Apple Pencil 2 battery discharges overnight

[stephg]

I just got an Apple Pencil 2. I don't keep it connected all the time. When I'm not using it, I keep it in a little pocket in my case. It will discharge overnight to almost 0%. Is that normal or is it defective? Because of the orientation I like to use my iPad, it's not convenient to keep it attached all the time because it will be at the bottom of the iPad so it's always coming off. Just wondering if I need to have it replaced while under warranty. It does charge super fast, so I just charge it back up when I need it. Thanks for any advice!

 

[tagumcity]

The pencil seems to be leaking its charge? I let a 2nd gen pencil discharge to zero, then ended up having to buy a new one.

 

[Systemlord]

The Apple pencil (1&2) was designed to stay active even where not in use.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

The pencils have an accelerometer in them, so if they’re “Moving” they’ll be active. I’ve kept mine off the iPad in a drawer on my nightstand and it still has a charge some weeks later. But if you’re keeping it in a bag where you’re carrying the iPad, but not connected to the iPad - yeah, that’s gonna wear the charge down.

 

[wilberforce]

It should not discharge overnight to 0% if it is stationary. It is always active, especially when it is trying to make a bluetooth connection to the iPad, so will gradually discharge. Mine will discharge most of the way if not used for a week. However the rate of discharge is quite variable, I suspect dependent on how often and with how much power it is transmitting on bluetooth.
I suggest leave it stationary for a day and see if it still discharges most of the way. If it does, I think it is not normal. That it recharges "super fast" also indicates reduced battery capacity, however I am not sure what you mean by "super fast." Mine will recharge in about 20 minutes I think, but not sure.

 

[Ifti]

Is it bad to leave it connected to the iPad all the time??

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Is it bad to leave it connected to the iPad all the time??

It’s a compromise. What’s REALLY bad is letting it fully discharge, to the point where it won’t work any longer at all. Compared to that, leaving it at 100% charge is a far better solution. I have better things to do with my day than monitor my Apple Pencil charge level & connect it only at optimum times so…. Mine lives on the iPad.

 

[Isamilis]

If I plan to not use it for couple of days, I will just disconnect its Bluetooth (from iPad’s Settings). The battery level will remain unchanged.

 

[raythompsontn]

My Apple Pencil will discharge to less than 20% overnight. Even while attached to the iPad, and the iPad not moving. Reattaching the pencil in the morning and the pencil will charge to 100%, as should be expected. This discharge occurs whether the iPad is connected to the charger or not.

I think the problem has something to do with "Do not disturb". The problem did not occur until the latest IOS update, 16.3. The problem may have occurred prior to this 16.3 and I did not notice.

When the iPad is in "Do not disturb" mode power is not being provided to the pencil when the pencil is attached to the iPad. The pencil is communicating with the iPad, but the iPad has the pencil charging circuits turned off. Even with the pencil sitting on the table away from the iPad the discharge still occurs, same as attached to the iPad.

Thus I think somewhere in the 16.2 or 16.3 release of iPadOS something was borked in the Pencil logic.

 

[Systemlord]

My Apple pencil has been discontinued for exactly one week, and it was at 60% charge.

 

[raythompsontn]

The latest update to IOS, 16.3.1, has solved the problem with the Apple Pencil 2 discharging when the iPad is asleep. I left the pencil connected last night and this morning the pencil was at 100%. That has not happened since IOS 16.3 was installed. Some mornings the pencil would be at 10% or less when connected to the iPad. It did not matter if the iPad was connected to the charger or not.

Thus, my unscientific opinion is that there was a flaw in IOS 16.3 that was corrected in IOS 16.3.1.

 

[Systemlord]

The latest update to IOS, 16.3.1, has solved the problem with the Apple Pencil 2 discharging when the iPad is asleep.

I just put the Apple pencil to the test and it’s still 100% after being left on the table for several hours.

 

[raythompsontn]

My pencil still discharges overnight when attached to the iPad, while the iPad is plugged in. I spoke too soon on the problem being resolved. If I leave the pencil on the table, then it does not discharge. Something to do with being attached to the iPad causes the pencil to discharge when the iPad goes into "Do Not Disturb" mode.

 

[darknetone]

It’s a compromise. What’s REALLY bad is letting it fully discharge, to the point where it won’t work any longer at all. Compared to that, leaving it at 100% charge is a far better solution. I have better things to do with my day than monitor my Apple Pencil charge level & connect it only at optimum times so…. Mine lives on the iPad.

Agreed, asme here, no problems at it is always ready to go when I need it.

 

[piblondin]

My pencil still discharges overnight when attached to the iPad, while the iPad is plugged in. I spoke too soon on the problem being resolved. If I leave the pencil on the table, then it does not discharge. Something to do with being attached to the iPad causes the pencil to discharge when the iPad goes into "Do Not Disturb" mode.

I had a similar issue and just solved it. It was due to a third-party case. I think, somehow, the magnets in the case were keeping the Pencil 2 active and draining its battery. Once I removed the case, the Pencil 2 behaved as expected when connected to the sleeping iPad.