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Troubleshoot your Surface Pen

There are some troubleshooting steps you can try if your Surface Pen won’t write, open apps, or connect to Bluetooth. 

Common issues

Here are some things you can try first.

Check for updates

You can quickly check the health of your Surface drivers and firmware using the Surface app.

Open the Surface app

  1. In the Surface app, expand Help & support to check if the update status is "You're up to date" or something else.

  2. If needed, select the option to update the devices.

    Note: If you don't have the Surface app installed, you can download the Surface app from the Microsoft Store. When it has downloaded, select Start, search for Surface, then select the app from the list of results.

Check if your Surface Pen is compatible with your Surface

For more info, go to Identify your Surface Pen and features.

Check the battery level of your pen

  • If the light on your pen is blinking red, you may need to change or charge the battery.

  • If you've paired your pen, you can check this in your settings. Select Start > Settings  > Bluetooth & devices , then find your pen to see the battery level. If the battery is low or doesn't have power, you may need to change or charge your battery. For more info, go to Change Surface Pen batteries.

My pen won't pair with my Surface

  1. On your pen, press and hold the top button until the LED light blinks to turn on Bluetooth pairing mode.

  2. On your PC, select Start  > Settings > Bluetooth & devices .

  3. Make sure Bluetooth is on, then select Add device. Choose Surface Pen in the list of devices. Follow any other instructions if they appear, then select Done.

If you don't see your pen in the list of devices, the LED light can help you find the issue. Press and hold the top button of your pen for 5-7 seconds.

When you press and hold the top button

What does it mean?

The LED light blinks continuously.

Your pen is receiving power and trying to pair with a device. Restart your Surface and try pairing it again.

The LED light blinks for 2-3 seconds.

Your pen is already paired to another nearby Surface.

To fix this, find the other Surface and remove this pen from its Bluetooth devices list. To remove it, select Start Settings Bluetooth & devices. In the list of Bluetooth devices, select your pen and remove it. 

Note: Microsoft Classroom Pen 1 and Microsoft Classroom Pen 2 don't support Bluetooth or pen cap functionality.

Other issues

Here are some other issues you may be having with your Surface Pen. Select any header, and it will open to display more information:

If your pen still doesn't ink after trying the steps in the previous section, here's what you can do:

Test your pen by inking, writing, or erasing in OneNote, Sticky Notes, or Fresh Paint. If your pen works in one of these apps, then the app you want to use may not work with your pen.

Open apps and use your Surface with touch. If you can't use your finger on your Surface, go to What to try if your Surface touchscreen doesn't work. After touch is working, try your pen again.

Notes: 

  • Surface Pen isn't compatible with Surface Laptop Go.

  • Our premium Surface Slim Pen 2 is equipped with an easily removable pen tip. Removal is intended only for pen tip replacement. Excessive (500 or more) removal+ reinsertion cycles of the pen tip can damage the internal parts of the pen and lead to inking failures. Pen failure due to excessive removal and reinsertion cycles is not covered under the product warranty.

If the light on your pen is blinking red, you may need to change the battery. For info on how to replace the batteries in your pen, go to Change Surface Pen batteries

If the light on your pen doesn't turn on and you can still write on your Surface, the LED light may be broken. 

If the light on your pen doesn't turn on and you've replaced the battery, your pen may need to be replaced. For instructions on how to replace your pen, go to the section Request a replacement pen

If the assigned pen shortcut doesn’t open when you click the top button, the pen might not be paired with your Surface or might be low on battery.

To see if the pen is paired and to see the battery level, select Start  > Settings > Bluetooth & devices.​ If your pen is paired, go to Start  > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Pen & Windows Ink , then confirm the top button shortcut assignment. 

If the battery level is low or is not listed, you may need to replace the battery. For more info, go to Change the battery in Surface Pen. ​

You may need to pair the pen with your Surface again after you change the batteries. 

Note: Microsoft Classroom Pen 1 and Microsoft Classroom Pen 2 don't support Bluetooth or pen cap functionality.

Make sure Bluetooth is on and your pen is connected to your Surface. See the section My pen won't pair with my Surface for details. You can change your pen shortcuts so the buttons do what you want them to.

  1. Select Start > Settings  > Bluetooth & devices  > Pen & Windows Ink .

  2. Under Choose what your shortcut button does, you can assign an action to happen on Single-click, Double-click, or Press and hold (where available), including opening the program or app of your choice.

Try pairing your pen with your Surface again. For more, see How to use your Surface Pen.

For more info, see Replace Surface Pen tips.

Request a replacement pen

If these steps didn't resolve the problem, you can request a replacement Surface Pen. Go to Device service and repair, sign in with your Microsoft account, and select a Surface or register a new device. 

After you select a registered device, you'll see replacement offers based on your warranty status and eligibility for exchange. To learn more about the Surface Warranty, you can visit Surface warranty: FAQ.

Related topics

There are some troubleshooting steps you can try if your Surface Pen won’t write, open apps, or connect to Bluetooth. 

Common issues

Here are some things you can try first.

Check for updates

You can quickly check the health of your Surface drivers and firmware using the Surface app.

Open the Surface app

  1. In the Surface app, expand Help & support to check if the update status is "You're up to date" or something else.

  2. If needed, select the option to update the devices.

    Note: If you don't have the Surface app installed, you can download the Surface app from the Microsoft Store. When it has downloaded, select Start, search for Surface, then select the app from the list of results.

Check if your Surface Pen is compatible with your Surface

For more info, go to Identify your Surface Pen and features.

Check the battery level of your pen

  • If the light on your pen is blinking red, you may need to change or charge the battery.

  • If you've paired your pen, you can check this in your settings. Select Start  > Settings  > Devices  > Bluetooth & other devices , then find your pen to see the battery level. If the battery is low or doesn't have power, you may need to change or charge your battery. For more info, go to Change Surface Pen batteries.

My pen won't pair with my Surface

  1. On your pen, press and hold the top button until the LED light blinks, to turn on Bluetooth pairing mode.

  2. On your PC, select Start  > Settings  > Devices  > Bluetooth & other devices .

  3. Make sure Bluetooth is on, then select Add Bluetooth or other device > Bluetooth. Choose Surface Pen in the list of devices. Follow any other instructions if they appear, then select Done.

If you don't see your pen in the list of devices, the LED light can help you find the issue. Press and hold the top button of your pen for 5-7 seconds.

When you press and hold the top button

What does it mean?

The LED light blinks continuously.

Your pen is receiving power and trying to pair with a device. Restart your Surface and try pairing it again.

The LED light blinks for 2-3 seconds.

Your pen is already paired to another nearby Surface.

To fix this, find the other Surface and remove this pen from its Bluetooth devices list. To remove it, select Start  > Settings  > Devices  > Bluetooth & other devices . In the list of Bluetooth devices, select your pen and remove it. 

Note: Microsoft Classroom Pen 1 and Microsoft Classroom Pen 2 don't support Bluetooth or pen cap functionality.

Other issues

Here are some other issues you may be having with your Surface Pen. Select any header, and it will open to display more information:

If your pen still doesn't ink after trying the steps in the previous section, here's what you can do:

Test your pen by inking, writing, or erasing in OneNote, Sticky Notes, or Fresh Paint. If your pen works in one of these apps, then the app you want to use may not work with your pen.

Open apps and use your Surface with touch. If you can't use your finger on your Surface, go to What to try if your Surface touchscreen doesn't work. After touch is working, try your pen again.

Notes: 

  • Surface Pen isn't compatible with Surface Laptop Go.

  • Our premium Surface Slim Pen 2 is equipped with an easily removable pen tip. Removal is intended only for pen tip replacement. Excessive (500 or more) removal+ reinsertion cycles of the pen tip can damage the internal parts of the pen and lead to inking failures. Pen failure due to excessive removal and reinsertion cycles is not covered under the product warranty.

If the light on your pen is blinking red, you may need to change the battery. For info on how to replace the batteries in your pen, go to Change Surface Pen batteries

If the light on your pen doesn't turn on and you can still write on your Surface, the LED light may be broken. 

If the light on your pen doesn't turn on and you've replaced the battery, your pen may need to be replaced. For instructions on how to replace your pen, go to the section Request a replacement pen

If the assigned pen shortcut doesn’t open when you click the top button, the pen might not be paired with your Surface or might be low on battery.

To see if the pen is paired and to see the battery level, select Start  > Settings  > Devices  > Bluetooth & other devices .​ If your pen is paired, go to Start  > Settings  > Devices  > Pen & Windows Ink to confirm the top button shortcut assignment. 

If the battery level is low or is not listed, you may need to replace the battery. For more info, go to Change the battery in Surface Pen. ​

You may need to pair the pen with your Surface again after you change the batteries. 

Note: Microsoft Classroom Pen 1 and Microsoft Classroom Pen 2 don't support Bluetooth or pen cap functionality.

Make sure Bluetooth is on and your pen is connected to your Surface. See the section My pen won't pair with my Surface for details. You can change your pen shortcuts so the buttons do what you want them to.

  1. Go to Start  > Settings  > Devices  > Pen & Windows Ink .

  2. Under Pen shortcuts, select the apps you want your shortcuts to open.

Try pairing your pen with your Surface again. For more, see How to use your Surface Pen.

For more info, see Replace Surface Pen tips.

Request a replacement pen

If these steps didn't resolve the problem, you can request a replacement Surface Pen. Go to Device service and repair, sign in with your Microsoft account, and select a Surface or register a new device. 

After you select a registered device, you'll see replacement offers based on your warranty status and eligibility for exchange. To learn more about the Surface Warranty, you can visit Surface warranty: FAQ.

Related topics

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