Contents

Apple Pencil updates

Learn about important changes to Apple Pencil.

Overview

Browse notable changes in Apple Pencil.

June 2024

UIKit

  • Implement custom low-latency drawing if your app doesn’t use PencilKit. Participate in UI updates and influence UI update behavior using UIUpdateLink.

PencilKit

  • Offer a wider variety of marking tools by creating a configurable tool picker. Create a PKToolPicker, add standard system tools or define your own custom tools with PKToolPickerCustomItem, and specify which order the tools appear in. Include an optional accessoryItem in the tool picker to provide quick access to additional features directly from the picker.

May 2024

SwiftUI and UIKit

  • Perform actions in your app in response to squeeze interactions on Apple Pencil Pro. People can choose their preferred squeeze action in Settings > Apple Pencil > Actions > Squeeze, such as switching drawing tools, showing a contextual palette, or performing an App Shortcut. You can also implement a custom action for squeeze and give people the choice to use your app’s custom behavior instead. In SwiftUI, use onPencilSqueeze(perform:). In UIKit, use pencilInteraction(_:didReceiveSqueeze:).

  • Perform actions in your app in response to double-tap interactions on Apple Pencil. People can choose their preferred double-tap action in Settings > Apple Pencil > Actions > Double Tap. In SwiftUI, use onPencilDoubleTap(perform:). In UIKit, update your implementation to use pencilInteraction(_:didReceiveTap:), which replaces the deprecated pencilInteractionDidTap(_:).

  • Leverage the hover pose of Apple Pencil to support more complex interactions in response to a double tap or squeeze. Information about the hover pose — such as azimuth, altitude, and hover distance — is available when a person holds a supported model of Apple Pencil close to the screen during a double tap or squeeze. In SwiftUI, use PencilHoverPose. In UIKit, use UIPencilHoverPose.

  • Provide tactile feedback on Apple Pencil Pro by playing haptics in response to certain actions, such as snapping objects to a grid. In SwiftUI, use SensoryFeedback. In UIKit, use UIFeedbackGenerator.

  • Track the barrel-roll angle of Apple Pencil Pro to create more expressive drawing experiences and hover previews using rollAngle.

  • Check the value of the hover tool preview preference from the Apple Pencil section of the Settings app using prefersHoverToolPreview.

PencilKit

  • Take advantage of barrel-roll tracking for Apple Pencil Pro when a person makes marker and fountain pen strokes. Support PKContentVersion.version3, which includes the version of the inks that incorporate barrel-roll data.

See Also

Technology updates