How to pair and charge Apple Pencil (1st generation) with iPad

Thursday October 15, 2026 3:08 pm EAT by Emily Long

You can pair and charge Apple Pencil (1st generation) by plugging it into the Lightning or USB-C connector on your compatible iPad. The steps differ for an iPad with a Home button, and once you’ve paired it, Apple Pencil stays paired until you restart your iPad or turn off Bluetooth®.

Pair and charge Apple Pencil (1st generation) on an iPad with a Home button

Remove the cap and plug Apple Pencil into the Lightning connector on your iPad.
Do any of the following:
- Pair Apple Pencil: When the Pair button appears, tap it.
  
  After you pair Apple Pencil, unplug it from iPad. Apple Pencil stays paired until you restart your iPad, turn off Bluetooth®, or pair with another iPad. Just pair Apple Pencil again when you’re ready to use it.
- Charge Apple Pencil: Apple Pencil charges while it’s plugged into your iPad.
  
  If your pencil came with an Apple Pencil Charging Adapter, you can also charge it using the Lightning Cable and power adapter that came with your iPad.

Pair and charge Apple Pencil with iPad (10th generation) and iPad (A16)

Remove the cap and plug Apple Pencil into the USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter.
Connect the other end of the adapter to your iPad using the USB-C charge cable that came with your iPad.
Do any of the following:
- Pair Apple Pencil: When the Pair button appears, tap it.
  
  After you pair Apple Pencil, unplug it from iPad. Apple Pencil stays paired until you restart your iPad, turn off Bluetooth, or pair with another iPad. Just pair Apple Pencil again when you’re ready to use it.
- Charge Apple Pencil: Apple Pencil charges while it’s plugged into your iPad.