As an Apple Pencil owner, I have been frustrated with the fact that I cannot turn off the device when I am not using it. After doing some research and testing, I have discovered a few solutions and am here to share my experience in hopes of helping others with the same issue.
The Apple Pencil cannot be turned off. However, the Apple Pencil does go into a low power mode when it is not in use. When you pick the Apple Pencil up again, it will reconnect to the iPad and start using its normal amount of power.
In practice, the battery life of the Apple Pencil 2 is not an issue due to the fast charging and the ease of connecting it to the iPad when not in use.
However, it is actually very important that you do not allow your Apple Pencil to go to 0% charge for too long for the reasons mentioned below.
| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| The Apple Pencil cannot be turned off |
| The battery life of the Apple Pencil 2 is not an issue |
| Do not let the battery reach 0% for too long |
| Keep the pencil charged regularly to 100% |
| Leave the pencil attached to the iPad to avoid running out of power |
Table of Contents
Can you turn off the Apple Pencil?
The Apple Pencil cannot be turned off and it is always using some power.
However, when you stop using the Apple Pencil, it will go into a low power mode and stops being connected to the iPad’s Bluetooth. When you pick the pencil up again, the Bluetooth reengages and quickly reconnects to the iPad.
In my experience, the Apple Pencil 2 keeps its charge for around 1-2 weeks, if you leave it unused after being fully charged.
Read more: how to find Apple Pencil
Users also report in forums that their Apple Pencil 2’s lose about 15% of charge each day without use.
How often you will need to charge the Apple Pencil will depend a lot on how often you use it.
If you use the pencil for 30 minutes per day, you should expect to have to charge it about 1 time per week, if you do not keep it attached to the iPad.
Many users worry about the battery losing its capacity over time because you can never save power by turning the pencil off.
However, a brand new Apple Pencil is meant to last for 12 hours of regular use with a single charge. Even if your pencil loses 50% of its capacity, you can still expect it to last for about 6 hours.
Most people don’t need to use the pencil for more than a few hours at a time, so the deterioration of the battery should not be a major concern.
It is more likely that you would lose the pencil or upgrade to a future edition before the battery becomes an issue.
Does the Apple Pencil always stay on?
As long as the battery has power, the Apple Pencil is always turned on. This is not such an issue in practice because the pencil does not lose power too quickly when it is not in use and can be charged to full in only 15 minutes.
Also, because you can leave the Apple pencil 2 attached to the iPad, it will not be common for you to find yourself running out of power.
Does Apple Pencil turn off automatically?
The Apple Pencil does not turn off. However, it will go into a low power mode when it is not in use. This allows the pencil to only use a small amount of power when it is not in use.
Why you should always keep your Apple Pencil charged
Something very important to be aware of is that it is important not to allow the battery to be at 0% charge for too long. The reason for this is that many users have reported their Apple Pencil batteries dying when left at 0% for more than a few days.
In practice, this should be very easy with the Apple Pencil 2 because you can just leave it attached to the iPad, so it will rarely be able to get close to 0% unless your iPad goes to 0%.
Read more: does the Apple Pencil work through a screen protector?
Is it ok for the Apple Pencil to be attached all the time?
It is very common for people to worry about having their Apple Pencils attached to the iPad all the time. However, this is not an issue because the circuitry is designed not to continue charging the pencil beyond 100%.
Also, it is much better to keep the pencil charged to 100% regularly than it is to allow the Apple Pencil to have 0% charge for too long since this can cause the battery to die.
While the battery will lose some of its capacity over time, it is not such an issue because the battery can last for 12 hours. So, even if it were to lose 50% of its capacity, you would still be able to expect it to work for about 6 hours on a single charge.
Read more: Can you use the Apple Pencil with a Macbook?
Does Apple Pencil battery drain when not in use?
The Apple Pencil will drain the battery even when it is not in use. However, this is not such an issue due to the way that you can leave it connected to the iPad and because the battery can be recharged quickly.
How to avoid running out of power on the Apple Pencil
In practice, the easiest way to avoid running out of power with the Apple Pencil 2 is to leave it attached to the iPad which will keep it at 100% charge.
To keep the Apple Pencil 1 charged, it would help to remember to connect it to the iPad’s lightning port at a certain time each day so that the pencil has a charge to be regularly charged.
Does the Apple Pencil have an on/off button?
There are no buttons on the Apple Pencil. It automatically connects to the iPad when you pick it up, or when you connect it to the charging port. It is not possible for you to turn it off and it is important that you ensure that it always has some charge.
Pros
- The battery life of the Apple Pencil 2 is not an issue due to the fast charging and the ease of connecting it to the iPad when not in use.
- The Apple Pencil 2 can be charged to full in only 15 minutes.
- You can leave the Apple Pencil 2 attached to the iPad, so it will rarely be able to get close to 0% unless your iPad goes to 0%.
- The battery can last for 12 hours, so even if it were to lose 50% of its capacity, you would still be able to expect it to work for about 6 hours on a single charge.
Cons
- The Apple Pencil cannot be turned off.
- It is important not to allow the battery to be at 0% charge for too long as this can cause the battery to die.
- The battery will lose some of its capacity over time.
