Apple Releases New Firmware for USB-C Apple Pencil - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Releases New Firmware for USB-C Apple Pencil

by

Apple today released the first firmware update for the USB-C Apple Pencil that came out last week. The new firmware has a version number of 10M5164.

Apple Pencil USB C sliding cap feature
There is no word on what features, fixes, or updates might be included in the updated firmware, and Apple does not provide release notes for ‌Apple Pencil‌ software releases.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.

The USB-C ‌Apple Pencil‌ is almost identical in design to the ‌Apple Pencil‌ 2, but it is shorter and has a hidden USB-C port for charging and pairing. It is not able to wirelessly charge, and it lacks some of the features available with the more expensive ‌Apple Pencil‌ models such as pressure sensitivity.


Apple does not have an established procedure for updating ‌Apple Pencil‌ hardware, but in the case of the USB-C ‌Apple Pencil‌, connecting it to an iPad with a USB-C cable and powering on the ‌iPad‌ should be enough to spur the new software to download.

Tag: Apple Pencil Guide
Related Forum: iPad Accessories

Popular Stories

Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

11 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 18 Pro

Monday May 11, 2026 9:01 am PDT by
We're only four months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a sea change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year, adopting a...
Read Full Article • 35 comments
iOS 26

iOS 26.5 Features: Everything New in iOS 26.5

Monday May 11, 2026 5:09 pm PDT by
Apple released iOS 26.5 after a few months of beta testing, and while it doesn't have the Siri features we were hoping for since those are being held until iOS 27, there are a handful of useful changes worth knowing about. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. End-to-End Encryption for RCS Support for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between iPhone and...
Read Full Article • 62 comments
General Apps Reddit Feature

Reddit Starts Blocking Mobile Website, Pushing Users to App Instead

Monday May 11, 2026 6:10 am PDT by
Social network Reddit recently began blocking mobile visitors to its website while pushing them to download the official Reddit app, and it's fair to say that the move is not going down well with users. If you visit reddit.com on your iPhone today, you may see a new popup that can't be dismissed, asking you to "get the app to keep using Reddit." A Reddit spokesperson told Ars Technica...
Read Full Article • 125 comments

Top Rated Comments

miketcool Avatar
miketcool
33 months ago
Does the update increase the accuracy of a positive pregnancy result?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mectojic Avatar
mectojic
33 months ago
Remember the days when you did firmware updates to your wood pencils? It was called a pencil sharpener. Really improved the functionality!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrGimper Avatar
MrGimper
33 months ago
Why is it being labelled Apple Pencil Gen 3 “interesting”?

It is, after all, the 3rd Gen of Apple Pencil

Would have been interesting if it had been called “Malcolm”
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vegetassj4 Avatar
vegetassj4
33 months ago
The release notes mistakenly briefly referenced the upcoming Pencil Pro before they got taken down




Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
klasma
33 months ago

The new firmware has a version number of 10M5164.
M5 confirmed!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
klasma
33 months ago

Why is it being labelled Apple Pencil Gen 3 “interesting”?

It is, after all, the 3rd Gen of Apple Pencil
It’s neither an upgrade from the 1 nor the 2 (both of which have pressure sensitivity, and the 2 has wireless charging), that’s why Apple didn’t call it the 3. It’s interesting that internally they nevertheless named it that.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments