How To Use An Apple Pencil With A Mac Computer

The Apple Pencil can’t be used natively with Mac computers as the displays don’t have the touch other support required, but there is a way to paint or draw on an iPad using Apple’s stylus and duplicate the content on a Mac. The trick is to use one of Apple’s Continuity features to wirelessly share the Mac screen with an iPad. Quick sketches made with an Apple Pencil and iPad can also be inserted directly into Mac apps that accept images.

The Mac computer has long been associated with creative work, favored by many production studios in Hollywood for film work and artists worldwide for graphic arts and digital paintings. Long before the iPad or any other modern computer tablet existed, the stylus and graphics pad were developed to make computer art more intuitive. A mouse is wonderful for selecting text and precisely aligning objects and images when compositing layers, but the natural feel of a pencil can’t be beaten for freeform artwork. Graphics pads are still available for the Mac computer, but models that include screens often cost more than an iPad, making it difficult to justify the expense for such a specialized device.

Apple provides two different ways to use an Apple Pencil with a Mac, and both require an iPad. For quick drawings to be inserted into a document, it may be easiest to use Continuity Sketch, a feature that lets the iPad be used independently to draw with an Apple Pencil or a finger. Right-clicking in a Mac document and choosing ‘Insert Sketch’ will open a blank canvas on the selected iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch with familiar Markup tools appearing on-screen. The pen, marker, pencil, eraser, and ruler can be used to create the sketch, and pressure and tilt sensitivity are enabled when using an Apple Pencil. Tapping ‘done’ closes the drawing and the image is inserted into the Mac document without the need to save and send, making this a quick and easy process. For more advanced drawing, a Mac paint app or graphics design app can be used with another Continuity feature called ‘Sidecar.’

How To Use Apple’s Sidecar

Apple allows Mac owners to enjoy a high-quality graphics tablet experience quickly and easily if they also own an Apple Pencil and an iPad. This feature, known as Sidecar, works with any Apple tablet that is compatible with the Apple Pencil — from the lowest cost 10.2-inch iPad to the largest 12.9-inch iPad Pro with XDR display. Full pressure sensitivity and tilt information is transmitted to the Mac with screen updates appearing with no apparent delay on the iPad. Since there are no cables to connect, the iPad can be placed wherever it’s most convenient for drawing as long as it remains within Bluetooth range. This means an artist can take their iPad to a sofa on the other side of a room and keep painting/drawing — opening up the sort of freedom that allows creativity to flow.

Sidecar is known as the Continuity feature that allows Mac owners to use an iPad as a secondary display, but its ability to accept finger and Apple Pencil input is what makes this feature so remarkable. Setup happens entirely on the Mac, using the Sidecar section of the System Preferences app to select from any iPad that is signed in using the same Apple ID. Once enabled, options appear in the macOS menu bar allowing the iPad to mirror the Mac’s screen or appear as an extended desktop. The combination of Sidecar and Continuity Sketch allows an Apple Pencil and iPad to mostly replace the need for a dedicated graphics pad and provides another reason to own multiple Apple products.

It’s also worth mentioning that all of this stands to become even better when Apple releases its Universal Control feature. Announced in June 2021, Universal Control is similar to Sidecar in that it allows a Mac and iPad to work together. However, where Sidecar just turns an iPad into a secondary monitor for a Mac, Universal Control allows the iPad to still run iPadOS while syncing seamlessly with a paired Mac. This means someone can use the Apple Pencil on their iPad and draw how they normally would with all of their favorite apps. Once someone finishes their artwork and wants to move it to their Mac, they can move their Mac’s mouse cursor over to the iPad, select the drawing, and drag it over to the Mac. The mouse and files flow seamlessly from iPad to Mac as if they’ve always been able to — creating for a pretty magical workflow. Universal Control isn’t launching until Spring 2022 for macOS Monterey and iPadOS 15, but it should be well worth the wait for creatives looking to use their Apple Pencil and Mac to their fullest potential.

Source: Apple 1, 2

About The Author

Alan Truly
(1129 Articles Published)

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Alan is a Tech Writer living in Nova Scotia, Canada. A tech-enthusiast since his youth, Alan stays current on what is new and what is next. With over 30 years experience in computer, video and photo equipment, you can expect useful tips and insights in his writing. Alan has a degree in programming, many years focused on design, editing, and animation. A period of managing logistics and e-commerce operations for a mobile accessories company rounds out a diverse background. Alan is a true jack of all digital trades in this ever-changing computer-enriched world. To stay flexible in mind and in body, he practices yoga, light cardio, and eats a whole food diet, based on minimally processed plants.

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