Handwriting with Pen Boxes

Prodrafts provides a native handwriting experience based on Apple PencilKit. Infinite documents, Vertical documents, and Paged notes share handwriting tools, including writing and annotation on imported PDFs. Text documents use a separate text editor.

Choose a comfortable pen

Choose a pen from Pen Boxes and start writing. Through the add menu of Pen Boxes, you can add Pen, Fountain Pen, Pencil, Highlighter, Watercolor, Monoline, and Crayon; iPadOS/iOS 26 also provides Reed Pen.

Open a pen's settings to adjust color, thickness, and transparency. The non-Mac interface in iOS/iPadOS 26 also offers nib angle settings for Fountain Pen. Put several commonly used configurations into Pen Boxes and you can quickly switch when writing text, making marks and sketching.

Step-by-step guides:

• Choose pen types and properties
• Use highlighters and blending modes

Organize your own Pen Boxes

You can add commonly used pens and tools to customize Pen Boxes, and you can also adjust the tool entry point through Edit Pen Box Toolbar in Pen Boxes settings.

On iPad, Show System Pencil Toolbar in Pen Boxes settings can be switched to the system Pencil toolbar. The tool layout and setting entry point are different between the system Pencil toolbar and custom Pen Boxes; iPhone uses custom Pen Boxes.

Step-by-step guides:

• Set up and organize Pen Boxes

Use Apple Pencil shortcuts

Supported Apple Pencil can switch to the eraser, switch to the previous tool, or open color and pen properties by double-tapping the Pencil. Prodrafts will read the corresponding operating preferences in the system "Settings → Apple Pencil".

Apple Pencil Pro's squeeze gesture requires an iPad that supports it and iPadOS 17.5 or later. When using custom Pen Boxes, you can also turn on Hold Squeeze to Erase in the advanced settings of the eraser: set the system squeeze action to Switch to Eraser, then hold the squeeze to erase temporarily and release it to return to your previous tool.

After switching to the system Pencil toolbar, Apple Pencil interaction is handled by the system toolbar.

Step-by-step guides:

• Set up Apple Pencil and input methods
• Set gestures and prevent accidental touches

Refine Handwriting

Supported iPads can turn on Refine Handwriting in the Pen Boxes settings to automatically adjust the neatness of newly written text and try to retain the original writing style. Availability depends on the device, OS version, and supported handwriting language.

Step-by-step guides:

• Straighten and refine handwriting

Continue learning

For drawing regular graphics, Scratch Out to Erase, Lasso selection, and the use of rulers and compasses, see Drawing and editing. For PDF reading and annotation, see Page and PDF.

When using it for the first time, you can follow Create the first note to practice.

Step-by-step guides:

• Use the eraser and Scratch Out to Erase
• Clear handwriting and canvas content
• Recognize handwriting and convert it to text
• Select and edit handwriting and objects
• Export selections and save reusable assets

Last updated: October 12, 2026.