Imagine being struck by a set of ideas while designing, and a Wacom pen not working correctly serves as a barrier. The wireless pen is of immense importance to designers and digital artists in the modern era. It has been introduced for 40 years and has evolved ever since.
The Wacom pen technology is used for the purpose of designing, drawing, photo editing, 3D and games, film and animation, and E-learning. The multipurpose pen can serve as a reason for frustration when it malfunctions.
In this blog post, you will get to know step-by-step solutions to resolve issues for the glitch in this creative pen.
Check the Basics
Checking the basics of a non-working Wacom pen involves making sure its hardware is accurately working. Checking hardware before any other check saves time, effort, and money if the issue is with it. Here is how you can check the basics of an unresponsive Wacom tablet pen:
Ensure Proper Connection
Ensure that there is a proper connection between the USB cable slot and your computer to prevent any defect. Such defects can lead to flaws like the Wacom pen not clicking properly. Recheck such faults by checking it on any other device. If the pen responsiveness is acceptable in other devices, the fault is within the system.
Ensure Power and Battery Check
Sometimes, you overlook some of the fundamental problems, and this includes battery check. If the pen battery life is low, connect it with its charger. Get a new set of batteries if they are faulty.
Check the Wacom Pen Drivers and Softwares
You must keep your Wacom pen driver up-to-date. Upgrading the system is important for better performance of the system and enhanced features. Better performance can be seen in the form of faster running of the system, unexpected system crashes, and compatibility with the latest technology.
Driver Update
Installing the driver from the tablet option of the pen available is the first step for syncing the Wacom pen with your device. From options available on the product resource page, select model numbers from options of Wacom Intuos pen, Wacom Cintiq pen, Wacom bamboo pen, or Wacom pro pen and download. Here is what you need to do to update the driver to solve the Wacom pen not working accurately:
- Visit the Wacom Center.
- Click on the ‘global settings’ option to access general settings.
- From the software update section, click on the ‘install update’ icon present there.
Software Compatibility
For software incompatibility issues like ‘Wacom pen not working Windows 10’ issues, try uninstalling and reinstalling the Wacom tablet on your driver. Save and create a backup of work, and unplug from the Wacom tablet and Bluetooth.
Uninstall the Wacom software, visit the Wacom drivers page, download the installer, and restart the PC. Reconnect the tab with the USB device and make sure it functions properly. After reinstalling and restarting, open the Run tab, write ‘services.msc’, choose ‘professional service,” tablet/servicewacom,’ and then click on restart. It is for Windows users.
For a Wacom pen not working on a Mac, follow the same steps of installation and reinstallation. Restart the Wacom service by activating the Wacom tablet driver and restarting it from the library, application support, and tablet. It solves ‘Wacom pen not working Mac’ issues.
Check Wacom Pen Settings and Calibration
Pen calibration is essential to align the pen tip with the cursor on the screen. Any defect in it can cause an illusion that the pen input for illustration is wrongly done. It may also create an illusion of the Wacom pen not working but finger does.
Pen Calibration
For a Wacom pen not moving its cursor properly, start by evaluating the settings. If the settings are not correctly set, here is how you can set them by pen calibration:
- Go to the start menu or application for Windows or MAC, respectively.
- Click on the Wacom desktop center.
- Click on the ‘my devices’ option present.
- Multiple options here will appear, including express key settings, display settings, touch settings, and pen settings.
- Click on pen settings. Here, you can choose ‘calibrate your pen’.
- Calibrate your pen according to your choice from options of pen button functions, pen tilt sensitivity, pen tip feels, etc. Adjust and do pen customization according to your choice.
Check Wacom Pen for Any Physical Defect
If none of those mentioned above methods works for a Wacom pen not working, next in line is for you to check any physical defects. Some physical defects that are reversible don’t need any professional help and can be sorted by you on your own. These include:
Pen Nib Inspection
You first need to check if the tips of your Wacom pen are replaceable or not. You can do it by reading the manual given along with it or visiting its website and searching for its model number. Consider pen nib replacement if the nibs are worn out 1mm. Try inserting newer ones if they are replaceable.
Some pens have tips given in the midsection of the pen, which many people need to be made aware of. You can twist the section and replace the older nibs with a new tip if it malfunctions. You can also buy newer nips if they aren’t given with the pen.
Tablet surface Cleanliness
Older batteries have a common problem with them, and that is that they leak. It causes corrosive liquid to build up over the pen surface and affects functionality. One way to overcome this issue is to clean the surface.
It can be done with an anti-static microfiber cloth in a circular motion after pulling out the old batteries. Do not use any chemicals along with it after the surface cleanliness. Replace older batteries with newer ones.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Some problems, like the Wacom pen not working in Photoshop, can be addressed by solving two major issues. They include correcting:
Cursor offset or drift
If the screen cursor isn’t aligning with your pen, it is called cursor offset or drift. You can resolve this by using the Wacom tablet control panel calibration tab as mentioned above. The pen’s side switch should also be switched to ‘pen mode’ instead of ‘mouse mode’ for tablet pen compatibility.
Pressure sensitivity issue
Specific devices or software near and in your tablet can alter pen pressure sensitivity. To solve the issue of no pressure or adjust pen pressure levels in Adobe Photoshop:
Open Photoshop, create a new document, select the brush tool, click on F5, and view the brush pallette. Select shape dynamics under jitter and choose pen pressure from the drop-down menu. If there is ‘!’ appearing next to pen pressure, you have to uninstall and reinstall your driver.
Contacting Support
If all the above-mentioned solutions still didn’t solve the issue of your pen, try contacting Wacom support. The pen might be functional after its next update. If the pen isn’t damaged and it still has a warranty, you can get it replaced. Along with that, you can find Wacom communities online that can help you solve your issues with the help of people who have faced similar issues as yours.
When to Get a New Pen
If none of the above solutions worked for you, it’s time to get a new digital stylus. It will be a better option in case you want to spend on something other than overspending on resolving the issue or wasting your time in resolving the issue.
Conclusion
The creative pen, when not working correctly, can prove to be troublesome, especially when performing tasks in graphic design. Try fixing the pen on your own first by checking driver updates, software compatibility, pen calibration, pen nib inspection, tablet surface cleanliness, cursor offset, and drift and pressure sensitivity issues. If you still need to resolve the issue, try contacting support or get a new one if the previous solutions have failed to resolve the issue.