An apple pen is an intuitive and precise device that plays a remarkable role in drawing, note-taking, and marking documents, and it has superb palm rejection support.
And all these explain why many of us can do without it. When the battery goes out, you probably wonder whether it is the end of your pen or if its battery is replaceable.
Replacing the battery of an apple pencil is possible. Apple will replace your pencil’s battery for about $29, and the warranty will not cover the battery that wears down from normal usage. If you have AppleCare+ and your battery only holds less than 80 percent of its original capacity, it is due for replacement at no additional cost.
As this article continues to unfold, you will learn to appreciate that Apple pencil is replaceable and how to identify one that needs replacement.
Finally, you will see if you can revive the Apple pencil’s dead battery and the lifespan of the battery.
Can I Replace the Battery in My Apple Pencil?
AppleCare support can replace your pencil‘s battery for just $29. There will be a shipping fee if you want to mail it.
If you intend to mail it in, Apple will charge a shipping fee of about $6.95.
Or you may decide to schedule a visit, but whatever your decision, you can do it here.
If you lack the AppleCare+, Apple will replace your pencil’s battery at $79. They do so by using recycled parts from other devices.
The Apple pencil’s lithium-ion battery of 3.82V and 0.329 Wh holds an equivalent of 5 percent of the charge you will find in an iPhone 6 battery.
Apple pencil teardown review says that the repairability of the Apple Pencil is 1 out of 10 (making ten the easiest to repair).
They are insisting that the pen is not meant initially to open.
Teardown says you can open it up without destroying it since the inside has different metal and plastic layers holding the pencil’s interior parts together.
Teardown claims that you can only open it by shredding the pencil.
For one thing, though, I agree with Teardown because this design will not allow anyone who isn’t apple to access it.
However, the fact that AppleCare support offers Apple pencil replacement means that Apple can open the pencil and replace the battery. After all, it is their product.
How Do I Know When My Apple Pencil Needs a New Battery?
You would be able to tell that your Apple pencil needs a new battery if the battery becomes incapable of delivering up to 80 percent of its original capacity.
The first thing you need to do is to check on the battery. Suppose you paired your pencil to your iPad and now discover the pencil is no longer working; go to the notification view.
If you discover your pencil is not visible in the battery section, it means one of two things.
Either the pencil needs pairing again, or your stylus’s battery needs charging.
If a pairing is what it is after, then connect the pencil to your iPad again.
But, if it is the latter, use a Thunderbolt Adapter to charge the pencil for up to 10 minutes.
If, after charging, it comes on, it simply means that it needed charging after all.
However, if it fails to turn on, it only means that the battery is dead and in dire need of a new battery as a replacement.
If you leave your Apple pencil for a few weeks without using it, the battery might be dead when you return.
There is nothing you can do at such times other than replace it. And this is due to the “always on and standby nature” of the Apple pencil.
Another reason is that the Li-ion battery is so tiny and can not serve for too long.
That is why you must always charge an Apple pencil’s battery reasonably. Your battery’s charge minimum should be between 5% to 10%.
Keep the battery from falling to 0% because the tiny nature of the Lithium-ion battery will allow it to survive that state for a long time. And this may lead to getting a new battery.
Can You Revive a Dead Apple Pencil Battery?
The blunt truth is that that is all once your apple pencil dies. There is no reviving it even when you take it to AppleCare support; the best they will do is to replace the battery for you.
Moreover, please refrain from concluding that because your Apple pencil refuses to work means, it requires replacement.
No!!, take your time to review everything and examine the evidence.
Your battery may appear dead in two ways, either from being entirely too low and in need of a charge, Or being down in a way charging it will still need to turn it on.
Here are the three things you should do if you discover that your Apple pen is not working;
- Try charging it
- Reestablish connection
- Ensure the compatibility of both devices
#1. Try Charging
Sometimes your pencil’s battery might appear dead because it ran out of power and requires charging. So, connect your charger to it and leave it to charge for an hour or two.
Once you accomplish this, endeavor to use it again, and if it fails, then try to charge it from a different source; it could be another iPad.
#2. Re-establish Connection
Another thing that may cause your Apple pencil not to work and appear dead is when it needs a correct pairing with your iPad.
So, the problem is concerned with the connection. Begin by first of all unpairing the devices.
To do so, follow the steps I will be giving you below;
- Go to the iPad settings app, then on the left sidebar, click on Bluetooth.
- Go under my devices, and tap on the “i” icon at the right of the name Apple pencil when it appears. But if the name appears, you should begin to pair.
- Ensure to tap on “Forget device.”
To begin pairing these devices, note that the Apple Pencil is of two types; first-generation and second-generation pencils.
To successfully connect the first-generation Apple pencil, you must plug it into the iPad’s charging point and begin pairing the moment “Pair” appears on your screen.
Likewise, to connect the second-generation Apple pencil, place it on the side of the iPad and then tap on Pair as soon as it appears on the screen.
After achieving this, endeavor to use the pencil again.
#3. Ensure Compatibility
You cannot just use any Apple pencil for any iPad you feel like using.
To make things easy for you, below is a table that shows devices that work well with each pencil;
| 1st Generation Pencil | 2nd Generation Pencil |
|---|---|
| 6th, 7th, & 8th Gen iPad | 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Gen iPad Pro 11-inch |
| 1st & 2nd Gen iPad Pro 12.9-inch | 3rd, 4th, & 5th Gen iPad Pro 12.9-inch |
| 3rd Gen iPad Air | 4th Gen iPad Air |
| 5th Gen iPad mini | 6th Gen iPad mini |
| iPad Pro 9.7-inch | |
| iPad Pro 10.5-inch |
How Long Does the Apple Pencil Battery Last?
If you maintain and use your Apple pencil properly, it should be able to last for several years.
At the same time, a careless approach will result in your battery not lasting up to a year.
The best way to prolong its lifespan is always to keep it charged and only allow it to stay for a period after using it.
Charging the battery from 0 to 100% should only take 30 minutes. But, it is optional that the battery gets to 100% before you can use it.
If you charge the pen fully and you keep using it continuously, it should be able to last up to 12 hours.
And 15 seconds of charge should be able to buy you 30 minutes of usage time.
Concerning how fast your Apple pencil battery loses charge, if you leave the battery for an entire day, it should lose between 5 to 10% of its charging power.
Another thing is that you can never overcharge your battery because the charging circuitry will not permit it.
It means that power will cut off when the pencil is no longer charging, and the pencil will keep hanging on the side of the iPad, fully charged and waiting for you to use it.
If it stays in such a position without use until it falls to 95%, it should begin charging again on its own.
Conclusion
It is possible to replace an Apple pencil battery at the following rates and conditions;
- $0 for in-warranty or with AppleCare+
- $29 for out-of-warranty and with AppleCare+
- $79 for out-of-warranty and without Applecare+
You can only revive a dead pencil that is out of power and in need of charging. And if you care for your pencil correctly, it will last several years.