As an Apple Pencil 2 owner, I was feeling increasingly frustrated by the wear and tear on my Pencil’s tip. So I set out to research the issue and find a solution. After doing some testing, I am here to share how I solved this problem, as well as other solutions I discovered along the way.
The Apple Pencil 2 tips do wear out. With regular use, you can expect to have to replace them every 3-6 months.
The lifespan of the Apple Pencil tips can be greatly extended by making sure to do a few things.
| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| The Apple Pencil 2 tip wears out over time. |
| You can expect to replace the Apple Pencil tip every 6 months to a year with normal use. |
| Limit friction, avoid plastic screen protectors, press down lightly, and clean the iPad’s screen regularly to extend the lifespan of the tip. |
| Replace the Apple Pencil tip if it is visibly damaged, scratched, worn down, or causes a lot of friction. |
| The Apple Pencil tip can break if dropped or scratched, so it is important to leave it attached to the iPad and regularly clean the iPad’s screen. |
Table of Contents
Does Apple Pencil 2 tip wear out?
The Apple Pencil 2 tip does wear out over time. When using the Apple Pencil tip, friction is created which causes it to get worn down.
In order to extend the lifespan of the Apple Pencil tip, you can do things that will result in less friction being created.
How long does the Apple Pencil nib last?
The amount of time the Apple Pencil tip will last for you will depend significantly on your particular use case and how you are using the Apple Pencil.
With normal use, you can expect the Apple Pencil tip to last for 6 months to a year, if you are not using a plastic screen protector.
If you are using a plastic screen protector and you use the Apple Pencil daily, you can expect to have to replace the Apple Pencil tip more frequently and you might have to replace it as much as every 3 months.
However, if you are not using a plastic screen protector and you do not use the Apple Pencil every day, it will likely last you for a year or longer.
I personally have been using the Apple Pencil for a year or so and the tip still looks like new. I do not use a screen protector, but I only use the Apple Pencil for about 3 hours each week.
Read more: How long does the Apple Pencil tip last?
How to make the Apple Pencil tip last longer
Friction is the main cause of the Apple Pencil tip wearing down. The more friction there is the faster the Apple Pencil tip will wear down.
In order to get the Apple Pencil tip to last longer, it would help to limit how much friction is produced.
If you use a plastic screen protector, that is designed to give you a more paper-like experience when you draw on the iPad, your Apple Pencil tip will wear down faster.
The reason for this is that plastic screen protectors result in more friction. However, they can give you a better drawing experience if you need to do precise drawings.
Read more: Can you damage the Apple Pencil tip?
If you use a glass screen protector or draw directly on the iPad’s screen, the Apple Pencil will last longer because there is much less friction. This gives you a smooth drawing experience, but it can be bad if you need to do precise drawings.
Furthermore, how hard you press down will impact how much friction gets created. If you press down too hard, it will cause your Apple Pencil tip to wear out faster.
Also, if there is debris on the iPad or on the Apple Pencil tip, it could also cause the Apple Pencil tip to wear out faster.
This will also risk the iPad’s screen getting damaged. So, it is best to wipe the screen down before use or to just make sure that the screen is clean before using it.
How often should you change the tip of your Apple Pencil?
As mentioned earlier, with normal use you will likely need to replace the Apple Pencil tip every 6 months to a year.
However, your Apple Pencil tip may last longer than that if you do not use it very often. If you use it a lot and use a plastic screen protector, the tip will not last as long due to increased friction.
How do you tell if your Apple Pencil tip is worn out?
You should change the Apple Pencil tip if it is visibly damaged, it has scratches on it, it is worn down, or if it is causing a lot of friction when you are drawing on the iPad.
You can also tell if the tip is worn out, if you are having trouble drawing with it accurately or if it is not always working properly.
Can the Apple Pencil tip be broken?
It is possible to break the Apple Pencil tip. It can be broken by being dropped or it can be scratched.
To avoid this, it would help to leave the Apple Pencil attached to the side of the iPad when not in use and it would help to regularly clean the iPad’s screen.
