Apple Pencil functionality with Pages

I do not object to the capability of using the Apple Pencil to draw in Notes and Pages. What I do object to (like sal191) is that Apple set the default and only option in its Apps to ‘draw’ and there is no way to change that. I have been using the Apple Pencil since it was first available. I brought this issue up with support with the idea that there might be a way to opt out of the draw capability in these classically text based Apps. There is not.

If I want to draw, the last place I would start is Pages or Notes. However, it would be convenient to make a drawing in these Apps very occasionall. But, to make draw the default and only choice for using the Pencil in these Apps has made me and quite a few others unhappy campers. In my mind this is not in the best interest of the Users or Apple. I am going to stop using these Apps and use third party ones until Apple rethinks this and corrects what in my mind is a mistake.

This is what I posted in another Apple Forum:

Disable “Draw” w/ Apple pencil in Notes & Pages?

Support had no options... When using my Apple Pencil I rarely (or never) want to draw in either Notes or Pages App. I would like a toggle capability (off and on) for the drawing option for the Pencil.

My 12.9 iPad Pro defaults to drawing mode and thinks I want to scribble whenever the iPencil is used to try to select something in one of these Apps. I find it excruciatingly annoying to have to put my iPencil down when using it and then have to use my finger to close a drawing box I never wanted. Then I must manually delete the drawing box. To add insult to lost performance, I am subsequently forced to manually confirm that I want to delete what I just told my Apple device to delete.

Were too many Microsoft Software Engineers and programmers hired when this feature was added?

I contacted Apple Support and they advise me that I cannot turn my pencil off now. Like many people I purchased it when I purchased my iPad Pro - as a navigation tool, especially for Numbers. Now all I can do is scribe rubbish over the screeen in Pages and Numbers.

I have submitted my ‘disdain’ on the Apple Feedback Pages for both Numbers and Pages - I wait with baited breathe for this issue to be resolved. Currently I wasted money on my pencil!

There are many art, drawing and notes Apps that the Apple Pencil is perfect for and a functional addition. But Notes and Pages are not in their company. The inability to use Apple Pencil in them as a stylus with current default settings is frustrating.

Keynote has the same issue and many Keynote users are unhappy. We have also left feedback it has been a month since their last update where they rendered these apps useless as far as I am concerned. They don’t seem to be interested in fixing it.

I have been wondering the same thing. I purchased my apple pencil for the navigational aspect because I use my iPad pro more as my daily driver over my computer. I actually had to switch to using Google App instead because of not having the ability to scroll and select in pages.

We now have a solution for Pages/Numbers/Keynote, but the situation for Notes and for Files and Mail (opening any pdf file) still remains unchanged and uses the pencil for drawing only. Or is there something I am missing?

I think they've made an initial design mistake here, as clearly it's not efficient for a user to have to keep putting down the Pencil to continue working on a document. But I'm not sure I agree that this is an example of "dumbing down" an app. I think this is a pretty exciting new functionality and look forward to the designers getting it right in the next round.

SG

The inability of support to offer any option and even after requesting and interacting with senior software support engineer to do anything except recommend we whine on this forum is beyond me. When no solution is available, esculation is required.

I am ready to completely abandon “Notes” and have been reading reviews of several paid App replacements. I am completely frustrated using my Apple Pencil in both Notes and Pages.

I am seriously interested in ‘Goodnotes 4’ and would welcome imput about it or other replacement Apps before droppin a dime. I have both Notability and Penultimate but they are a bit too clunky as a replacement. The old Goodnotes will not work under ios 11. 😡

What are others using?

sr+

You can give feedback to Apple here.

SG

Also left feedback with little expectation, but in any case, thanks for opening this topic up!

I also bought iPad+iPencil just for this purpose. And now it got useless...

I work on documents and used iPencil for text editing to be precise where to start etc.

Apple! Do something.