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dd271 Author

Level 1

32 points

Apple Pencil Glitching

My pencil keeps glitching on Notability - drawing random lines and dots, like an electronic fountain pen spill. And it breaks up my writing.

I have the 2020 iPad 12.9 inch, and 2nd gen Apple Pencil

I've tried the following things:

getting a new Apple Pencil
restarting the iPad
reconnecting the Pencil
turning off other devices nearby (to try stop interference)
holding the metal side of the iPad while writing, to see if it was a grounding issue and also removing the case while writing
taking the iPad out the charger while writing

I've noticed it glitches mainly on Notability, however I don't use the other apps enough to be able to tell if its a Notability issue or a general one...

Very annoying! Anyone got any ideas? Side note, the iPad gets kind of warm with Notability - anyone else get this?

Thanks for the help!

iPad Pro 12.9-inch, 3rd Gen, Wi-Fi

Posted on Oct 7, 2020 5:10 AM

Top-ranking reply

Pencil5150

Level 1

47 points

Posted on Oct 26, 2020 12:12 PM

I may have a suggestion:

If you are using a case and screen protector, try exposing some of the metal on the side of the iPad and keeping a finger on it while you write with the other hand. Perhaps when you are writing you are generating some static electricity that is interfering with the pencil and iPad.

Please post a reply if this works for you. If it does, maybe someone from apple support could chime in on an actual fix?

Hope this helps!

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82 replies

dd271 Author

Level 1

32 points

Oct 12, 2020 3:11 PM in response to mario49

Hiya!

Thanks for the suggestion I’ll try this! Will it wipe my iPad though?

also the lines and dots appear all over the screen, not in a particular section of it..

Nov 2, 2020 12:42 PM in response to Pencil5150

I came across this forum with the same issue, and this worked for me!!

Great tip, thank you!

dd271 Author

Level 1

32 points

Nov 2, 2020 12:48 PM in response to Pencil5150

Thanks for the idea! It made it a bit better but I’d like a long term solution rather than having to ground the iPad myself ... :(

any other ideas?

Jun 12, 2021 5:34 PM in response to CASARJ

dd271 Author

Level 1

32 points

Nov 19, 2020 1:04 AM in response to kübra84

I took it into the store and they replaced it for me. I suggest having screenshots or video proof of the screen bugging so you can show them. Hope it gets sorted soon!

kübra84

Level 1

4 points

Nov 19, 2020 1:43 AM in response to dd271

Thank you very much for the response. Did they replace the iPad or the pencil? And thanks for the suggestion! I am going to take photo’s screen recordings now.

dd271 Author

Level 1

32 points

Nov 19, 2020 1:46 AM in response to kübra84

They replaced the iPad after I had already replaced the pencil so we knew that wasn’t the issue!

hope it works out!

dd271 Author

Level 1

32 points

Nov 30, 2020 6:47 AM in response to willtyler1

Hi,

no I didn’t have apple care but it was in the year warranty!

ah that’s so odd... definitely is the iPad screen then, they should swap it straight away in store.

good luck with it!

dd271 Author

Level 1

32 points

Nov 30, 2020 8:22 AM in response to willtyler1

Recording with your phone is better as you can see where the pencil is and where the line is drawn - that’s what I did!

no worries, hope they sort it!

Jan 20, 2021 3:53 AM in response to dd271

I have had the same problem for ages on Goodnotes. A complete pain.

It is now solved (at least for me)!

The solution is to unplug the ipad - it only happens when on charge.

Jan 24, 2021 3:20 PM in response to MichelPM

Have you all tried ensuring it is unplugged. I’ve had no problems for two weeks as long as it the iPad is not plugged in.

Jan 24, 2021 3:43 PM in response to MichelPM

I'm not going to argue with you, click the link you provided and read the description written by the sellers.

Jan 24, 2021 3:58 PM in response to richardmathews

I just tried your suggestion and it seems to have corrected the problem. I’ll give it a couple of weeks as well.

Jan 25, 2021 10:19 AM in response to willtyler1

@willtyler1 I'm on a 2020 iPad Pro 12.9in 4th gen, this issue is still an issue.

Feb 7, 2021 1:54 PM in response to Thairax

what worked ? the world wants to know :)

Apple Pencil Glitching