsupported stylus”. The Pixel STILL works as it should in this app, though )

Tayasui Sketches/Sketches Pro ( the new, free Tayasui Sketches School version works with this stylus, but without any palm rejection or pressure sensing, so you need to use a special, non-electrical conducting drawing glove with the Sketches School version to lay your hand/palm down on the iPad’s screen )

Vectornator

ZenBrush 1 & 2

Compatible Adonit Pixel apps for Notes and Notes with drawing types of apps.

GoodNotes 4 & 5

Notability ( palm rejection noticeably improved using special, non-electrical conducting, lycra-based material drawing glove )

Note Shelf 1 & 2

Notes Plus

Notes Writer

QuickNotes X Pro

uPad

Zoom Notes

PDF Expert

PDF Pen

Foxit PDF

If interested, to make sure you get the latest installed stylus firmware, you must order one of these directly from the Adonit website.

This stylus works with other non-compatible apps, too, but without any palm rejection and/or pressure features.

You can use this stylus with other apps but will not be able to lay your palm on the screen, unless you use special, non-electrical conducting, lycra-based material drawing glove that works by isolating your hand/palm and allow you to lay your hand/palm on the screen as you draw in these non-compatible Adonit stylus apps.

Something like this.

https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Anti-fouling-Drawing-Tablet-Graphic-Right-Ha nd-Left-Hand/dp/B017R8M2JY/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1543548123&sr=8-1-spons&k eywords=lycra+drawing+gloves&psc=1

Good Luck to You!

You should NOT have ordered one from Amazon.

I specifically stated to order one from the Adonit website to make sure you get THE LATEST INSTALLED FIRMWARE installed by Adonit, directly from their company headquarters.

The ones from Amazon may or may not have the lastest firmware installed into them.

Firmware is the in-chip software code.

Adonit sells its smart Bluetooth stylii, from its own Website, with up to date stylus in-chip firmware.

Have you made sure the tip is screwed on securely.

Do you keep the Pencil constantly charged up?

How old is the Pencil?

When was the last time, prior today, that the Apple Pencil was charged?

Which iPad Pro year and model do you own?

Terrific!

Best of Luck to You!