As an Apple Pencil owner, I was frustrated when I read reports that it was bad to leave the pencil attached to the iPad. After doing some research and testing, I’m here to share what I found out and the solutions I discovered. Is it really bad to leave the Apple Pencil attached to the iPad? Read on to find out!
The Apple Pencil is designed to be left attached to the iPad and it will stop charging when the battery reaches 100%. Leaving the battery at 100% can cause it to degrade slightly faster, but this is much better than allowing the battery to go down to 0% for too long which can actually cause the battery to die.
Also, it is risky to allow the Apple Pencil to be at 0% charge for too long because a number of users have reported their Apple Pencil batteries dying after being left at 0% charge for more than a few days.
In practice, the easiest way to avoid allowing this to happen is to just leave it attached to the side of the iPad when not in use.
While it is not ideal to keep a battery at full charge all the time, for most people it is the most convenient option.
This extra convenience and ability to avoid the risk of being at 0% charge for too long, makes it the best option for most people to just keep the Apple Pencil attached to the side of the iPad.
Key Takeaways:
- It is ok to leave the Apple Pencil attached to the iPad and it will stop charging when the battery reaches 100%.
- Leaving the battery at 100% can cause it to degrade slightly faster, but this is much better than allowing the battery to go down to 0% for too long which can cause the battery to die.
- To make sure that your Apple Pencil lasts as long as possible, it would help to make sure that your Apple Pencil does not stay at 0% charge for too long and to avoid dropping the Apple Pencil and allowing it to get wet.
- It is also beneficial to leave the Apple Pencil attached to the iPad since it will make it much easier for you to use it whenever you need it.
| Pros and Cons | Description |
|---|---|
| Pros | |
| Convenience | Keeping the Apple Pencil attached makes it easily accessible and ready for use whenever needed. |
| Avoids Battery Drain to 0% | Leaving the Pencil attached prevents it from reaching 0% charge, which can damage the battery. |
| Reduced Risk of Losing the Apple Pencil | Having it attached to the iPad ensures it doesn’t get misplaced or lost. |
| Low Power Mode | Apple Pencil goes into low power mode when not in use, disconnecting from the iPad’s Bluetooth. |
| Cons | |
| Slight Battery Degradation | Leaving the battery at 100% can cause it to degrade slightly faster, but not significantly. |
| Potential Damage from Mishandling | Leaving the Apple Pencil attached increases the risk of damage if the iPad is dropped or mishandled. |
Table of Contents
Is it bad to leave Apple Pencil attached to the iPad?
A lot of people worry about having the Apple Pencil connected 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.
Also, if you do not leave the pencil docked, you risk losing the pencil since they can be easily lost.
Sacrificing a small amount of power loss over time will be a better option for most people if it allows for a lot more convenience and a lower chance of losing the pencil.
Keeping the Apple Pencil attached to the iPad also is beneficial because it will make it much easier for you to use it whenever you need it. This by itself is worth sacrificing a small amount of longevity for most people.
Read more: Does leaving Apple Pencil charged all the time decrease performance?
Should I disconnect my Apple Pencil when I’m not using it?
In practice, there is not really much of a benefit to disconnecting the Apple Pencil when you are not using it.
For most people, the best option is to just leave it attached to the side of the iPad. This will also allow you to use it whenever you find yourself needing it and to avoid allowing the battery to be at 0% for too long.
Additionally, when the Apple Pencil is not in use, it actually goes into a low power mode and disconnects from the iPad anyway.
When you move the Apple Pencil again, it will quickly reconnect to the iPad so that it is ready for you to use it.
Can you leave the Apple Pencil connected overnight?
It is ok to leave the Apple Pencil connected overnight. When the Apple Pencil is not being used, it goes into a low power mode which disconnects it from the iPad’s Bluetooth.
It is also ok to leave the Apple Pencil connected to the iPad’s charger overnight since this will allow you to avoid letting the battery go down to 0%.
Also, the Apple Pencil will not charge beyond 0%, so you do not need to worry about overcharging the Apple Pencil.
How quickly does the Apple Pencil’s battery degrade?
Lithium-ion batteries are meant to last for 3-5 years. So, with regular use, you can reasonably expect that your Apple Pencil will last for that amount of time.
How to ensure that your Apple Pencil lasts as long as possible
To make sure that your Apple Pencil lasts as long as possible, it would help to make sure that your Apple Pencil does not stay at 0% charge for too long since it can result in the battery dying.
It would also help to avoid dropping the Apple Pencil and to avoid allowing it to get wet since it is not waterproof.
Additionally, you can expect to have to change the tip of the Apple Pencil every 6 months to a year of regular use.
