Apple Pencil disconnects after iPadOS 26 update on iPad

Same problem with iPad A16 2025 and Apple pencil 1st gen.

Worked perfectly on 18.6.2. After 26.0 update pencil don't reconnect to ipad after some time. Always need to "wake up" it by charging or connecting to ipad (and even not supported iphone).

Unpaired it and paired pencil to older ipad model: AP works like a charm - after 1, 2, 3, 5 hours of no use it momentally reconnects to ipad.

I'm downgrading to 18.6.2 while I still can. Judging by the thread, this is a widespread issue, but there's still no hotfix or any official information.

Hi. This kept happening to me too. I am using the iPad A16 with my 1st gen apple pencil. I thought it was because I accidentally dropped it once. Turned out to be a bug in ios 26. I just updated to ios 26.0.1 and that fixed the issue. I hope this helps. ☺️

I chatted with support and this is what they said to do and so far it has worked for me.

In this case let's try to reset the device network settings: 

1 Go to the Settings app  on your iPhone.

2 Tap General, tap Transfer or Reset iPhone, then tap Reset.

WARNING: If you choose the Erase All Content and Settings option, all your content is removed. See Erase iPhone.

3 ◦ Reset Network Settings: All network settings are removed. In addition, the device name assigned in Settings > General > About is reset to “iPhone,” and manually trusted certificates (such as for websites) are changed to untrusted.

Folks, I posted in this thread sometime ago, and only a couple days back did I manage to solve the issue (hope I don't jinx it). What you need to do is force restart your iPad to reset its connection settings. To do so, press volume up, then volume down, then press and hold the power button until the screen turns black and the Apple logo appears. The iPad will restart, and you'll just reconnect the Apple Pencil. This is the video that helped me: https://youtu.be/-kG8ZxH3jkI?si=cNA-DdtTgNbTM2Ky

Let me know if it helped you!

i had exactly the same problem on my new iPad A16, really frustrating. Yesterday i received a notification to upgrade to iOS 26.0.1. this seemed to solve the problem for me. just installed the update and now has been working fine. i hope it remains ok.

We have an IPad Pro 4th Gen, using gen 2 Apple Pencil, updated to iPad os 26, was fine for a day then progressively got worse with disconnecting, now if it does pair we get 1 minute of use. we’ve tried all the ideas in these replies and sometimes it helps to reset the network settings then also cycling bluetooth off then on, but it doesn’t fix the problem. We’re trying another Apple Pencil currently and it hasn’t disconnected however it’s only been 5 hours so I can’t confirm that it is just our pencil yet. My wife is a tattoo artist and draws for 4-8 hours a day so she literally hasn’t been able to work because of this problem and we have no idea when it will be fixed. Her co-worker also updated and is having the same issues(I don’t know what iPad and pencil she uses) that tells me it’s the update. We are taking the iPad and pencil into an Apple certified shop as per apple support and hopefully they have a solution.

I had the same issue. For me, taking off the case and resetting the iPad (with the pencil connected) fixed it. I did try to reset it while the case was on, but for some reason that didn't change anything

Also same here. I have 13 inch M4 iPad Air and after I updated in to İOS 26 my apple pencil pro started disconnecting from the ipad even the pencil is fully charged. I restarted my ipad when the pencil just connected to the ipad in a very short time period and now it is good and connected

The disconnection problem with my iPad A16 and Apple pencil gen1 has been corrected with iPadOS 26.0.1

If you'er connecting it by cable, do you have the USB C pencil? The first generation pencil with lightning connection is not supported on a 2025 iPad for as far as I know

Try resetting / rebooting the iPad with the pencil attached to the iPad. It works for me, but i have to do it everyday, which is very frustrating

1st Gen pencil is compatible, you just need to buy the USB-c (female) to lighting (female) adapter to pair

I have recently updated my ipad to os 26 now my apple pencil pro disconnected automatically.apple support say that some time when major update then pencile drive need to update manually and tell me to reach near service center they fix it

Someone mention using Rest > Reset Network, it does work for awhile until i stop using the pencil for 30min, it going in sleep mode then it stop connected again. I did a test for 2 hours, as long the pencil reach the 30min mark for not using, it going in like deep sleep mode and never wake up, you have to pair it again.

This only happened after ios26, and even you wake the pencil between 30min, the pencil will going thru delay on writing, have to wait 10~20sec until it gone smooth again.

Fix it, its already affect my work.

Test already did (pencil at 90~100% battery all time):

• restart ipad / rest network
• connect disconnect bluetooth

I also notice within 5min it far from ipad range like 1-2meter away, it auto disconnected, never connect back when next to ipad.

A16 + Pencil 1

Same for me. I have the first gen pencil which has lightning and the 2025 Ipad. I’ve updated it overnight, and thought my pencil battery was low ( it wasn’t) so i’ve put it to charge, then it worked fine. I’ve left home to study in a coffee shop and now discovered that it disconneted again, of course why would I have the long cord with me…. Please fix the bug…