If you own an iPad, there is a good chance you treated yourself to an Apple Pencil. It’s sleek, it snaps satisfyingly onto the side of the iPad Pro and Air, and it feels great in the hand. But for many users, the Apple Pencil ends up being nothing more than an expensive stylus used for scrolling through news feeds or tapping icons.
The truth is, Apple has packed this little white wand with incredible technology that goes far beyond simple tapping. Whether you are a student taking notes, a professional marking up documents, or just someone who loves digital journaling, there are features hidden just beneath the surface that can completely change your workflow.
We have rounded up ten of our favorite hidden tricks that will help you move from an Apple Pencil novice to a digital wizard. Let’s dive in.
1. The Magic of "Scribble" and Text Gestures
For years, using a stylus meant you had to put the pen down and pop open the on-screen keyboard whenever you wanted to type a URL or reply to a message. With a feature called Scribble, those days are over. Your iPad can automatically convert your handwriting into typed text in almost any text field across the operating system.
You can write directly into the Safari search bar, a text message field, or a Spotlight search, and the iPad will instantly digitize your handwriting. But the real power lies in the editing gestures that come with Scribble. You don't need to switch tools to correct mistakes.
- Delete text: Simply scratch out a word or sentence with a squiggly line (like you would on paper) to delete it instantly.
- Select text: Draw a circle around a word or paragraph to select it. From there, you can copy, cut, or format it.
- Insert text: Touch and hold the Pencil between two typed words. The text will slide apart, creating space for you to handwrite a new word in the gap.
- Join or separate words: Draw a vertical line between two letters to separate a word, or draw a vertical line before a word to join it with the previous one.
Pro Tip: If you find Scribble isn't working, head to Settings > Apple Pencil and ensure the "Scribble" toggle is turned green. It takes a few minutes to get used to, but once you do, it feels like magic.
2. Navigate with Speed: Corner Swipes and Instant Notes
One of the biggest hurdles to using a tablet for productivity is the time it takes to wake the device, find the right app, and start working. The Apple Pencil solves this with gesture shortcuts that utilize the corners of your screen.
First, there is the Quick Note feature. If you are browsing a recipe in Safari or reading an email and need to jot something down, simply swipe your Apple Pencil diagonally upward from the bottom-right corner of the screen. A small floating note pad will appear. You can type or draw in it, and remarkably, the iPad is smart enough to link that note to the website or app you were looking at when you opened it.
Second is the Screenshot Swipe. By swiping diagonally upward from the bottom-left corner, you instantly capture a screenshot. This is much faster than fumbling for the volume and power buttons.
Perhaps the most useful speed trick is Instant Notes. Have you ever needed to write something down immediately while your iPad was asleep? You don't even need to unlock it. simply tap the locked, black screen with the tip of your Apple Pencil. The iPad will wake up and immediately open a new note in the Notes app. Whatever you write is saved automatically.
3. Unleash Your Inner Artist with Perfect Shapes and Shading
You don’t have to be Picasso to appreciate the artistic capabilities of the Pencil. Even if you are just drawing diagrams for a meeting or organizing your digital planner, messy lines can be frustrating. Apple has a solution called Shape Recognition.
To draw a geometrically perfect shape, simply draw it as you normally would—a circle, square, triangle, or even a star or arrow—but do not lift your pencil tip when you finish the stroke. Hold the tip still for half a second. The rough shape you drew will snap into a mathematically perfect version of itself.
Additionally, if you are using the virtual pencil or charcoal tools in apps like Apple Notes or Procreate, the Apple Pencil mimics real-world physics through Tilt Sensitivity. If you draw with the tip straight down, you get a fine, sharp line. If you tilt the pencil to the side, exactly like you would with a real shading pencil, the stroke becomes wide and textured. This is perfect for highlighting text in a more organic way or adding depth to a sketch.
4. Mastering Screenshots and Document Markups
We mentioned the screenshot swipe earlier, but the Apple Pencil’s powers extend far beyond just capturing an image. When you take a screenshot of a website using your Pencil, look at the top of the editing screen. You will see two tabs: "Screen" and "Full Page."
If you select Full Page, the iPad captures the entire webpage—from the header all the way to the footer—and converts it into a long PDF. You can then use your Pencil to highlight sections, sign documents, or make notes along the margins of the entire article, not just what was visible on the screen. This is a game-changer for reviewing contracts or reading long research papers.
Furthermore, you can sign digital documents instantly without opening a specialized PDF editor. If someone emails you a PDF, open it in the Mail app, tap the markup icon (the pen tip in a circle), and sign your name naturally. It looks much more professional than trying to sign with your finger or using a generic digital signature stamp.
5. Customization and Battery Management
Finally, to truly master your device, you need to customize how the hardware reacts to you. If you have the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) or the Apple Pencil Pro, there is a flat surface on the side of the pencil. This is a touch-sensitive button.
By default, Double-Tapping this flat section switches between your current tool (like a pen) and the eraser. This is incredibly useful for fixing mistakes on the fly without breaking your flow. However, not everyone likes the eraser toggle. You can customize this:
- Go to Settings > Apple Pencil.
- Look for "Double Tap."
- You can change it to switch between the current tool and the last used tool, show the color palette, or turn it off entirely if you find yourself triggering it by accident.
Battery Note: Nothing kills productivity like a dead battery. While the 2nd Gen Pencil charges magnetically, it’s easy to forget about it. Add the "Batteries" widget to your iPad Home Screen. This gives you a clear percentage readout of your iPad and your Pencil side-by-side, so you never run out of juice in the middle of a meeting.
The Apple Pencil is one of the most intuitive accessories Apple has ever made, but its simplicity hides a deep well of functionality. By integrating these tricks into your daily routine—using Scribble for text, mastering the corner swipes, and utilizing shape recognition—you transform your iPad from a passive screen into an active, powerful canvas. Give these tips a try this week, and you might find yourself leaving your laptop behind more often.