Apple Pencil Pro won’t charge with STM case on iPad Air M3

My Apple pencil pro will not charge with my 2024 iPad Air 11inch M3 when they are within the STM case that is supposed to be compatible. Working fine outside the case. I note posts online recording similar problems with other cases. Please list the cases which do work properly with these items.



[Edited by Moderator]


iPad Pro, iPadOS 18

Posted on Jul 10, 2025 1:12 PM

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8 replies

Jul 11, 2025 5:58 AM in response to SiVic

Well! Things could be simpler than I (or STM) thought.

If I put the pen in "upside down" (point upwards), it seems to align with the magnet better, and works....

Looking more closely at the design of the pen holder on the case, it looks as if it was designed to take the pen pointing upwards, with a slope at the top to take the point, allowing the pen to sit further up the slot, leaving a gap below it..STM did not point this out to me.

This is quite different from the design of my older case, in which the pen sits snugly and centrally in the holder slot, and works whichever way it is pointing.

Jul 11, 2025 3:44 AM in response to SiVic

Your Apple Pencil Pro will not charge from your compatible iPad unless the Pencil is both (a) perfectly aligned and (b) in physical contact with the iPad's inductive charging dock. Your description suggests that you have an issue with one of these two criteria.


Out of curiosity, which specific STM case are you using with your iPad Air M3?

Jul 11, 2025 5:48 AM in response to LotusPilot

That is probably the case in question. The product serial number on your link is the same as the one that I gave you except that mine ends in -03 rather than -01. Your link refers to the USA. My purchase was in the UK.

The flat side is, of course, in contact.

Did you note the observation in my original posting that there are comments online about this problem with other makes of case?

STM said that there must have been a small change in the design, and hence in the alignment of magnets, but I am unclear whether they were referring to the design of the pen or of their case.

Can anyone please give details of a case that works with this iPad and Pen Pro?

I have had a similar STM case working fine for several years with my larger iPad and previous Apple Pen.


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Apple Pencil Pro won’t charge with STM case on iPad Air M3

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