How to Charge an Apple Pencil and How Long Does it Take?

Apple Inc. has always amazed us with cool accessories for our iPads and iPhones. And after Samsung’s introduction of the S Pen made the world go crazy, it was just a matter of time before Apple introduced its stylus in 2015.

It is very stylish, practical, and wireless. Its last feature poses the question of how to charge an Apple Pencil.

Luckily, I’ll show you how to do this and how to check the charge level of your Apple Pencil.

How to Charge an Apple Pencil

Charging the Apple Pencil differs slightly for each generation. That’s because Apple made the whole process more practical in its second iteration. 

Let’s take a look at the two variations. 

First-Generation Apple Pencil

If you’ve ever wondered how to charge the Apple Pencil 1, you should know that there are two ways. 

The first option is inconvenient when using your iPad. However, it comes in handy when outdoors and you don’t have access to a brick charger.

You can reverse charge it via your iPhone or iPad. Just remove the cap on top of the stylus and plug it into the lightning port of your iOS device. The pen will start charging, while also draining your devices' battery.

However, use a charging brick if you don’t want the pen to stick out awkwardly from your iPad. 

The easier way to charge your Apple Pencil is to connect the lightning connector of the stylus to the adapter it comes with. Then use a lightning cable to connect the adapter to a brick.

Second-Generation Apple Pencil

In the second generation, there are vast improvements to Apple Pencil charging. Aesthetics-wise, it no longer sticks out from the bottom of your iPad but rather magnetically snaps onto its side.  

Also, by placing your pen on top of your iPad when in landscape mode, your stylus will use your device as a power source. You’ll see a notification that your Apple Pencil is charging, accompanied by its battery percentage.

Unfortunately, you can’t charge the Apple Pencil 2 with a charging brick. Moreover, it’s not compatible with all iPad models, so check to ensure it will work before buying one.

Apple Pencil Charge Time

There are a lot of improvements in the second-gen pen. One of them is the Apple Pencil charge time. 

The 1st generation takes about 30 minutes to power up fully. However, charging the 2nd gen Apple Pencil takes significantly less time, approximately 15 minutes.

A good thing to note is that you don’t need it fully charged. Charging the Apple Pencil battery for 1 minute will ensure about 2 hours of work time. So, 5 minutes could be enough to finish your tasks.

How to Check Charging Status

Unfortunately, you can’t check if the first-gen is powering up. While there are two ways to see if your Apple Pencil 2 is charging. 

You can swipe from left to right on your Home screen to bring up the Today view menu. In the Batteries section, you’ll see an icon of the pen itself. If the Apple Pencil is charging, it will display a battery icon with a lightning bolt inside.

The other way to check whether your second-gen pen is powering up is by adding a widget to your Home screen.

To do that:

1. Go to Today view by swiping from left to right on your Home screen.
2. Scroll to the bottom of it and tap on the Edit button.
3. Look for the Batteries widget, select it, and add it to your Home view.

However, you must enable Bluetooth to see it listed under the Batteries section or widget.

The steps above will teach you how to know if the second-gen Apple Pencil is charging. 

How To Check Battery Status

To check the Apple Pencil battery level for both generations, you can access the Batteries widget. Add it to your home screen and turn on your iOS device's Bluetooth. Doing so will show your pen’s battery level in the widget.

In addition to the above method, you can attach it to your iPad magnetically via the magnetic connector. A popup balloon will appear on top of your device’s screen, showing the battery level of your stylus. It’s a nifty way to check the status of the battery on the second-gen Apple Pencil. 

Lastly, you can visit your iOS device’s Settings menu. Navigate to the Apple Pencil section and tap on it. You should see the battery level in the top right corner.

Wrap Up

Charging your stylus is a simple process. However, it’s always good to learn new ways. Perhaps you forgot that you could attach your brick to the adapter and use it as an Apple Pencil charger.

Whatever the reason, I am sure you can find a way to ensure your pencil stays powered.