If you have an Apple pencil, you may want to know if it is charging. First, you need to know if you have a 1^st generation or 2^nd generation pencil because they charge differently. A 2^nd generation Apple pencil is only compatible with the iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3^rd generation and later and the iPad Pro 11-inch 1^st generation and later models. The 1^st generation Apple pencil will work with most iPad models. Once you know what generation your Apple pencil is, you can follow these steps to find out if it is charging.

Apple Pencil 1^st Generation

You can plug your first generation Apple pencil into the lightning connector on your iPad to charge it. If you look at the top of the pencil, it has a silver band around it, and the cap is above this silver band. You should be able to remove the top to expose the lightning adaptor. You can plug it into your iPad. You can also plug it into a converter that goes to a USB charger.

Once you plug it in, you can look on the top of your iPad screen. It will show your Apple Pencil and the percentage that it is charged. It will also show the battery icon with a lighting bolt in the center. This tells you that the Apple pencil is charging.

Apple Pencil 2^nd Generation

If you have a 2^nd generation Apple pencil, you will not need to connect it with a lightning adapter. Instead, it will charge when you attach it magnetically to the side of your iPad. You will only be able to use this Apple pencil with the two models of iPad listed above, so be sure that it is compatible before you try to connect it.

Once you place the Apple pencil along the side of your iPad, check the Today view on the iPad. You can swipe left to right from the home screen or the lock screen to pull this view up. When you look at it, one section is called Batteries, and if your Apple pencil is charging, you will see it listed. There will be an icon of the pencil itself, the words Apple Pencil, and then it will tell you the percentage of the battery. It will also have a picture of the battery with the lightning bolt in the middle if it is charging.

You should make sure that your iPad has Bluetooth enabled, or it will not be able to connect to the Apple pencil. If you do not see the Apple pencil in the Today view, then check your Bluetooth and make sure that it is enabled.

Add the Battery Widget to Your Home Screen

You may need to add the battery widget to your home screen to stay up to date on your Apple pencil’s status. You can easily do this in the following way. Go to the Today view by swiping left to right on your home screen or your lock screen. Then, scroll to the bottom and select the Edit button. You will see a list of the widgets that are available, and you should look for the Batteries widget. Select it, and you can add it to your Home view. You can also change the order in which your widgets display while you are here.

If you use your Apple pencil with any frequency, you may want to know if it is charging. This can be crucial so that it is available when you need to use it. The Apple pencil is a wonderful tool, but it won’t do much good if it isn’t charged. First, make sure that you know whether you have a 1^st or 2^nd generation Apple pencil. Once you know, then you should make sure that it is compatible with your iPad. Finally, follow the steps above to connect it to your iPad and see if it is charging.