How to use the Pencil tool including the difference between "Pencil" and "Apple Pencil" and how to erase.
What is the Pencil Tool?
The pencil tool allows you to freehandedly write on documents. While an Apple Pencil is not required, our customers say it helps provide a smooth writing experience in iAnnotate.
For more information on using an Apple Pencil with iAnnotate, check out Do I need an Apple Pencil to use iAnnotate.
Using an Apple Pencil with iAnnotate
iAnnotate includes a special setting customizations for the Apple Pencil so it can be set to “always ink” or adjusted to use in place of a finger for scrolling without marking the page. “Apple Pencil Always Inks” is turned on by default. This preference is adjusted in app settings accessed through the native iOS “Settings” app. Check out Apple Pencil Settings for instructions on how to do this.
Setting Your Apple Pencil to “Always Inks”
When "Apple Pencil Always Inks" is enabled, you do not need to select the pencil tool from the toolbar to use your Apple Pencil. This feature allows the pencil to act like a pencil and makes annotations every time it touches the page.
Your iPad will auto-detect the Apple Pencil allowing you to mark up the page as soon as you touch the screen with your pencil. While writing with Apple Pencil when “Apple Pencil Always Inks” is enabled, you can scroll using a single finger. Use two fingers to scroll when using the Pencil annotation tool from the toolbar regardless of the setting “Apple Pencil Always Inks” being turned on or off.
Note: The tool will show as “Apple Pencil” rather than “pencil” in the annotation specific menu when using with the “Apple Pencil Always Inks” setting rather than selecting the pencil from the toolbar.
Activating the Pencil Tool
To use the Pencil tool, tap the pencil icon on the toolbar. Then, you can start marking up the page with your finger, an Apple Pencil, or other stylus.
Once you’ve activated the Pencil tool, the pencil annotation menu will appear in the upper right corner of the app. It offers several customizable features including color, stroke-width (line) thickness, and opacity (accessible by tapping on the color-customization square). Use the undo/redo arrow to remove or re-add a pencil annotation or select the adjustable eraser icon to erase.
Tap the checkmark in the upper right corner or select another tool to save the annotation.
To Edit a Saved Pencil Annotation
To adjust a previously saved annotation, long-tap (press and hold) on the annotation to reveal the annotation menu. Here you can change the color, use the eraser, add a note, turn your pencil annotation into a stamp, resize the marking (tap the square icon that shows draggable corners), or delete it by tapping the trash icon.
You also can add more markings to an existing annotation by pressing and holding (also called long-tapping) and selecting “Ink” in the menu that pops-up on top of the annotation.
Using the Wrist Guard (Optional)
The Pencil tool includes a wrist guard setting to prevent accidental annotations from your wrist as you write.
While the Pencil tool is active, tap the pointer-finger icon in the top-right corner to enable the wrist guard. The wrist guard appears as a greyed-out box at the bottom of your screen and does not allow any markings to be made within it. The height of the wrist guard can be adjusted by dragging the three-line icon at the top-right side of the greyed-out area up or down. To close the wrist guard, tap the pointer-finger icon again.
Any further questions about using the Pencil tool in iAnnotate? Reach out to us at help@folia.com
Updated: April 2024