Apple Pencil (1st generation) charges in increments of 3%

I have a gen 1 Apple Pencil that I got a month or two ago and gen 10 iPad. Recently, my dog chewed up the charging adapter and I had to replace it but I still needed it for work in the meantime so I bent the opening of the chewed one open enough for it to fit in it again and charged with it long enough for it to go from 6% to 42% before unplugging it. But I noticed that it was charging up in increments of 3, so it went from 6% to 9% to 12% and so on.

My iPhone is compatible with lightning chargers so I plugged my Apple Pencil into it to charge it instead of the chewed adapter and it was still charging in increments of 3.

I got a new adapter, and fully charged my Apple Pencil with it, and still it was charging in increments of 3. I disconnected my Apple Pencil, restarted my iPad, then reconnected my Apple Pencil to my iPad, and tested it, and still it goes up in increments of 3. I used it for a while to see how it was losing charge and it looks like it loses charge in increments of 1 like normal.

I have no clue why it charges up in increments of 3- is it related to me using the broken adapter briefly? Is it indicative of a major issue that could cause harm to my iPad if I plug it into it? Do I need to replace my entire Apple Pencil or is it a harmless glitch? I’m essentially just wanting to know if I need to get a new pencil or not or how I can fix it, if I can.

Posted on Nov 7, 2026 9:25 PM

1 reply

Tesserax

Level 10 (162,294 points)

Nov 9, 2026 8:59 AM in response to puppydawgs

The charging behavior you're describing does not necessarily indicate a problem with your Apple Pencil or its battery.

The battery percentage displayed for an Apple Pencil is an estimate reported to the iPad, rather than a precise measurement of the battery's charge. It is possible for the displayed percentage to update in increments larger than 1%, particularly while charging.

Since you've observed the same 3% increments using different charging methods, including a replacement adapter, the behavior may simply reflect how the Apple Pencil is reporting its battery level rather than an actual charging problem.

Using the damaged adapter briefly would not ordinarily be expected to change how the battery percentage is reported. However, physical damage to a charging accessory can create electrical or connection problems, so I would recommend discontinuing its use entirely.

I wouldn't replace the Apple Pencil based on the 3% increments alone. If it charges fully, maintains a reasonable battery life, and otherwise functions normally, there may be nothing that needs fixing. However, if you notice excessive heat, intermittent charging, unusually rapid battery drain, or physical damage to the Pencil's Lightning connector, stop charging it and have Apple inspect it.

Based on what you've described, there isn't enough evidence to conclude that your Apple Pencil is damaged or that it poses a risk to your iPad. If you're concerned about possible electrical damage from the chewed adapter, an inspection by Apple would be the safest way to rule that out.