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Help needed: Unable to pair second 2nd Gen Apple Pencil with iPad Pro 6th Gen

Hi there! I own an iPad Pro 6th generation and have an Apple Pencil at both home and work. However, I am having trouble pairing the second pencil which is also a 2nd generation one. Can anyone assist me and guide me on how to successfully pair it? Thank you!

iPad Pro, iPadOS 16

Posted on Feb 4, 2023 8:15 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 4, 2023 10:51 AM

Are you sure that Bluetooth has been enabled from iPad settings - and that you have not disabled Bluetooth connectivity from the Control Centre?


If Bluetooth is properly enabled - and the Pencil won’t pair - then the Pencil itself may have failed.


This support page may be helpful with pairing and use of the Pencil with your iPad:

Connect Apple Pencil with your iPad - Apple Support


If you continue to experience difficulties, here is one of the better troubleshooting guides:

https://appletoolbox.com/apple-pencil-not-working-heres-our-troubleshooting-guide/


Be aware that if your Pencil has been set-aside for an extended period, unused and uncharged, the Pencil battery may now be irretrievably damaged through deep discharge. In common with all Li-ion batteries, they must always have some level of charge.


The tiny internal Li-ion battery is susceptible to permanent/irreversible damage through being left discharged for long periods. Even some “new” pencils can exhibit signs of failure out-of-the-box if they are “old stock”. 


It is essential that if you have an Apple Pencil that you charge it regularly - whether used or not - so as to protect the battery from deep-discharge. Do not allow a pencil to remain in low-charge state for any period of time - as the internal battery will fail, rendering the Pencil useless. Setting aside an unused Pencil, for extended periods, is a recipe for premature death of the Pencil battery.


If the Pencil Battery has failed, the only remedy is to replace the Pencil. If the battery has failed and your pencil is within its one-year warranty, you should look to having it replaced by your retailer or at an Apple Store.


Gentle warming of the Pencil (such as placing on a hot water radiator), prior to attempting charging of the Pencil, can sometimes resurrect a filing Pencil battery.

7 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 4, 2023 10:51 AM in response to craig617

Are you sure that Bluetooth has been enabled from iPad settings - and that you have not disabled Bluetooth connectivity from the Control Centre?


If Bluetooth is properly enabled - and the Pencil won’t pair - then the Pencil itself may have failed.


This support page may be helpful with pairing and use of the Pencil with your iPad:

Connect Apple Pencil with your iPad - Apple Support


If you continue to experience difficulties, here is one of the better troubleshooting guides:

https://appletoolbox.com/apple-pencil-not-working-heres-our-troubleshooting-guide/


Be aware that if your Pencil has been set-aside for an extended period, unused and uncharged, the Pencil battery may now be irretrievably damaged through deep discharge. In common with all Li-ion batteries, they must always have some level of charge.


The tiny internal Li-ion battery is susceptible to permanent/irreversible damage through being left discharged for long periods. Even some “new” pencils can exhibit signs of failure out-of-the-box if they are “old stock”. 


It is essential that if you have an Apple Pencil that you charge it regularly - whether used or not - so as to protect the battery from deep-discharge. Do not allow a pencil to remain in low-charge state for any period of time - as the internal battery will fail, rendering the Pencil useless. Setting aside an unused Pencil, for extended periods, is a recipe for premature death of the Pencil battery.


If the Pencil Battery has failed, the only remedy is to replace the Pencil. If the battery has failed and your pencil is within its one-year warranty, you should look to having it replaced by your retailer or at an Apple Store.


Gentle warming of the Pencil (such as placing on a hot water radiator), prior to attempting charging of the Pencil, can sometimes resurrect a filing Pencil battery.

Feb 4, 2023 11:06 AM in response to craig617

If you continue to experience difficulties, you might be best advised to seek assistance directly from from Apple Support. You can contact the Support Team using the Support link at top-right or bottom-left of this page. Alternatively and perhaps easier, you can initiate and manage your support cases using the excellent Apple Support App. If not already installed on your iPad, the App can be downloaded from the App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/apple-support/id1130498044


You might also visit the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider (AASP) - where the technicians will be able to test and assess your iPad and Pencil:

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Feb 4, 2023 10:35 AM in response to craig617

If the Pencil hasn’t previously been paired with the target iPad, you may need to undock and re-dock a second time - but the process should work.


I have just verified and confirmed that the process works exactly as I have described. If the Pencil doesn’t pair, check for appearance of the Pencil in your Bluetooth settings:

Settings > Bluetooth


When successfully paired, you should see the Pencil status showing as connected:


Help needed: Unable to pair second 2nd Gen Apple Pencil with iPad Pro 6th Gen

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