Apple Pencil (1st Generation): Pixel-Perfect Precision and Industry-Leading Low Latency, Perfect for Note-Taking, Drawing, and Signing documents.

The Apple Pencil (1st generation) is a stylus for iPad, used most often for handwritten notes, drawing, and adding signatures to documents. It registers how hard you press and the angle at which you hold it, so line weight and shading shift the way they would with a graphite tip, and it tracks position down to the individual pixel with latency low enough to go unnoticed. The body is aluminum. It pairs and charges through the included Lightning adapter, and the box also contains a spare tip and a USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter. Supported models are iPad 6th through 10th generation, iPad Air 3rd generation, iPad mini 5th generation, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 1st and 2nd generation, iPad Pro 10.5-inch, and iPad Pro 9.7-inch. The 10th generation iPad needs the USB-C adapter to pair and charge.

A reasonable pick for students marking up lecture slides, illustrators sketching on an older iPad Pro, or anyone signing paperwork on screen.

When using the Apple Pencil with drawing or note-taking apps, it helps to spend a few minutes in the app settings adjusting palm rejection so resting your hand on the screen does not create unwanted marks. The flat side of the pencil keeps it from rolling off a desk or table, which is a small but useful detail during longer work sessions. For storage, a simple loop or slot on the side of a case works well since there is no magnetic attachment point on this model the way there is on newer versions. If you are comparing this generation to the second-generation Apple Pencil, the key practical difference is how it connects: this one requires the Lightning adapter for both pairing and charging, while the second generation attaches magnetically to the side of a compatible iPad. That also means charging requires a dedicated moment rather than a passive snap to the device.

This pencil suits people who already own a compatible older iPad and want a reliable input tool without upgrading their hardware. Writers who prefer longhand over typing, students annotating PDFs, and designers doing early-stage sketching on an existing device will find it fits that role well. The replaceable tip is worth keeping in mind: tips wear down with heavy use, and having the spare from the box set aside is practical for anyone who draws frequently.