Surface App keep flashing while using Surface Slim Pen 2 on Surface Pro 11

Question

I bought the Surface Pro 11 with Surface Slim Pen 2 earlier this month and haven't tried the hand writing function until this week.

However, whenever the tip of the surface pen is close to the screen, the Surface App keep flashing in the background, sometimes even brake my pen stroke.

I've restarted couple times and make sure the drivers are up to date but the issue presist. Since I can't upload video here so here are some screenshot when the issue happened.

Answer 1

Hi Kris, 

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

Based on your description, the issue with the Surface App flashing while using the Surface Slim Pen 2 on your Surface Pro 11 could be related to software conflicts. Here are some steps to troubleshoot and resolve the problem:

1. Reset the Surface App- If the Surface App continues to flash, try resetting it. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps, find the Surface App, and select Advanced Options > Reset.- Alternatively, uninstall and reinstall the Surface App from the Microsoft Store .
2. Check for Background Processes Certain background processes or third-party apps might interfere with the pen’s input. A "clean boot" starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs, so that you can determine whether a background program is interfering with your game or program. How to perform a clean boot in Windows - Microsoft Support
3. Test with Another App

• Try using the Surface Slim Pen 2 with a different app (e.g., Microsoft Whiteboard or OneNote) to see if the issue persists. This can help determine if the problem is app-specific or system-wide.

4. Manually update Surface drivers and firmware: Download drivers and firmware for Surface - Microsoft Support

The flashing issue with the Surface App while using the Surface Slim Pen 2 is likely caused by software conflicts or connectivity problems. Let me know if you need additional help! Your SincerelyHahn. W - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 2

Thanks for the reply!
However, the solution turned out to be a weird one.

So what happened was when I first turned on the system and started setting up windows, I choose Traditional Chinese as the system language but the default language is probably English since the machine is bought here in Canada.

Before I tried to reach support via the surface app, I switch the system language back to English. After doing that, when I connect the slim pen, an introduction video appears via surface app. And once the video finished playing, the issue was gone.

It's probably because the video only works for system in English, so there were some error when the app trying to play that in Traditional Chinese system. And because the video never successfully played, it keep appearing when I was trying to use the slim pen.

Hopefully this will help anyone having the same issue!

Answer 3

That's an interesting and helpful solution, Ken! It sounds like the Surface App was encountering a language-related issue that prevented the introduction video from playing correctly, causing the flashing behavior. Changing the system language back to English allowed the app to play the video as expected, resolving the issue.  

It's great that you figured it out, and sharing this could definitely help others who encounter a similar problem. Thanks for updating me, and feel free to reach out again if you run into anything else! Your SincerelyHahn. W - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist