Surface Pen Ink "Bleeding" and Other Problems

Question

Hi, so my pen has been "bleeding" ink for some time now, but its been happening very frequently now. It seems to happen randomly when I'm writing. When I lift my pen, the computer will continue to act as if I was still pressing down on the screen. It causes dots to forms, random straight lines, and  very fine continuous marks. My battery in my pen is new, restarting the computer works for a few minutes before reoccuring, and it happens on different apps. 

Another problem that has been happening is that sometimes the pen will randomly "disconnect" from my computer. It won't write, select, or anything on the screen. My finger works, but the pen acts as if it were dead. Usually, I can get it to work by messing with the battery (taking it out and putting it back in) for about 5-10 minutes.

These problems are very inconvenient as a college student. I use my Surface Pro to take notes and do homework. These problems take up a lot of my time and have become extremely frustrating. Here are the specs on my computer. Any and all help is appreciated. Thank you. 

Note: My pen is third party, but it works fine on my friends computer, which is an Asus. 

My pen: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073XMR68G/ref=oh\_aui\_detailpage\_o02\_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Answer 1

can you try an official Surface Pen and see if you have the same issue?

>My pen is third party, but it works fine on my friends computer, which is an Asus.

Answer 2

When I lift my pen, the computer will continue to act as if I was still pressing down on the screen. It causes dots to forms, random straight lines, and  very fine continuous marks.

Sounds like it could be related to the Pen hover pointer indication.  You could disable that...  Show Visual Effects.  See if turning that off changes your symptom?

the pen will randomly "disconnect" from my computer.

Is there a barrel button you could try to "wake it up"?  In the case of an HP Active pen it seems you need to keep the barrel button always pressed or it may stop writing.  It seems to be a measure meant to save the battery.  (Otherwise, we have the hazardous procedure of having to tap on something with its tip to turn it back on.)  Heh.  The information I had understood may have been completely revised.  In particular I have been unable to confirm this:

My review of the HP Active Stylus ( J4R51AA#ABL)!

The rocker button is a nuisance. Supposedly clicking on the top activates it for tapping and saves battery life. (Very unclear functionality.) The bottom button works as a right-click more conventionally.

From <https://www.amazon.ca/HP-J4R51AA-Designed-compatibility-description/dp/B00N0OHAYW>

I will have to test this again sometime...  Note that the above product is just an example of how compatibility and usage matters.  In fact, that particular product was apparently misrepresented as compatible for a number of notebooks but wasn't.  Caveat emptor.

Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle

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Answer 3

what in the world does this have to do with the issue? we don't know what pen

the customer has.

>My review of the HP Active Stylus ( J4R51AA#ABL)!

and the fact that she stated:

>Another problem that has been happening is that sometimes the pen will randomly "disconnect" from my computer. It won't write, select, or anything on the screen. My finger works, but the pen acts as if it were dead. Usually, I can get it to work by messing with the battery (taking it out and putting it back in) for about 5-10 minutes.

would seem to indicate a hardware issue of some kind.

Answer 4

RA:  Note that the above product is just an example of how compatibility and usage matters.  In fact, that particular product was apparently misrepresented as compatible for a number of notebooks but wasn't.  Caveat emptor.

BB: what in the world does this have to do with the issue? we don't know what pen the customer has.

Exactly.  It was an example.  And that particular pen disconnects "to save power" unhelpfully often.  I think there is a switch inside its nib which requires a new tap to start it (where, without causing confusion?) or (as I mentioned) another On switch at the end of its rocker button which can be held down while writing to try to avoid that nuisance.  Otherwise, since in this case the OP's "finger" writes (in an unspecified application) it sounds like a capacitive pen could be used which would not rely at all on batteries or technique to let it keep operating.  We use one of those too.  In fact we found one which provides a crossed-hairs (AKA crosshair) method of accuracy which in many applications works at least as well as the designed "electronic stylus" one without ever having to worry about how it is "powered".  In that case the Pen would have no "hover" capability and so the (also mentioned) Pen Settings Show visual effects option would have no relevance.

Answer 5

I used to have one, and when I did the computer seemed fine. (Note this was the first week I had the computer though.)