Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPad Pro iPad pencil pairs just fine but does not write. Apple store won't help.

CalMin

CalMin

Contributor
Original poster
Nov 8, 2007
1,919
3,836
My 1st generation Apple pencil won't write.

It's weird. I left it for a few weeks and when I picked it up it was dead, so I charged it up and paired the thing with the 10.5 iPad Pro it came with. It pairs fine, shows up in iOS and Bluetooth, but when I write on the screen I get nothing. I've tried rebooting the iPad, trying it on another iPad Pro where it also pairs but does not write. Also tried swapping the pencil tip and still nothing...

I took it to the Apple store and they wouldn't even try to diagnose it. They just offered to sell me a refurb for $79 (vs. $99 for a new one with warranty) so I walked out. It's considered a disposable item by Apple, so they don't do anything.

Does anyone have any suggestions for what I could do or is this pencil RIP?
 
This actually happened to a friend of mine and Apple did the same thing to her. They told her they dont diagnose apple pencils or the “can’t”..... so she just has to buy a new one.
 
Checked the tip, removed the tip, swapped the tip, replaced the tip, screwed the tip back on. RIP pencil??
 
Apple should be supporting this product IMO. If it’s failed it’s covered by warranty is it not?

You shouldn’t be buying a replacement.
 
One could try and remove the Bluetooth pairing record from settings but not sure if there more that could be done to such a device.

Best success OP!
 
LewisChapman said:
Apple should be supporting this product IMO. If it’s failed it’s covered by warranty is it not?

You shouldn’t be buying a replacement.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately it is well out of the 1-year warranty. :(
[doublepost=1544456534][/doublepost]
ericwn said:
One could try and remove the Bluetooth pairing record from settings but not sure if there more that could be done to such a device.

Best success OP!
Click to expand...

Thanks. Tried that too. And that's the frustrating thing. It pairs again and appears ready to use, but the blasted thing won't write. I wouldn't mind so much if I had dropped it or damaged it, but all that happened was that I left it I the drawer and let the battery die - and some how in that time it just stopped writing.
 
CalMin said:
I took it to the Apple store and they wouldn't even try to diagnose it. They just offered to sell me a refurb for $79 (vs. $99 for a new one with warranty) so I walked out. It's considered a disposable item by Apple, so they don't do anything.
Click to expand...

So they did so something. They saw it wasn’t working and they offered to replace it. had it been in warranty that replacement would have been free, but clearly it’s not so you were offered the out of warranty price. You walked out because you have the attitude they should have gone back in the back and removed the whatsit and put in a new one, and probably free even, but they don’t do that. Even if they could fix the pencil if it’s out of warranty you would be paying.
[doublepost=1544460438][/doublepost]
LewisChapman said:
Apple should be supporting this product IMO. If it’s failed it’s covered by warranty is it not?

You shouldn’t be buying a replacement.
Click to expand...

The warranty is a year. If they are quoting you a cost its more than a year. Or are you one of those folks that believes that since Apple has billions in the bank their warranty should be 5 years or such.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chabig
Newtons Apple said:
Not if over a year old.
Click to expand...

Fair point.
charlituna said:
So they did so something. They saw it wasn’t working and they offered to replace it. had it been in warranty that replacement would have been free, but clearly it’s not so you were offered the out of warranty price. You walked out because you have the attitude they should have gone back in the back and removed the whatsit and put in a new one, and probably free even, but they don’t do that. Even if they could fix the pencil if it’s out of warranty you would be paying.
[doublepost=1544460438][/doublepost]

The warranty is a year. If they are quoting you a cost its more than a year. Or are you one of those folks that believes that since Apple has billions in the bank their warranty should be 5 years or such.
Click to expand...

No I just didn’t read the post properly, sorry to disappoint.
 
CalMin said:
Unfortunately it is well out of the 1-year warranty. :(
[doublepost=1544456534][/doublepost]

Thanks. Tried that too. And that's the frustrating thing. It pairs again and appears ready to use, but the blasted thing won't write. I wouldn't mind so much if I had dropped it or damaged it, but all that happened was that I left it I the drawer and let the battery die - and some how in that time it just stopped writing.
Click to expand...

If you bought it with a credit card check your card benefits. Many credit cards (at least in the US) double the manufacturer’s warranty. So you could make a claim thru your credit card issuer for a defective pencil.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CalMin and gnomeisland
charlituna said:
So they did so something. They saw it wasn’t working and they offered to replace it. had it been in warranty that replacement would have been free, but clearly it’s not so you were offered the out of warranty price. You walked out because you have the attitude they should have gone back in the back and removed the whatsit and put in a new one, and probably free even, but they don’t do that. Even if they could fix the pencil if it’s out of warranty you would be paying.
[doublepost=1544460438][/doublepost]

The warranty is a year. If they are quoting you a cost its more than a year. Or are you one of those folks that believes that since Apple has billions in the bank their warranty should be 5 years or such.
Click to expand...

Please don't judge me. You don't even know me or the full story.

My frustration stemmed from making a support call to Apple, them telling me to take it to an Apple store to get it diagnosed, me then taking it to a store to get it diagnosed and then when I got to the store, the Genius Bar guy wouldn't even look at it.

The impression I was given on the phone was that they would try and diagnose the issue. This is an unmolested Apple Pencil with literally about 10 hours of use on it. There is no physical damage and it has never been dropped. When I try to pair it, it connects but doesn't write. And so I figured there might be some hope of it working again.

When I got to the store they wouldn't even look at it - it literally never left my hand other than for them to check the serial number. There was no expectation on my part that I would get a free out of warranty replacement, but at the very least I had hoped there was something that they could check or test (perhaps do a diagnostic that can't be done at home). Otherwise why send me to the store?!

I wasn't looking to get a freebie. Heck if they had told me it was totally dead I might have bought the replacement right there. I was just annoyed at having taken an afternoon to go to the store when they could have just told me on the phone that if it doesn't work, you have to buy a new one.
[doublepost=1544501926][/doublepost]
Cordorb said:
does it work on another ipad and did another pen work on your ipad.
Click to expand...

No. It doesn't work on the other iPad Pro that I tried it with. It will pair correctly, it just won't write. I haven't tried a different pencil with the iPad, but since the pencil doesn't work on the two iPads I tried it with, I'm pretty sure it's the pencil. :(
 
  • Like
Reactions: Senglish and LewisChapman
CalMin said:
Please don't judge me. You don't even know me or the full story.

My frustration stemmed from making a support call to Apple, them telling me to take it to an Apple store to get it diagnosed, me then taking it to a store to get it diagnosed and then when I got to the store, the Genius Bar guy wouldn't even look at it.

The impression I was given on the phone was that they would try and diagnose the issue. This is an unmolested Apple Pencil with literally about 10 hours of use on it. There is no physical damage and it has never been dropped. When I try to pair it, it connects but doesn't write. And so I figured there might be some hope of it working again.

When I got to the store they wouldn't even look at it - it literally never left my hand other than for them to check the serial number. There was no expectation on my part that I would get a free out of warranty replacement, but at the very least I had hoped there was something that they could check or test (perhaps do a diagnostic that can't be done at home). Otherwise why send me to the store?!

I wasn't looking to get a freebie. Heck if they had told me it was totally dead I might have bought the replacement right there. I was just annoyed at having taken an afternoon to go to the store when they could have just told me on the phone that if it doesn't work, you have to buy a new one.
[doublepost=1544501926][/doublepost]

No. It doesn't work on the other iPad Pro that I tried it with. It will pair correctly, it just won't write. I haven't tried a different pencil with the iPad, but since the pencil doesn't work on the two iPads I tried it with, I'm pretty sure it's the pencil. :(
Click to expand...

Can totally understand where you are coming from with this, very frustrating.

I'm not sure why some on this forum are so hell bent on defending Apple and making out like the consumer is always unreasonable at every possible occasion.

You may make some ground by emailing the store manager and voicing your complaints if you feel dissatisfied with the situation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tracker_oz, Senglish and nicho
I'm usually on the side of "hey it is a year old, what do you expect them to do?" crowd but I'm with CalMin on this.
The Pencil is an expensive proprietary device designed for specific devices.
If there is no sign of damage and it is a certified Apple product, I am shocked the store doesn't just offer them a free refurbished replacement.
I would try pairing it with a different device at the Apple Store (which I assume you did).
I guess the Pencil can be damaged by a drop with no cosmetic evidence and they made a rule not to replace?
If it was a faulty battery, they could easily swap with a refurb and then refurb that one.
Sadly, the Pencil 2.0 probably doomed your chances since they don't want anything to do with 1.0 anymore or they would have made that compatible with the 2018 Pros.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tracker_oz
CalMin said:
When I got to the store they wouldn't even look at it - it literally never left my hand other than for them to check the serial number. There was no expectation on my part that I would get a free out of warranty replacement, but at the very least I had hoped there was something that they could check or test (perhaps do a diagnostic that can't be done at home). Otherwise why send me to the store?!
Click to expand...

if you want to be frustrated, be so with the person on the phone that led you to believe that the apple store has all kinds of vast diagnostics to tell you exactly what's wrong with the Pencil. they don't and probably won't ever. they listen, they might duplicate the issue, they see that it's not working and they replace it. full stop. these are generally college kids not engineers. most of them aren't even studying anything related to computers or engineering.
[doublepost=1544535758][/doublepost]
Zimmy68 said:
If there is no sign of damage and it is a certified Apple product, I am shocked the store doesn't just offer them a free refurbished replacement.
Click to expand...

they would give a free replacement if it's in warranty. it wasn't. so they said there would be a fee. easy math
 
  • Sad
  • Like
Reactions: tracker_oz and chabig
So....I had issues with a pencil shortly after a year...because I had Apple care on the iPad they spent a short time diagnosing the pencil and traded it out for a new one. Out of warranty there isn’t much any company/store will do for you.

Am surprised they didn’t do anything as it did not seem to take much to diagnose the pencil. Perhaps go back in and explain that all you wanted was help because it pairs but does not write.

Did you check after pairing that it shows up in the battery section?
Also check in the Bluetooth section to see if it is still paired. It may be a battery thing where it is not staying paired.
Did you try it on a clean iPad? Meaning either you did a fresh reset of the iPad or a new iPad. You coulda also try just a reset of the settings not wiping the iPad.
 
Battery degrades if not charged for a long time. It properly is just able to hold a charge long enough to pair and when you pull it it dies.
 
Ries said:
Battery degrades if not charged for a long time. It properly is just able to hold a charge long enough to pair and when you pull it it dies.
Click to expand...
This sounds like a fairly reasonable explanation.

OP, I know it's frustrating, but the Apple Pencil doesn't really lend itself to repairs or even much in the way of diagnosis. If it's nonfunctional and out of warranty, the only option probably is to just replace it.

Offering to sell you a refurb is probably the best they could do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back