5 Cool Apple Pencil Pro Features You Probably Don’t Know

For years, the Apple Pencil 2 has been the go-to stylus for digital illustrators, offering easy pairing, accurate input, pressure sensitivity, shading support, and much more. Then things changed. The iPad maker has outdone itself with the $129 Apple Pencil Pro, which builds on the solid foundation of the second-generation model and takes the experience to the next level.

Despite its name, Apple Pencil Pro compatibility actually extends to some non-Pro iPad models, including the latest Air and mini variants. (It doesn’t work with the base iPad, though.) But its feature set is absolutely Pro standard.

If you use the Apple Pencil Pro for basic doodling and not much else, it’s time to see how much more it can do. In this article, we’ll reveal the top five features you need to familiarize yourself with.

Time-saving gestures

Apple Pencil Pro doesn’t just mimic your finger, like all those silly touches. Its input varies depending on how you hold it, and it supports several advanced gestures that can speed up power users’ workflows.

First, the Pencil Pro is pressure sensitive. In compatible applications, pressing harder will result in a thicker line or denser application of digital ink.

Similarly, Pencil Pro can detect variations in hand position. Tilt the stylus and it switches to the shading action. Rotate and the selected brush changes angle – a valuable feature when using shaped brushes. In other words, it behaves just like a real art or writing tool, making it an attractive and reliable choice for digital illustrators. In fact, supported iPads will even mimic the shadow of the selected tool as the pencil hovers over the display, revealing exactly where the tip will land.

Input aside, the Apple Pencil Pro supports two main gestures that you can customize in the Settings app on iPadOS. Tea double tap the gesture primarily allows you to quickly switch between tools, display a color palette, or various other useful actions. Just tap the side of the stylus twice in quick succession.

Likewise squeezing the gesture can be assigned to a task of your choice; you can also choose how hard you have to press it to trigger it. The best thing about squeezing is that you can link it to a number of actions through the built-in Shortcuts app, allowing you to perform complex tasks with a single action. This gesture also (optionally) provides haptic feedback on launch, giving the experience a premium feel.

Turn handwriting into digital text

Notebookers, this one’s for you. Apple Pencil Pro supports iPadOS’ Scribble feature, which replicates and enhances traditional note-taking by converting your handwriting into written words that you can insert into any text field.

It also borrows logic gestures to minimize the need for a keyboard. You can cross out words to remove them, or circle them to select them. Similarly, you can create space to type words by tapping and holding where you want, and connect or separate words by drawing a vertical line before or after the target. These turn Scribbles into an intuitive way to enter text using only the Apple Pencil.

Mahmoud Itani / Foundry

Instant Notes

If you’re late for class, don’t worry! With Apple Pencil Pro, you can start taking notes right away. Assuming you’ve enabled it in your preferences (open Settings and go to Application > Comment > Access notes from the lock screen), you won’t need to unlock your iPad or launch any apps manually. All you have to do is use the stylus to tap the display even when it’s asleep. By default, this will launch a new entry in the Notes app, although in the same Settings section you can tell it to refresh the last one instead.

Similarly, you can quickly create a note anywhere in iPadOS by swiping diagonally with the pencil from the assigned bottom corner. The other bottom corner can be configured to take a screenshot. Open the Settings app and go to Apple Pencil section to assign your corners.

AirTag in disguise

How many Apple Pencils have been lost over the years? We would guess that the answers are many. Apple Pencil Pro addresses this issue by tapping into the extensive Find My network. If you ever lose it, you can simply launch the Find it app on your iPad and find it exactly. The last known location will also appear in this app on iOS and macOS, though without the precision search benefit.

The Apple Pencil Pro doesn’t beep, so the process of tracking it down can be a little trickier than finding an AirTag. Still, the Find My integration works well and is welcome, especially since it prevents thieves from pairing it with their own accounts and helps anyone who finds it connect with you.

Mahmoud Itani / Foundry

Let the battery go further

Apple Pencil Pro, like the 2nd generation model, pairs and charges by magnetically snapping to the edge of your iPad. Most users leave it there for storage when not in use, keeping it conveniently within reach and ensuring it’s fully charged when needed. But this might not be the best policy if you don’t use the Apple Pencil Pro every day.

Apple Pencil Pro contains a lithium-ion battery that wears down the more you use it. To avoid damage, iPadOS will let your Apple Pencil’s battery drain a bit and refill it when it’s plugged in for an extended period of time. This process can both drain your iPad’s battery and unnecessarily strain the Apple Pencil’s battery.

In other words, if you only use the Pencil sporadically, you might want to store it somewhere other than the edge of your iPad. Contrary to popular belief, the Apple Pencil Pro battery does not drain quickly when idle. Based on personal testing, my pencil only lost 1% of its charge after being unplugged for over 24 hours. If you put it away in a drawer or on your desk, chances are it’ll be ready to use the next time you need it… as long as you don’t leave it there for months. And you save unnecessary battery cycles.