Apple iPad Air 11-inch will not pair or stay connected over Bluetooth

The checks in more detail

Because the Air 11's Pencil uses a hover feature and a squeeze gesture, a Pencil that connects but does not respond to squeeze needs the setting in Settings, Apple Pencil. Headphones that cut out are usually interference or distance, or the headphones' own firmware. Controllers pair in Settings, Bluetooth in pairing mode. Remove and pair again, restart and update iPadOS. A network reset clears pairings. Apple Pencil Pro owners sometimes see the pairing prompt fail because a magnetic case lining or a metal-backed folio interferes with the Pencil's attachment.

Take the iPad out of the case and attach the Pencil bare to test. If the Pencil charges but does not draw, check Settings, Apple Pencil for the connection status and, if needed, forget the Pencil and attach it again to re-pair, which is a fast fix for a stale link. If the Magic Keyboard folio stops typing, it is the Smart Connector, not Bluetooth, so check that the iPad sits firmly on the magnets and clean the three contact pins with a dry cloth.

Remove the iPad from the folio, replace it and try again, since a slightly lifted edge cuts the connection. If a third-party keyboard case with Bluetooth is in use, it may have its own pairing button and a battery that runs flat unnoticed, and some keyboard cases pair only through a long press of a function key. Read the keyboard's manual for the pairing key combination, and charge it fully, since a low keyboard battery shows as connection drops. A keyboard that connects only after the iPad wakes again may need its sleep timeout adjusted.