How To Fix Wacom Tablet Pen Not Working On Windows

There is no limit to creativity with the Wacom tablet pen. You can use it for drawing, editing, designing, and various other purposes. 

But, the fun and usefulness of the pen all go right out of the window when it does not work. Generally, the pen stops working when the tablet’s pen runs out of charge. Or, your USB cable is faulty and not connected properly.

Here’s our compilation of causes that obstructs the working of the tablet pen on windows and the methods to fix the issue.

Why is My Wacom Tablet Pen Not Working?

How to Fix Wacom Tablet Pen not Working?

With various causes in mind, there are several fixes in accordance with them. We have categorized the fixes into Hardware-related fixes and Software-related fixes. It may help provide better clarity about the fixes. You can find more details about them below.  

Charge the Wacom Tablet Pen

The issue can arise when your Wacom pen does not have enough charge left. So, without considering going any further with the fixes, first, you must consider charging your pen. Based on your tablet, you will have to plug in the charging device or install a new set of batteries. 

If this method does not help, you shouldn’t worry. You can try other fixes below.  

Check the USB Wire of the Wacom Tablet and Re-insert It

Another simplest thing that most people forget to consider is to check the USB wire of the tablet. It is obvious that if you don’t plug in the wire properly then the pen won’t work. 

So keeping that in mind, you can follow these steps:

1. First, remove the tablet from your PC.
2. Plug in the USB cable of the tablet on your computer.
3. Next, check the small LED light on your Wacom tablet. If the light keeps flickering, the problem is in your USB ports or the cable. So, you can plug in the tablet on other devices and check if the cable is working fine or not. 

If the light runs constantly, and everything is working well, you can move on to other fixes.  

Place a New Pen Nib

When the tip of the Wacom pen gets damaged or worn down, it hampers the overall performance. It also has the ability to make scratches on the drawing surface. 

Consider removing the pen tip when it has a sharp edge or is about 1/25 inch long. To remove it, use a nib removal tool. Then, you can slide the new replacement tip and slide it inside the barrel of the Walcom pen. While pushing the nib, do it slow and hard.

Change the Pen Touch Settings

It’s worth noting that there are several modes in the Wacom tablet pen. If the pen stops working, the problem can be in the right-click mode. For this, you can check the Use the pen as a right-click equivalent option from the Pen buttons settings. It can help resolve the issue. You can select either Right or Left click mode based on your choice. 

Here is how you can perform the fix:

1. Press the Windows logo icon to open the start menu.
2. Type pen and touch. Click it to open the app.
3. Navigate to the Pen buttons option and select it.
4. Select the Use the pen as a right-click button equivalent option. After doing so, when you select the right mode on your Wacom tablet, it will switch to the touch settings.
   

Restart the Computer

In some instances, the bugs in your computer can also be the leading cause of the problem with the pen not working. The easiest fix would be to restart the computer. Doing so will remove the bugs. It also clears your RAM to provide your computer with a fresh start. 

So, it’s worth rebooting the device and plugging in the tablet again. Before clicking the Restart option, make sure to remove the Wacom Tablet from your computer. 

Check out the steps below to know the restarting process:

1. Click the Windows icon on the screen to open the Start screen.
2. Click on the Power option. 
3. From the list of options, choose Restart.
   

Reset User Preference

When you make some tweaks in the Wacom Tablet Properties, it stays in the user preference settings. So, when you need to troubleshoot some issue related to the tablet or the pen, you may need to delete it. Doing so will erase all user preferences and set the setting to the default state. 

It may also help with the issue of the pen not working. You can give it a try following these steps:

1. Open the Start screen and search and select the Wacom Desktop Center.
2. From the left panel, choose Backup settings.
3. Navigate to the Local backup section and select the Reset Settings option. 

Try Restarting Wacom Tablet Services

When you are facing the issue of the Wacom pen not working on windows, you can restart the Wacom services on your computer which would reboot the entire process. It also helps to identify the tablet on your PC.

Follow the steps below to restart Wacom Tablet Services on your computer:

1. On your physical keyboard, press the Windows + R keys to launch the Run dialog box.
2. Type services.msc and hit Enter. It will launch the Services window. 
   
3. Scroll and locate the Wacom service. It may appear as TabletServiceWacom or Wacom Consumer Service, or Wacom Profession Service. 
4. Right-click on whichever the Wacom service name appears.
5. A list of options will emerge. Select the Restart option. 
   

Note: If you cannot click the Restart option, you can select the Start option.

Uninstall Update for Microsoft Windows

It’s worth remembering that sometimes the culprit for various problems on your computer may be the Windows update. It is possible that the Windows update may also cause conflict with the Wacom services and the issue emerges. Thus, you can try uninstalling the newest update and check whether the Wacom tablet pen works or not. 

If you don’t know the process, you can follow the steps below:

1. Press the Windows logo + I keys on the keyboard. It will open the Settings window.
2. Select Update & Security.
3. Under the Update status section, select the View installed update history option. 
4. A new window will open, choose Uninstall updates.
5. Another window will display on the screen. Under the Microsoft Windows segment, right-click on the Update for Microsoft Windows option. Make sure to navigate to the latest update before clicking uninstall.
6. Then, select Uninstall. 
7. Reboot the computer and plug in the Wacom Tablet. Check if the issue vanishes or not.

Uninstall and Reinstall the Tablet Driver

The probable issue may also be an outdated or faulty tablet driver. So, reinstalling it can be the probable solution.

1. First, unplug the Wacom Tablet from the computer.
2. Next, open the Run command and type devmgmt.msc and press OK.
   
3. The Device Manager window will open.
4. Click Human Interface Devices.
5. A menu with a list of interface devices will surface.
6. Select the Wacom Tablet driver and right-click on it. 
7. Now press the Uninstall device option from the list. 
8. To install the latest driver for the tablet compatible with your computer OS, you can download it from the Wacom Driver Site. 

Note: Make sure to check for compatible products before you download the Wacom tablet model driver.

Revert Back to Previous Wacom Driver

If the issue remains unresolved, one of the last alternatives is to downgrade the Wacom driver to the previous version. It can clear the misconfigurations and help the PC detect the tablet. to roll back the drivers to the previous version, you can follow these steps:

1. First, open the Run dialog box and type devmgmt.mscand press Enter on the keyboard.
2. Select Human Interface Devices > Wacom Tablet > Uninstall device.  
3. Now, go to the official Wacom site and select and download the earlier version. Make sure to choose the version compatible with your Windows version. 
4. Next, from the list of versions that appear on your screen, you need to click on the Download option. 
5. Double-click on the downloaded driver to install.
6. When the computer finishes the installation of the previous version of Wacom Driver, reboot the computer.  

Reinstalling Wacom Software Entirely

When none of the previous methods works, the last resort would be to delete the Wacom software along with the related files and registry data. After this reinstall the software and check the pen.

1. Disconnect your Wacom Tablet from the PC. 
2. Next, you need to open the settings. Press the Windows logo + I keys together.
3. Click Apps.
4. Under Apps & features, navigate to the Wacom Tablet and right-click it.
5. Select Uninstall. A message appears, you need to select Uninstall again. 
6. Restart your PC.
7. Now, you will have to launch File Explorer. For that, go to the Start screen and type File Explorer, and click the app. 
8. Next, on the search box, type Wacom and press Enter.
   
9. When the result appears, delete all the temporary folders and related files. 
10. After this, you need to open Run and type regedit, and hit OK. 
11. When prompted, click Yes. The Registry Editor will open. 
12. Then click the Edit tab and select Find.  
13. Type Wacom and press the Find Next button. 
    
14. Now, you need to delete all registries related to Wacom. 
15. To reinstall it, visit the Wacom website and download the correct and suitable drivers for your PC. 

Caution: Make sure to delete only the keys corresponding with Wacom. As a precaution, you can create a backup of the keys related to Wacom.