New iPad Only Supports First-Gen Apple Pencil, Requires Adapter to Charge - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

New iPad Only Supports First-Gen Apple Pencil, Requires Adapter to Charge

The new, 10th-generation iPad only supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, meaning that it requires an adapter to charge separately via a wired connection since the device has moved to USB-C.

usb c apple pencil adapter
The new iPad has no magnetic wireless charger on the side to connect to the second-generation ‌Apple Pencil‌. Only the first-generation ‌Apple Pencil‌ is supported by the device, which normally needs to be plugged into a Lightning port to charge. The ‌iPad‌ now has a USB-C port, meaning that the ‌Apple Pencil‌ can no longer be charged directly via the ‌iPad‌.

Entry-level ‌iPad‌ users who want to use the ‌Apple Pencil‌ will need to charge the accessory using a USB-C cable and a separate adapter. The smallprint on Apple's 10th-generation ‌iPad‌ press release states:

Apple Pencil (1st generation) is compatible with the new iPad. A new USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter is required for pairing and charging and is included in the box with a new version of Apple Pencil (1st generation) for $99 (US).

For existing owners of Apple Pencil (1st generation), the USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter is sold separately for $9 (US).

The first-generation ‌Apple Pencil‌ came with a female to female Lightning adapter allowing it to be charged separately, but now Apple is offering a new variant of the accessory called the "USB-C to ‌Apple Pencil‌ Adapter" that enables ‌Apple Pencil‌ users to charge. The adapter is available separately at a price of $9 for existing ‌Apple Pencil‌ users, while new ‌Apple Pencil‌ units include the adapter in the box.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Don't Buy)
Related Forums: iPad, iPad Accessories

Popular Stories

iPad A16 Colors

Here's When to Expect an iPad 12 With Apple Intelligence

Friday May 1, 2026 8:21 am PDT by
A new entry-level iPad 12 with Apple Intelligence support likely remains months away, based on a comment shared by an Apple executive this week. On an earnings call on Thursday, Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh said that the company's iPad revenue in the March-June quarter will face a "difficult compare" due to the the launch of the entry-level iPad 11 with the A16 chip in March 2025. Parekh is...
iOS 27 on iPhone 17 1

iOS 27 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Saturday May 2, 2026 8:43 am PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8, and there are already many rumored features and changes for iPhones. The first developer beta of iOS 27 will likely be available immediately following the keynote, and a public beta typically follows in July. Following beta testing, the software update should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

Why You Might Want to Wait to Buy a MacBook Pro

Friday May 1, 2026 3:43 pm PDT by
Apple refreshed the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max models in March 2026, but depending on your needs and interests, you might want to skip this generation because there's something better in the works. The M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models have faster chips, but the same design that Apple has used since 2021. An updated design with new display technology and faster ...

Top Rated Comments

asdex Avatar
46 months ago
This is beyond ridiculous 🤦‍♂️
Score: 110 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Expos of 1969 Avatar
46 months ago
Tim.....Retire and get out of here. You have no clue.
Score: 76 Votes (Like | Disagree)
46 months ago
Sorry but what a bad move. Should have been 2nd gen pencil given the price increase. That and the price made me pass on this for an air instead. Which was their plan all along I suppose?
Score: 75 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WiiDSmoker Avatar
46 months ago
WE LOVE TO BE GREEN.
PLEASE BUY THIS NEW ADAPTER
Score: 61 Votes (Like | Disagree)
46 months ago
wow...that's a terrible decision.
Score: 60 Votes (Like | Disagree)
46 months ago


Attachment Image
Score: 52 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Related Apple News: Entertainment | Education | Iphone | Lifestyle | Sport