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Windows handwriting only works in the search bar on Surface book 3

Anonymous
2021-09-22T08:32:50+00:00

So, I have a Wacom Intuos Pro M graphics tablet, which I was successfully using with a Dell laptop earlier. Usually, to get windows handwriting to show up (as a little black box which appears over the top of a text field, NOT the entire on-screen keyboard switched to handwriting mode), all you have to do is double tap with the pen on the graphics tablet.

I am now on a Surface book 3, and have done everything in terms of configuring the pen settings and tried every permutation. Unfortunately, the windows handwriting panel settings on this device do not look the same as they do on other devices, so other people's solutions are not able to be applied. I have tried restarting the touch handwriting keyboard from the services, restarting the drivers, reinstalling the device, setting the surface book to tablet mode, shutting down all other apps which use anything to do with pen functionality, but I just cannot figure it out.

What is strange, is that the black handwriting panel DOES appear when you use the windows search bar, but absolutely nowhere else. So this means it is working, but for some reason only here.

Surface | Surface Book | Display and screen

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-09-23T17:21:05+00:00

    Hi iwelch42,

    Thank you for reaching Microsoft Community.

    To make sure: is this the handwriting window you're using? If not, please try to take a screenshot of the handwriting window and share it with us here.

    Please go to Windows Settings > Devices > Pen & Windows Ink. Check if the Show handwriting panel when not in tablet mode and there's no keyboard attached option is On. Turn it On if it is Off.

    Try also to Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service is set to Automatic in Services. Press Windows key + R. Type services.msc then click OK. On the Services window, locate Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service. Right-click on it and select Properties. Under the General tab, Confirm if the Startup type is set to Automatic. If it is already on Automatic, close the Properties window then right-click on the Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service then select Stop. Once the service is stopped, right-click then select Start to restart the service. Close Services window then test the functionality again.

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