Apple Pencil 2 not working after iPadOS 18.1.1 update

For the benefit of all...

I recall experiencing, on one isolated occasion, my second generation Pencil completely faileding to function with my iPad Pro M1. Nothing that I initially attempted would successfully re-pair the seeming inoperable Pencil with my iPad...

... until the Pencil was paired with a different compatible iPad.

After the successful pairing with a different iPad, the Pencil could be successfully paired with the original iPad Pro M1 - and has worked flawlessly ever since.

If you are seemingly unable to resolve your current problem, try pairing your Pencil with another compatible iPad. This test serves two purposes:

1) If the Pencil still doesn't work, you will have demonstrated that the Pencil itself has a fault - for which the only remedy is replacement.

2) If the Pencil does work, you have demonstrated that the Pencil is healthy. Having demonstrated that the Pencil is good, try pairing again with your own iPad; in so doing, if you have similar experience to myself, you will have cleared the problem.

If you don't have immediate access to another compatible iPad, consider visiting any Apple retailer that has display models that you can access - and pair your Pencil with the demo device.

I’m dealing with the same issue. I have tried all of the recommended steps 26 times at this point and still nothing. It was working fine and then I updated iOS and then my pencil was not working immediately after. I believe it’s a firmware issue and I’m hoping apple realizes this and comes out with an update to correct whatever bug is causing this. It cannot be thousands of apple pencils just dying in unison.

Thanks. Pairing with another iPad resolved my problem, while none of the other solutions (recharge, restart, unpair etc) worked. Quite unexpected, but thank you for the very helpful advice LotusPilot!

With benefit of this new information, it is almost certain that the Pencil itself has failed - and that your iPad is operating as expected.

Be aware that if your Pencil has been set-aside for an extended period, unused and uncharged, the Pencil battery may have be damaged through deep discharge. In common with all Li-ion batteries, they must always have some level of charge. If set aside from the host iPad, the battery can be critically depleted to the point of failure in some circumstances.

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. It is generally recommended that a second generation Pencil (or Apple Pencil Pro) is docked with the host iPad whenever it is not being actively used - as this will optimally charge the Pencil's battery and protect it from unexpected discharge.

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.

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

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

Once paired with the iPad, are you able to see the Pencil's battery state in iPad settings?

Settings > Apple Pencil

If the Pencil battery shows its charge status, the Apple Pencil has successfully paired with the iPad. Inconsistent drawing will either be due to a problem with the Pencil itself, or its interaction with the iPad screen.

Ensure that the user-replaceable Pencil tip is snugly screwed into the body of the Apple Pencil; when fitted correctly you should see a tiny gap, of about the thickness of a sheet of paper, between the tip and pencil body. If slightly loosened, or overtightened, the Pencil may not work properly, if at all.

If the Pencil appears healthy, try a forced-restart of your iPad - as this will often clear an isolated software issue:

Force restart iPad (models with Face ID or with Touch ID in the top button)

If your iPad doesn’t have the Home button, do the following:

1. Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button.
2. Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
3. Press and hold the top button.
4. When the Apple logo appears, release the top button.

If the problem persists after performing the restart, it may be necessary to reset your iPad settings. While this reset will not cause any loss of data, as a precaution, it is always wise to ensure that you have a current iCloud or iTunes backup before performing the reset:

How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

When you are happy to proceed, you can perform the reset from iPad settings:

Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset > Reset All Settings

If the problem still doesn’t clear, the next step is to reset the iPad to factory settings:

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support

Otherwise, you would be best advised to seek assistance directly 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/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 you can explore your available options:

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

TheDirk wrote:

Thanks. Pairing with another iPad resolved my problem, while none of the other solutions (recharge, restart, unpair etc) worked. Quite unexpected, but thank you for the very helpful advice LotusPilot!

You're very welcome.

I'm delighted to learn that you found this guidance to be helpful Hopefully others, who encounter this issue, will derive similar benefit.

In what way is the Pencil "not working"? Is the Pencil pairing with the iPad, but otherwise not interacting with the iPad screen? When paired with your iPad, what is the indicated state of the Pencil battery - as seen in iPad settings? Does the Pencil work at all?

With a better understanding of the issue, contributors may be able to offer appropriate advice or guidance.

Having followed all the advice that I have offered - including a factory restore that will completely reinstall iPadOS - your remaining avenues are limited. Short of visiting the Genius Bar at an Apple Store or AASP, you have one remaining troubleshooting option...

Test your Apple Pencil with another compatible iPad. If the Pencil pairs and operates as expected, then you have demonstrated that the problem is with your iPad; by contrast, if the Pencil doesn't work with a different iPad, then the Pencil itself has a fault.

I seem to have the same issue. Perhaps it is a coincidence but I also suspect there might be a relation to the iPadOS 18.1.1 update. My pencil suddenly failed on an iPad Pro (2nd generation) and none of the usual steps can bring it back to life.

Went to the Apple Store for this to get help from their “genius” bar, other than telling me “don’t cut me off sir” their response is to download a third party app like adobe to be able to use the pen on certain files such as a PDF file.

it was like they the Genius Bar guy was refusing to listen to what the problem was, which seems to be the update because it worked perfectly fine prior to the update.

my guess is that Apple did it intentionally to have people purchase apps from the App Store

I am pretty sure this is related to firmware - my pen will not work after upgrading my ipad pro 4th generation to 18.1 or 18.2. My wife’s pen will not work on her new ipad ( 7 months old) after upgrading to 18.1 or 18.2.

That would be a **** of a coincidence both devices have hardware problems at the same time - and I am an Apple customer long enough to know that until many many people start crying out loud on the internet there will be no official statement.

My wife contacted support and the answer was: hardware problem, you should get a new one. Here on the comments I see someone who just bought one 1 month ago and is suffering from the same issue.

I hope this gets acknowledged and fixed soon.