Apple Pencil Not Charging (Try These 9 Fixes)

If you use an Apple Pencil with your iPad but noticed it isn’t charging, you may want to know the top fixes for this problem.

Well, I have been looking into this topic and have several fixes that you can try to get your Apple Pencil to charge again, so read on to learn the best tips that I’ve discovered!

Why Isn’t My Apple Pencil Charging in [currentyear]?

If your Apple Pencil isn’t charging, try to restart your iPad to see if that helps. Additionally, you can try to toggle your Bluetooth off and on, which may get the Apple Pencil to charge correctly. Also, if the battery is drained, it could take 20 minutes before the charging icon appears in [currentyear].

Do you want to know all the best fixes to try for Apple Pencil not charging? If so, continue reading to find out even more possible solutions!

1. Restart Your iPad

If you’ve noticed your Apple Pencil isn’t charging, reboot your iPad, because restarting a device will fix the bugs and glitches preventing the pencil from charging.

Furthermore, it’s a good idea to restart your iPad every week to ensure optimal performance of both your iPad and Apple Pencil.

2. Wait at Least 20 Minutes to See If the Charging Icon Appears

The Apple Pencil battery could be drained, which means it may take longer than normal to begin charging, so wait 20 minutes or more to see if the charging icon appears on the screen.

Also, if you haven’t charged the Apple Pencil in a while or haven’t used it in a long time, the battery is likely dead. So, try to connect it and just let it go for a while to see if it begins charging.

3. Toggle Your Bluetooth Off and On

One possible fix for the Apple Pencil not charging is to toggle your Bluetooth off and back on, since it uses Bluetooth to connect to your iPad. It’s easy to do this by following these steps:

Swipe down on your iPad to bring up “Control Center”
Click on the Bluetooth icon to turn it off
Wait around 30 seconds
Click on Bluetooth to turn it back on
Try to connect your Apple Pencil and see if it begins charging

4. Clean the iPad and Apple Pencil

It might seem odd, but sometimes just cleaning your Apple Pencil and iPad can fix issues with your Apple Pencil not charging.

Therefore, take a microfiber cloth and wipe down the Apple Pencil completely and wipe down the iPad, including the screen and charging area for the Apple Pencil, and see if that works.

5. Charge Your iPad

While the Apple Pencil should still charge, even if you’re running on a low iPad battery, it’s a good idea to at least charge your iPad to 40% or more and see if that’ll fix the issue.

6. Unpair and Pair the Apple Pencil Again

You can try to unpair the Apple Pencil and pair it again with your iPad, which can fix the charging problem if it’s a software issue causing the problem.

Furthermore, it’s simple to unpair the Apple Pencil and pair it again by following our guide below:

Go into the “Settings” on your iPad
Click on “Bluetooth”
Ensure that “Bluetooth” is enabled
Find the Apple Pencil and click (i) right next to it
Select “Forget This Device”
Click on “Forget Device”
Restart the iPad
Connect the Apple Pencil to the iPad
You should see “Pair” show up on the screen
Click on “Pair”
The Apple Pencil should begin charging and if it’s not, then disconnect the Apple Pencil from the iPad and reconnect it to see if it begins charging

7. Check for iPad System Updates

System updates are important for your iPad, and updates can help fix glitches and bugs that could be preventing the Apple Pencil from charging.

Therefore, it’s crucial to download and install the system updates for your iPad regularly, which can be done by following these steps:

Go into the “Settings” on your iPad
Click on “General”
Select “Software Update”
Wait a minute or two
You’ll see the option to “Download and Install” if an update is available
Select “Download and Install”
Let the iPad restart, and try to connect your Apple Pencil to see if that fixes the charging issue

8. Put the iPad on a Smooth Surface

If your iPad isn’t on a smooth surface, it could cause the Apple Pencil to not charge properly. Therefore, make sure that you’ve placed the iPad on an even and smooth surface.

9. Ensure the Apple Pencil Is Fully Connected & Plugged In

Sometimes you may think your Apple Pencil is plugged in fully or aligned to the edge, when in reality, it’s off a little bit, which could result in the Apple Pencil not charging.

Therefore, make sure that you’ve plugged the Apple Pencil in all the way or aligned it perfectly so that the connection can be made between the iPad and Apple Pencil for charging purposes.

To know more, you can also read our posts on why my Apple Pencil is not writing, why my Apple Pencil is not connecting, and whether the Apple Pencil is worth it.

Conclusion

If you’ve noticed the Apple Pencil isn’t charging, you should try to first restart your iPad to see if that fixes the issue, and you can also try to toggle Bluetooth off and on for a possible fix.

In addition, you want to make sure you’re putting the iPad on a smooth surface with the Apple Pencil, and clean both the iPad and Apple Pencil to ensure the ports are free of debris and dirt.