P: Apple Pencil Lag on iPadOS/mobile

[Chad K]

When using the Apple Pencil 1 on the iPad (6th Gen), there is a slight delay in Photoshop when compared to drawing in the Apple Notes and OneNote apps. It happens more often when the Pencil is titled. Pressure sensitivity is off for both brush settings.

[Stephen23147197qt3v]

Not. Unsubscribing.  If you can't play nice with hardware other programs have no problem with, trash program not worth my money. 

[DeadlyMixStudios]

I don't know why it says "fixed", it clearly is NOT fixed.

The pen works fine in any other app, including Adobe Illustrator.

However, when I draw, the image doesn't begin appearing on the screen until after I've lifted the pen.

In fact, it don't think the issue we've all experienced is actually lag at all. It seems more intentional, like a setting we've all overlooked perhaps.

Even in PhotoShop, I can move the pen around the to choose the color/shade I want with no delay. Same thing with selecting the size of my brush. I touch the tip to the color or size and then I can drag it to precisely what I want with virtually no delay.

Painting, however, is a different story. If the issue was lag, then when I create shorter strokes there'd be a longer delay afterward and when I make long strokes you'd expect that the image would begin appearing back at the beginning before I finish and then continue almost like an animation. That's not what's happening. Regardless of how long I spend with the pen to the pad, the line will not appear until after I've lifted the tip off of the screen.

For any trolls commenting that I need a newer pen/iPad/OS/app update:

I'm using:

• iPad Air 4th Gen

• Apple Pencil 2

• Latest OS v. 15.7

• Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps > PhotoShop [Installed Oct 8th 2022]

[raydee]

Thank you for this information. Regarding brush strokes not appearing until you lift the pencil, are you also seeing this with tools such as Healing brush/Clone stamp and Smudge? Just trying to narrow down more specific details to help us with what you're seeing. Also, has this issue always consistently reproduced for you in all Ps for iPad versions as well as iOS versions? 

[videotronic]

I am using 5.5.2 and the problem is that with a stylus the application only displays the line to the screen when you have finished the stroke and lifted the pen. So a short stroke shows quickly but a long stroke waits till you lift the pen. This behaviour is not the same as using a finger which shows the trail of the stroke as you. move. This makes using a stylus impossible but this was the whole reason for downloading PS to the iPad.

[videotronic]

and by the way Adobe Fresco works perfectly with the stylus so it is the management of the stylus in Paintshop which is the problem.

[elizabethc71530343]

Well guess what? It's broken again. 

[joseph25246322smqj]

After updating to Photoshop for ipad 6.0, my apple pencil has a slight lag at the very beginning of a brush stroke. Mostly noticable when drawing slowly up close. The line looks like a series of very close dots rather than a continuous line. When moving the pencil slowly and upclose, the line looks like it is snapping to points rather than being smoothly created. This wasn't a problem until the update a couple days ago. Anyone else?

{Thread title updated by moderator}

[Sameer K]

Hey, @joseph25246322smqj. Welcome to the Photoshop Community. I'll help you figure this out. 

I've tried to recreate this and couldn't get the issue to appear. I've tried custom & default brushes with two different Apple pencils; in my case, I had an iPad Pro. Please create a short video showing the workflow.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks!
Sameer K

(Type '@' and type my name to mention me when you reply)

[Martin H P]

I have recently begun to experience a lag in my Apple 2 gen pencil on this iPad Pro 4th gen , just before the latest update to iPadOS 18.3.1.

For over a year things have been working perfectly. From memory this began for me sometime near the start of 2025

I bought new Apple Pencil Tips, but this changed nothing.

This lag only occurs in Photoshop, and occurs when using the three tools mentioned : the brush, the spot healing tool, and  the rubber.

I am unable to master the lag in my drawing technique, so it is getting to a point where I can no longer work. This is worrying. I have made great advances in my project with this material. Suddenly I have come to something. Of a standstill. Any advice gratefully accepted. Thankyou

[Kurt_Kindermann7814]

I'm having the same issue. Smoothing is not on however, and my gen 2 Apple Pencil is working fine for everything else. Stock adobe brushes as well as 3rd party. 

iPad Pro (12.9-inch) (6th generation)

18.3.1

this is essentially breaking the program for me. 

[citrocube]

同じトラブルに見舞われています。

詳しくは日本語コミュニティのこちらに書きました。

動画も添付してあります。

なお、ブラシを使っても同じ症状です。

iPad版Photoshopで、線がリアルタイム描画されない 

iPad pro（11inch）（4th gen）

iPad OS 18.3.2

Photoshop ver. 6.0.2（20250303.609）

Apple pencil

[citrocube]

Typo: It is correct that the same symptoms occur no matter which brush is used.

[orion9282]

Yep, I'm having the same issues. I'm trying to draw with a custom brush in Photoshop on an iPad Pro M2 with the Apple Pencil 2 and it's super laggy. Please fix this!

[orion9282]

Yep. Same issue as Martin H P here. Really unacceptable, Adobe. 

[orion9282]

Photoshop Version 6.0.2

iPad Pro M2, 18.3.2

Sketching on a layer with data on it already

I'm expecting the Apple Pencil to not have any lag, but it's lagging. This time difference between pulling the pencil across the iPad and showing up in the software makes it unusable. This was confirmed on a 12.9 iPad Pro M2 also with Apple Pencil 2. The lag is true for both the brush and eraser.

[jörgh70894916]

Same here. I deinstalled and reinstalled the latest version of PS, disconnected and reconnected my Apple Pencil. Lag stays and is VERY disturbing! Please fix this

[orion9282]

Thanks for chiming in. I started a new thread here so I could upload a video of what's happening: https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-bugs/apple-pencil-lag/idi-p/15221516

[Martin H P]

Thanls for this video. That is nasically the problem  i have. It is curious. Everything was working perfectly until around the beginning of 2025. Is it down to any updates? 
I am not used to these forums. Do Adobe or Apple personell get involved? If not how does one contact them to alert them to this problem?

[orion9282]

I have the same question. It looks like sometimes Adobe chimes in but clearly they haven't on these threads. Definitely disappointing.

[Juhani27891988biea]

Me too, same story, same problem, started a few weeks ago.

Ipad 12,9", latest iPadOs and PhotoShop version, Apple Pencil Gen 2. No "smoothing" but delayed.

[orion9282]

Hey @Sameer K , thanks for consolidating these threads (if it was you?). Anyways, yep, this is a really challenging and back-breaking issue that I'm keeping track of, hoping that Adobe will push an update.

We are working diligently on billable client work and this wrecks our ability to complete projects utilizing these tools. We're searching for alternatives because our business can't be dependent on Adobe's whims of releasing buggy software. Sorry to be so direct, but this is our livelihood.

[jörgh70894916]

I still have the same problem. Any ideas how we can move Adobe to address the issue?

[Martin H P]

I have  already contacted Sameer. So it might be best not to inundate him with any more. I feel stupid having written to him as i grt the impression it is he eho has united this thread so he must know sbout the problem. Whether he can take us any further is another matter. 
This problem of lag seems to be such a specific, fundamental and even universal problem. Such a pity. As things were going so smoothly

[orion9282]

Appreciate it, @Martin H P , thanks for letting us know that you've contacted Sameer.

[Malin1997]

Hello everyone! It's my first time posting here. I have issues with the contact between my Apple pencil and the iPad screen. https://youtube.com/shorts/epkEuf-5OYQ?si=ahmC5V3WRmAoZilc 

You see it especially when I make the second circle.

 It doesn't occur other than in Photoshop, when I draw in Procreate I have no problems. I've tried to uninstall and reinstall Photoshop, but it didn't help.

 Grateful for any ideas to solve this! 🙏🩷