Apple Pencil Not Working in Procreate

How to fix it

Try these in order — the most common fix is first.

1. 1. Test the Pencil outside Procreate

   Copy steps
   1. Open Apple Notes or Freeform and draw with the Pencil
   2. If it works there, the problem is inside Procreate; if not, continue with the pairing steps below
   Did this fix it? Yes No

2. 2. Check the layer you are painting on

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   1. Open the Layers panel and make sure the selected layer is not locked (swipe left on it), hidden or set to 0% opacity
   2. Make sure the layer is not set as the Reference layer
   3. Try a new empty layer and draw on it
   Did this fix it? Yes No

3. 3. Check Procreate gesture and touch settings

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   1. Tap the Actions (wrench) icon > Prefs > Gesture controls
   2. Review the Touch and Apple Pencil options, and disable anything that makes touch override the Pencil
   3. Open iPad Settings > Procreate and check the touch-related toggles there
   Did this fix it? Yes No

4. 4. Re-pair the Apple Pencil and check battery and tip

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   1. Open Settings > Apple Pencil (or Bluetooth) and check the battery level
   2. Unpair and pair the Pencil again by attaching it to the iPad (or plugging it in for USB-C Pencil)
   3. Tighten the tip, or replace it if worn
   Did this fix it? Yes No

5. 5. Restart the iPad and update

   Copy steps
   1. Force restart the iPad
   2. Update Procreate in the App Store and iPadOS in Settings > General > Software Update
   3. If it still fails, contact Procreate through its Support Form with a screen recording
   Did this fix it? Yes No

Symptoms

Strokes do not appear when you draw with the Pencil, only fingers work, or the Pencil works in other apps but not in Procreate.

Why it happens

• Drawing on a locked, hidden, reference or 0% opacity layer
• Finger drawing or a gesture setting overriding the Pencil input
• Apple Pencil not paired or low on battery
• Pencil tip loose or worn
• A temporary iPadOS or app glitch after an update

This guide also covers

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Other Procreate errors

• Apple Pencil Lag in Procreate
• Procreate Keeps Crashing on iPad
• Procreate Frozen or Not Responding
• Procreate Brushes Not Importing or Missing
• Procreate Lost Artwork: Recover Deleted or Missing Files
• Procreate Maximum Layers Reached
• Procreate Export Problems: PSD, PNG and Photoshop Not Opening
• Procreate Colors Look Different After Export or Print