Apple's new iPad Air and fifth-generation iPad mini both work with the Apple Pencil, but are limited to the first-generation ‌Apple Pencil‌ rather than the second-generation model, which only works with 2018 iPad Pros.

If you're looking for a more affordable alternative, though, it turns out both new ‌iPad‌ models are compatible with the Logitech Crayon, an Apple Pencil-like stylus that previously was only compatible with the sixth-generation ‌iPad‌.

logitechcrayoninhand
Apple updated its online store listing for the Crayon following the launch of the new ‌iPad‌ models, noting compatibility with both.

logitechcrayonprotection
Priced at $70, the Crayon is a lower-cost alternative to the ‌Apple Pencil‌ that works in the same way. It features a slim aluminum body and Pencil-like tip, with palm rejection and the same latency and tilt that you get with the ‌Apple Pencil‌.


It does not, however, feature pressure sensitivity support, so that's one feature you'll miss out on choosing the Crayon over the ‌Apple Pencil‌.

logitechcrayontip
Logitech designed the Crayon for students (and schools can buy it for just $50), so it has a flat surface to prevent rolling, a tethered rubber end cap, a grip that's meant to be comfortable for small hands, and it's durable enough to withstand drops of up to four feet.

logitechcrayoncharging
The Crayon charges using a built-in Lightning port, so you can use a standard Lightning cable to charge it up. The battery lasts for approximately 7 and a half hours before needing to be recharged. No Bluetooth pairing is needed to connect the Crayon to an ‌iPad‌ - it works automatically.

logitechcrayondesign
Logitech's Crayon is available from the Apple online store and in Apple retail stores.

Related Roundups: iPad Air , iPad mini
Related Forums: iPad, iPad Accessories

Top Rated Comments

ipedro Avatar
80 months ago
It's been about half a year since the Pencil 2 came out and I can't see that anybody has figured out what is different about the technology. Why are the Pencil and Pencil 2 incompatible? Is it a technology in the screen? If it's in the Pencil itself, then why not making them backwards compatible? This is getting confusing figuring out which Pencil (or Crayon) works with iPad. Apple has always been about simplicity so this is very unlike them.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sracer Avatar
80 months ago
I bought one for my elderly mom who had upgraded to a 2018 iPad. I use the Apple Pencil, but I gave it a bit of an extended test and it works great. If I didn't already have the Pencil, I wouldn't have any problem using the Crayon instead. If I replace my Mini 4 with a Mini 5, I just might buy the Crayon so that I can easily switch between the 2018 iPad and Mini 5 without having to re-pair.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nicho Avatar
80 months ago
I bought one for my elderly mom who had upgraded to a 2018 iPad. I use the Apple Pencil, but I gave it a bit of an extended test and it works great. If I didn't already have the Pencil, I wouldn't have any problem using the Crayon instead. If I replace my Mini 4 with a Mini 5, I just might buy the Crayon so that I can easily switch between the 2018 iPad and Mini 5 without having to re-pair.
I have a 2018 iPad of my own and a 2018 iPad issued by work. As I take notes but don't draw, I gave away my Apple Pencil to a family member and ended up getting a logitech crayon for this very reason. Turn it on, it just works with both ipads. I can use both side by side and it writes on both.

I now have a crayon I leave at work and a crayon for home.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Phogro Avatar
80 months ago
This doesn't have pressure sensitivity.

Apple Pencil users: How critical is pressure sensitivity in the apps that you use?
It's probably most important for things like shading, or sketching. If you're using the pencil for mostly note taking it's not that important.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dj64Mk7 Avatar
80 months ago
That thing is enormous! Also ugly.
At least this kid will be happy again...

Signature checks out?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Justanotherfanboy Avatar
80 months ago
It's been about half a year since the Pencil 2 came out and I can't see that anybody has figured out what is different about the technology. Why are the Pencil and Pencil 2 incompatible? Is it a technology in the screen? If it's in the Pencil itself, then why not making them backwards compatible? This is getting confusing figuring out which Pencil (or Crayon) works with iPad. Apple has always been about simplicity so this is very unlike them.
It was my understanding that the lower latency was based on the 120hz refresh rate on the new iPads Pro... that bears out, since these new iPads lack that feature & are incompatible.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iphone 17 air iphone 16 pro

iPhone 17 Air USB-C Port May Have This Unusual Design Quirk

Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years. iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack) At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...