Newsroom Update

The redesigned iPad Air and new iPad Pro with Apple silicon are now available. Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Is my iPad compatible with Apple Pencil

Is my iPad Air A1475 compatible with the first generation Apple Pencil?

Posted on Jul 8, 2019 7:21 PM

Reply
4 replies

Jul 8, 2019 10:54 PM in response to Leslie_227

Older iPads from early 2015 and earlier cannot use ANY Apple Pencil.

You will need to seek out a third party smart Bluetooth stylus for that iPad.


The ONLY third party, smart Bluetooth stylus that I can, honestly, recommend that actually works well with ANY

iPad model is the Adonit Pixel.


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.


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


It 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 9-12 hours, but Adonit claims up to 16 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, 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 setup the Adonit Pixel.



Best of Luck to You!

Jul 8, 2019 11:01 PM in response to Leslie_227

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


Most 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

Vectornator

ZenBrush 1 & 2


Compatible Adonit Pixel apps for Notes and Notes and 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

QuickNotes X Pro

uPad

Zoom Notes

PDF Pen



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&https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Anti-fouling-


Many more makers of these types of drawing gloves on Amazon.


Good Luck to You!


Is my iPad compatible with Apple Pencil

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.