Apple has mastered the art of delivering simple, elegant designs without skimping on performance. This philosophy is still very much evident in the Apple Pencils, which have beautiful designs, excellent precision, and lag-free performance.
However, since the Apple Pencils run on battery, they are bound to run out of juice at some point. Therefore, this article will explain how long it takes to charge Apple Pencil 1,2, and the soon-to-be-launched 3.
How Long Does It Take to Charge Apple Pencil 1,2,3?
Due to the improvements on the newer Apple Pencil generations, the charge time for the second and third-generation pencils differ slightly. Therefore, we’ve highlighted the charge time for the different versions in the section below.
How long does it take to charge Apple Pencil 1?
The Apple Pencil 1 will need 30 minutes to charge its total battery capacity.
How long does it take to charge Apple Pencil 2?
The Apple Pencil 2 needs lesser time to charge to its total capacity. For example, a 15 minutes charge time is enough for the Apple Pencil 2 to charge to capacity.
How long does it take to charge Apple Pencil 3?
Though Apple hasn’t released the third-generation Apple Pencils, the new patents suggest that the Pencil may need just 6 to 8 minutes to charge fully.
How to Tell If Apple Pencil Is Charging
When you attach the 2nd generation Apple Pencil to your Apple device, you can see the charge status on the screen for a moment. Though this method is one of the fastest ways to tell if your Apple Pencil is charging, it only works for second-generation Apple Pencils.
Below are other ways you can tell if your Apple Pencil is charging.
1. Through the Battery widget
You can quickly check your Apple Pencil’s battery level by enabling the batteries widget on your iPad. Below is a guide on how to enable the battery widget.
- STEP 1: Tap and hold a space on your Home Screen to make the icons go into wiggle mode.
- STEP 2: Tap on the plus sign at the top left corner of your screen.
- STEP 3: Tap on the “Batteries” widget.
- STEP 4: Adjust the size to the way you want it and tap on “Add Widget.”
2. Access the Today View on your device
If your Apple device runs on iPadOS 13, you can check your Apple Pencil’s battery level and confirm if it is charging through the Batteries widget. Simply access the Today View on your device to use the Batteries Widget.
Here is how to do that:
- STEP 1: Swipe right on your Home Screen to access the Today View.
- STEP 2: Scroll to the bottom of the page and tap on the “Edit button.”
- STEP 3: Now, you will be able to see a list of the Widgets that are available on your device. Enable the Battery widget by tapping the plus sign next to “Batteries.”
- STEP 4: Tap “Done” to complete the process.
3. Use the Settings app
Another way to tell if your Apple Pencil is charging is through the Settings app. Though this method is not as convenient as the other methods, it is a sure way to check the charging status of your Apple Pencil.
To use the Settings app:
- STEP 1: Open Settings.
- STEP 2: Select Apple Pencil.
- STEP 3: You will see a battery icon next to where it says Apple Pencil at the top of the screen.
- STEP 4: Your Apple Pencil is charging if the battery bar is green with a black lightning bolt symbol. If the battery bar is gray instead without the symbol, it is not charging.
Things That Affect How Fast Your Apple Pencil Charges
There aren’t many determinants as to how fast your Apple Pencil charges. Apple designs its Pencils to utilize super-fast charging.
Nonetheless, tech enthusiasts believe that while it is equally fast to utilize the Apple Pencil’s fast charging via an iPad Pro’s Lightning port, there’s a better way.
Many advise that you can better utilize the Apple Pencil’s fast charging by plugging it into a USB port.
Simply plug the Apple Pencil Charging Adapter into a Lightning USB cable and then plug the Lightning cable into a power source.
You can only try this if you use the first-generation Apple Pencil. You wouldn’t be able to charge a second-generation Apple Pencil using this method because they charge wirelessly, and you would need an iPad for that.
How to Charge Apple Pencil 1 & 2 Without iPad
While it is possible to charge your Apple Pencil 1 without an iPad, it is not the same with the Apple Pencil 2.
If you have an Apple Pencil 1, you can charge it without an iPad by plugging it into a USB port. Simply plug your Apple Pencil Charging Adapter into a Lightning USB cable.
How to Charge Apple Pencil 1 & 2
Below are guides on how to charge the different Apple Pencil versions.
To charge Apple Pencil 1:
Remove the cap from the top of the Apple Pencil. You’ll now see a Lighting connector at the end of the Apple Pencil; plug it into your iPad just like you would plug a charging cable when charging your iPad.
Another way to charge the first-generation Apple Pencil is to use the small Lightning adapter. Simply plug your Apple Pencil into one end of the adapter, then plug your Lightning charging cable into the other.
You can now plug the Lightning charging cable into a power source to charge the Apple Pencil.
To charge Apple Pencil 2:
All you need to do to charge the Apple Pencil 2 is to attach it to the side of your iPad, and it will begin to charge. Apple has made this process easy because the second-generation pencils can magnetically snap onto your iPad’s side.
If you are using your iPad in landscape mode, you can place the pen on top of the iPad, and it will begin to charge.
How Long Does Apple Pencil Battery Last?
According to Apple, the Apple Pencil can last you for 12 hours on a full battery charge and full use of the Pencil.
Read also: AirPods Case Not Charging? Working Fixes
Things to Do If Your Apple Pencil Wouldn’t Charge or If the Charge Wouldn’t Last
Here are some things you can do if your Apple Pencil isn’t charging or if its charge doesn’t last.
- Clean the Apple Pencil: If you use a first-generation Apple Pencil, you should endeavor to clean the Lightning connector. Since the Lightning connector is where the Pencil uses to connect and charge, it can house dirt and debris.
When dirt accumulates, it can affect the proper charging of the Apple Pencil. Use a non-metal apparatus to clean the insides of the Lightning connector and the connector pins.
Cleaning the Apple Pencil 2 will be easier since it doesn’t have a Lightning connector port and pin. Simply wipe it with a soft clothing material.
- Clean the Lightning port on your iPad: If you use the Apple Pencil 1, you also need to consider cleaning the Lightning port on your iPad.
Just like it is possible for the Lightning port on your Pencil to accumulate dirt, the one on your iPad can too. Gently dry clean your iPad’s entire body, and then use a non-metal tool to clean the insides of the Lightning port.
- Restart the iPad: In most cases, restarting a system can help fix random issues and bugs. The same applies here.
Restart your iPad. Follow the procedure below to do that:
- STEP 1: Press and hold the iPad’s power button.
- STEP 2: When a slider appears, drag on the one with the power label to shut the iPad down.
- STEP 3: Press and hold the Power button to restart the iPad.
- Take your iPad and Apple Pencil to the nearest Apple customer support center: If none of the quick fixes we’ve highlighted above helps to fix the charge battery issues, you should visit the nearest Apple customer support center.
They will be able to offer expert help in figuring out what issue your device is having.
Conclusion
We’ve talked about how long it takes to charge Apple Pencil 1,2, and 3. Aside from that, we’ve also discussed other topics related to charging an Apple Pencil 1,2, and 3.
Overall, we hope this article has been a useful resource to you.
