Did You Know the Apple Pencil Could Do These 9 Things?

The Apple Pencil is the best stylus for the iPad; no questions asked. No one has even come close to creating a stylus as responsive and easy to use as the Apple Pencil. Sure, the first-generation Apple Pencil isn't the best, especially when it's time for you to charge it. Still, both pencils are years ahead of the competition. And it seems like Apple will go even further since there are rumors the company is working on a third-generation Apple Pencil.
The best part is that such a small device is packed with many features you can take advantage of to make your life easier and help work faster from your iPad. If you've just started using the Apple Pencil, or you want to up your game, continue reading to browse nine tips and tricks you might not know about.
Avoid Flubbing Your Art with Your Fingers
You can make it so you can only draw with your Apple Pencil, so your iPad won't register your fingers accidentally when drawing!
This might seem a little restrictive, but it'll help you not draw unexpected lines with your fingers when you're creating your art. Here's how to enable it.
- Go to the Settings app on your iPad.
- Scroll down and select Apple Pencil.
- Turn Only Draw with Apple Pencil on.
Drop a Ruler to Draw Straight Lines

When you're taking notes, you can use the different Apple Pencil tools on your iPad to personalize your notes however you like.
You can use a pen, pencil, highlighter and change the color of your tools. You can even use a ruler on your notes.
To use a ruler, all you need to do is put both fingers on your iPad to make the ruler appear. Afterward, your iPad will only draw straight lines where the ruler is. You can move it and adjust it to fit your notes.
Customize the Double Tap Feature

You've probably already tried it, but your iPad can sense when you double tap it. When you do it, your iPad will complete an action like opening the color wheel or switch between the eraser and another tool you're using.
What's great about it is that you can customize it to do what you want. Sure, the options are a bit limited so far, but hopefully, Apple will add other options in the future. Or, if you don't like it or use it, you can turn this feature off.
Here's how you can change the Double Tap feature on your Apple Pencil:
- On your iPad, open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and select Apple Pencil
- Choose what you want the Double Tap feature to do.
Write a Note When Your iPad Is Locked

We've already mentioned this before, but it's such a helpful tip, we needed to share it with you again.
In case you didn't know, you can write notes on your iPad without unlocking it. This makes it super easy and quick to take notes wherever you are, especially if you don't want to leave your iPad unlocked in a public place.
All you need to do is take your Apple Pencil and tap on your iPad's screen. Your iPad will automatically open the Notes app, and you'll be able to start writing till your heart's content.
Take a Screenshot with Your Apple Pencil

Taking screenshots on the iPad isn't difficult, but Apple made it even easier with the Apple Pencil's help.
You can take screenshots wherever you are with your Apple Pencil and with just a simple gesture. All you need to do is take your Apple Pencil and place it on any corner of your iPad and then drag it to the center of the screen.
The iPad will automatically take a screenshot that you can edit or save like you normally would.
Use Scribble on iPad

Thanks to iPadOS 14, the iPad got a bunch of new and unique features, including one that's called Scribble.
Scribble lets you.. scribble on your iPad, and it'll automatically detect what you wrote and turn it into text! That way, you don't have to switch between a keyboard and the Apple Pencil. You can just hand-write something on Safari, and your iPad will understand what it is.
Scribble is turned on by default, but you can turn it off if you don't like the feature. Here's how:
- On your iPad, open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap on Apple Pencil.
- Enable or Disable Scribble.
Use Gestures with Scribble

Using Scribble can be hard if you make mistakes or the iPad doesn't register your words correctly. Fortunately, Apple thought about this and created some gestures you can use to make your experience easier.
You can select words, delete them, separate them, or join them with a few gestures. First, make sure you have Scribble turned on following the last steps. Then try these gestures.
- To Delete Text, just scratch the words you want to delete with your Apple Pencil.
- To Select a Text circle around the word or phrase you want to select. If you did it correctly, you'll see the highlighted words.
- To Insert Text, touch, and hold in the place where you want to add a word. Your iPad will create a space between the words of your sentence. Write the word you want to add.
- To Join or Separate words, you need to draw a vertical line between the words you want to join or in the middle of the word you want to separate.
Draw Perfect Shapes

Whether you're starting out as an artist or you're already a professional, you're going to have a hard time drawing perfect shapes. The good news is, with your Apple Pencil, you don't have to.
Again, iPadOS 14 brought this new feature that lets you draw perfect shapes automatically. All you need to do is use your Apple Pencil a draw any shape you want. Almost instantly, your iPad will turn your poorly-drawn circle into a perfect one.
You can draw circles, squares, triangles, and even more shapes. Try it for yourself and take your art to the next level.
Trace Drawings on Your iPad
The Apple Pencil is so precise and accurate; you can actually trace drawings into your iPad.
That's right; you don't need any fancy equipment or special paper. You can use a regular sheet of paper to trace real-life drawings into your iPad.
Keep in mind, though; you can't trace if you're using a thick piece of paper. Try to use regular paper or thin paper to make it work.