The Apple Pencil is like any other electronic gadget, susceptible to glitches and malfunctions. If you want a seamless use, it is best to know how to fix such common issues. You can expect functionalities like the double-tap to stop working; luckily, you are at the right place if you are looking for the simplest ways to solve such problems.
So, why is the double-tap not working on my Apple Pencil? Double-tap will not work if you have a first generation Apple pencil that doesn’t have the feature. Otherwise, most issues with the Apple Pencil 2 are caused by faulty connections with the iPad but resetting Bluetooth may fix it. The double-tap may also fail if the stylus is running low on battery or if you mistakenly disabled it. Therefore, powering the pen and re-enabling the feature from the settings should reactivate it.
The second-generation Apple Pencil is currently the only stylus that supports double-tapping, making it a relatively new concept for users to explore. If you rely on it for most tasks, it becomes challenging to work without it. The following are likely reasons behind the error and how to solve it for the pen to work again.
The iPad and Apple Pencil link may be faulty, hindering the double-tap feature. Additionally, the gestures on the pen may fail because it is unavailable for your stylus version or because you mistakenly turned it off and forgot to re-enable it.
A low battery can also influence the stylus performance, but you can resolve this by checking the percentage and plugging it before use. Generally, resetting your stylus and tablet eliminates system bugs and issues like failure to double-tap.
Despite offering you a seamless drawing experience on your iPad, the stylus can also run into problems, especially for first-time users. In most cases, it may be due to poor Bluetooth tethering, affecting the connection to the iPad, which interferes with the gestures feature. The weak link will distort the double-tap, preventing you from performing simple tasks like erasing, using the color palette, or switching between tools while drawing on the tablet.
There are also high chances that the gesture is not working because you mistakenly or accidentally disabled it. Maybe you were trying to tweak the double-tap settings and unintentionally clicked the off-key, making the Pencil lose the feature. It is also common for frequent pen users to get carried away and forget to charge their devices.
Since there is no direct way to monitor the battery capacity, it is easy for the pen to drain completely and stop working altogether. The stylus is also prone to problems when it is overly sensitive. It can double-tap on its own even when writing normally, ruining the point of the double-tap where it should work only when necessary.
Luckily, it is easy to deal with most of these Apple Pencil issues, and you don’t have to be tech-savvy to reset your pen. A simple restart or Bluetooth adjustment may initiate a new connection and get all the capabilities running again.
You can also avoid sudden faults with the double-tap by regularly checking the stylus settings and battery level. On the other hand, over-sensitivity issues can go away by tweaking the device’s settings.
Depending on your needs, you can set it to low or lower. Finally, note that the double-tap feature is only available in the second-generation Apple Pencil. Therefore, if you use the original stylus model, the gesture may be redundant. There are conditions to meet to ensure seamless performance with the Apple Pencil. First, confirm that your iPad is compatible with your pen.
Remember that older tablets accept the first-generation Pencil while the latest models support the Apple Pencil 2. Moreover, always ensure that your link is strong and reliable; otherwise, you will keep having connection issues. It is also essential that you power both the devices fully before you start using them, and lastly, adjust the Pencil settings correctly before deploying it on the device.
How Do I Turn on Double-tap on Apple Pencil?
The Apple Pencil comes in two generations, and each looks and works differently. However, the newer model has improved on the previous one to enhance and simplify interaction with the compatible iPad. If you are a new user and don’t know how to enable or use the feature, the tips below may help.
Turning on the double-tap is a default capability in the Apple Pencil 2, and it is easy to adjust it. Click settings, then tap Apple Pencil on the next screen. A new window will open to the right, where you will see several boxes with options. You can either use the double-tap feature to alternate between the Pencil and eraser or the Pencil and the last used feature. Otherwise, you can set it for a color palette or turn it off. It works when you pair it with the iPad, and you are free to reconfigure it for the above four options.
The double-tap is a hidden feature that many users can miss unless they are keen. Once the Pencil links to the iPad, the action activates, and the only way to utilize it is to know where the button is on the pen. It is one of the distinguishing features between the two stylus generations. Furthermore, you can tweak settings and customize the double-tap to suit your preferences through the iPad.
The capability comes with numerous advantages, allowing you to move between the current and previous functions. You can also use color palettes or switch between the running tool and eraser.
Thanks to the software, you can effortlessly rub out diagrams, adjust the color palette and move it wherever you need. If you cannot find the options to alter the actions, you may have issues with your connection.
The double-tap is an excellent function for iPad users, but there are still options to turn it off if you don’t want to use it. You can tap on the Pencil icon on the home screen or go straight to Settings and click it to open a new screen. Next, choose Apple Pencil and a pop-up window surface with options for possible actions to make the capability more effective.
Navigate the lists to find the off button and tap it to complete the action. Remember that it only works with supported applications and iPad models. Also, the pen should be second-generation, and you can check for the action button on the side slightly above the tip on the flat part of the pen.
How Do You Reset Your Apple Pencil?
Designers, students and other professionals know how essential it is for the smartpen to work seamlessly. It means beating deadlines and getting the best results for a project. Learning the reset and troubleshooting methods is imperative if you want to eliminate any issues with your Apple pen.
The first way to reset your Apple Pencil is by tightening or replacing the tip if it is too loose for the tablet to sense it. It may also help to recharge the stylus with low battery issues. If none of the two methods works, you may have to reset the networks and the iPad. You can start by disabling and enabling Bluetooth, then unpair and re-pair the connection.
Otherwise, you can “Forget” the pen from the options and begin anew. The last resort is a hard or soft reset of the tablet based on your model, and it will solve any software issues preventing the Pencil from working.
Regardless of the stylus’s advanced tech, it is still vulnerable to errors, preventing it from working as usual. If you have problems with apps not responding, the double-tap feature not working, or the device failing to turn on, there are some effective tips to help, as discussed below.
- Tighten It
It is common for the Apple Pencil to act up if something is wrong with the tip. If loose, it becomes challenging for the tablet to recognize it, and the longer you use it, the more it comes off as it wears down.
You can either replace it using the in-box alternatives or keep tightening it to increase the sensitivity. Without forcing it into the pen by applying too much pressure, you can effortlessly set it back in place.
If you lost the replacement tips, you could purchase alternatives from Apple, usually in four pieces, at around $20. This adjustment should be the first thing to try if you have had the pen for a long time. You may be lucky that the issue is only about sensitivity; otherwise, you may have to try other fixes.
- Recharge
A second fix that many users ignore is recharging. The Pencil has a tiny Li-ion battery inside that doesn’t keep charge for long, and you can expect the power to deplete unexpectedly. Therefore, checking that the pen is always charged can help you solve many of the pen’s issues. It may seem too obvious, but it goes a long way.
First, scroll to the notifications and navigate to the “Apple Pencil”, then “Batteries.” If it has power, you will see the level in the pop-up; otherwise, your battery is depleted. It may not pop up in the tab yet but plugging it for around 20 minutes will be enough. Otherwise, if you don’t see anything after half an hour of charging, you can keep resetting it.
- Bluetooth Reset
Since the stylus links to your iPad through Bluetooth, it may help to reset the connection. You will often have pairing issues with the two unless the settings are correct. First, confirm that you have enabled Bluetooth and the pen seamlessly links to it or turn it off and on again. If there is an error, you can unpair the Pencil and re-pair it with the tablet.
Any lingering bugs should have disappeared by now. To be certain, you can also start Bluetooth pairing between the two. Go to the Settings and click Bluetooth, then select the “i” after your Pencil under “Devices”, and finally click “Forget this device.” You can make a new set-up and fix any previous pairing issues with this.
- Reset Network
Besides resetting Bluetooth, it is safer to reconfigure all the networks on the iPad to be certain that you eliminate all the system bugs. You can factory reset VPN, Wi-Fi, and Cellular on the tablet. This step will fix all the connectivity problems in the way of your Pencil and the iPad.
You can note down all your network passwords before you start the reset process because you will need them after everything factory resets. Go to the Settings on your device and scroll to General, then click Reset Network Settings. The system will ask for the passcode before you can start the process, after which you can click Reset again to confirm the action.
- Hard Reset
The above are all reset options for the Apple Pencil, but since it works in tandem with the tablet, it is only logical also to fix any issues with the iPad. A conventional reboot may effectively eliminate bugs in the tablet’s system and, in turn, solve problems with the Apple Pencil. While other users restart their tablets, others prefer the hard reset method. Regardless, the two will still serve the purpose.
Force resetting manages minor software errors and is the only option for an unresponsive iPad. You can press the Home and Power key simultaneously and wait for the screen to turn black and the logo to pop up.
Otherwise, if your tablet model doesn’t have Home, you can press the volume up and volume down, then long-press the top key. Hold it in place until the screen blackens and you see the logo. Patience is the key in this hard reset since you may have to keep pressing for up to 30 seconds.
Lastly
The double-tap feature is one of Apple’s improvements to the second-generation Pencil. Not only does it help you erase your diagrams, but it is also handy for selecting color pallets. It explains why users always want it to work perfectly.
However, it is also prone to glitches like any other software. Fortunately, most of these issues are easy to solve by making a few settings on the iPad. You can reset Bluetooth by turning it off and then on and unpairing and pairing to ensure that nothing interferes with the connection.
Otherwise, you can do a hard or soft reset of the tablet to eliminate common system bugs. You can also recharge the pen to ensure it doesn’t run low on battery and tighten the grip to solve sensitivity issues.
