Windows Tablet · Devices

Set up and customize your stylus for note-taking and drawing

An active pen (like a Surface Pen) pairs over Bluetooth for its buttons while using a separate digitizer channel for the actual ink input. Windows Ink settings control pressure sensitivity, shortcuts, and which apps launch from the pen's side button.

What you should know

  • Pair the pen under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Add device, then select Bluetooth and follow the pairing prompt (needed for button shortcuts and battery reporting, not for basic writing).
  • Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Pen & Windows Ink to set which hand you write with, adjust pointer offset, and configure pen shortcuts like double-tap or press-and-hold.
  • Enable Show Windows Ink Workspace icon on taskbar for quick access to Sticky Notes, Sketchpad, and screen sketch.
  • Adjust handwriting and drawing pressure sensitivity in the same Pen & Windows Ink settings page for apps that support it, such as OneNote.
  • Check Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Pen & Windows Ink > Pen shortcuts to launch a specific app with a single click of the pen's top button.

Why it matters

Pen settings are easy to overlook because writing works out of the box, but without configuring pen shortcuts and pressure sensitivity you lose most of what makes a stylus faster than touch for note-taking, markup, and sketching.

Best practices

  • Pair the pen over Bluetooth even if ink works without it, so you get low-battery notifications instead of the pen dying mid-meeting.
  • Set the top button shortcut to your most-used note-taking app so you can start writing directly from the lock screen.
  • Recalibrate the pen (Control Panel > Tablet PC Settings > Calibrate) if the ink point feels offset from the physical tip.

Common problems and fixes

Pen writes but the double-tap shortcut does nothing
Re-pair the pen over Bluetooth under Settings > Bluetooth & devices — button shortcuts require the Bluetooth connection even though basic writing does not.
Ink lags noticeably behind the pen tip
Close background apps competing for GPU resources and confirm the pen driver is current via Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates.

Tips and tricks

  • Press the pen's top button twice from the lock screen to jump straight into a new Sticky Note or OneNote page without unlocking the device first.

Frequently asked questions

Does the pen need to be paired to write on the screen at all?

No — basic writing and drawing work through the digitizer without Bluetooth pairing; Bluetooth is only required for the button shortcuts and battery status.