My Surface Pen pressure sensitivity worked before and now it suddenly stopped. Any solutions?

Question

I have a Microsoft Surface Pro 5 laptop and a Surface Pen. My pen strokes come out uneven and blob-like in Photoshop. The pen itself works and has never given me any problems in the past. My pen pressure sensitivity worked before (two weeks ago) and now it suddenly stopped. Here's what I have done so far:

Updates I've Made

• Replaced the pen battery with a fresh one
• Replaced the pen tip with new ones
• Hard reset my computer and programs (including Photoshop)
• Installed Wintab drivers (for surface pro 5)
• Unpaired my Surface Pen and added it back through Bluetooth
• Adjusted the pressure sensitivity in the Surface App
• Updated all graphic drivers & checked system updates for computer (everything is up to date)
• Tried using the pen in other programs like Whiteboard and Krita (strokes still came out uneven)

Updates in Photoshop

• Reinstalled program (my computer is running Photoshop 2025)
• Made sure pressure sensitivity was checked for brushes

Surface Pro 5 Details
RAM: 8 GB
System Type: 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-7300U CPU @ 2.60GHz 2.71 GHz
Edition: Windows 10 Pro (my surface pro doesn't have the requirements to update to Windows 11)

My brush strokes use to come out smooth and have an even taper. Now my brush strokes are tiny, blobby, and uneven. I thought it was a Photoshop issue, but considering my pen worked just fine a few weeks ago and now doesn't tells me it might be my pen. And no, I haven't dropped my pen.

Any solutions? At this point, I have considering buying a whole new computer since Microsoft will stop providing updates for Win 10 after October 2025. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi Gabby, 

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

Thank you for providing detailed information about the issue you are experiencing with your Surface Pen. Based on the troubleshooting steps you've taken, it appears that the problem is not with the Surface or the software, but with the Surface pen's hardware.

I understand that your Surface Pro 5 doesn't meet the requirements for Windows 11, but consider that Microsoft’s support for Windows 10 ends in October 2025. If the pen problem persists and performance degrades over time, it might be worth considering an upgrade to a Surface device that supports Windows 11 for improved features and compatibility. If the pen works fine in other programs like Krita and Whiteboard, then it could be a Photoshop-specific issue that’s not related to hardware. But if it's still problematic across all apps, you may want to consider getting a repair or getting a second opinion from Microsoft support. Contact Us - Microsoft Support

Your SincerelyHahn. W - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 2

"But if it's still problematic across all apps, you may want to consider getting a repair or getting a second opinion from Microsoft support."

As mentioned prior, the stokes have been coming out uneven in all apps. It's not Photoshop because my pen worked two weeks ago, so unless something changed, it sounds like it's a Microsoft issue. I tried to go through the link you provided, but after I get to the page about sending my device back for repair, it says there are no more options and to contact Microsoft support which links me right back to the page you provided. Is there really no way someone can look at my device? I'm just stuck having to buy either a new pen or device altogether?

Answer 3

Hi Gabby,  

Since Surface Pro 5 has been discontinued, out-of-warranty support and service are no longer provided for this model, so you will see no more options when creating an order, but Surface Pen with no clip is still supported. It is recommended that you contact Microsoft Support directly according to the steps provided before, and they can assist you in sending the Surface Pen for repair. Your SincerelyHahn. W - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 4

Hi Gabby,

Can I assume that you only tested Microsoft Whiteboard, Krita, and Photoshop?

Have you done writing tests in the Office suite, such as Word and OneNote? Please don't hesitate to let me know the result.

In addition, have you ever tried to use your finger instead of the Surface Pen to write or draw? This is to confirm whether the problem originated with the pen or the Surface Pro 5's screen.

From your description in the thread, it is clear that you have downloaded and installed the driver and firmware package for the Surface Pro 5:

Download Surface Pro 5 [Wi-Fi] Drivers and Firmware from Official Microsoft Download Center

Have you tested the pressure of the pen with the Surface diagnostic toolkit:

Fix common problems using the Surface app and Surface Diagnostic Toolkit - Microsoft Support

You can download it very simply from the Microsoft Store.

Follow the instructions, there will be a test for the screen touch, please try to complete it with your finger, and check that the ink thickness can be freely controlled. If you can do this, then the problem is most likely on the tip of the Surface pen.

Maybe just change the nib:

Replace Surface Pen tips - Microsoft Support

This is the address where the nib was purchased:

Surface Pen Tips | Microsoft Surface Pro Pen Replacement Tips - Microsoft Store

Best Regards,

Mitchell | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 5

Can I assume that you only tested Microsoft Whiteboard, Krita, and Photoshop? Yes, I don't use Word or OneNote. My only concern is using the Surface Pen for drawing through an art program. Not note taking.

Have you ever tried to use your finger instead of the Surface Pen to write or draw? Here are the results from using my finger to draw. The blue strokes are how the Surface Pen is coming out and the hot pink strokes are me using my finger.

Have you tested the pressure of the pen with the Surface diagnostic toolkit? I had already downloaded the Toolkit, tested for issues, etc. Everything came up fine, there were no updates or issues. Using the Surface App, I did test the pen pressure sensitivity. Strokes still come up blob like in the test box. In addition, I tried calibrating the pen to no avail. These were steps I tried before and after resetting my computer to factory settings.

Maybe just change the nib. As stated in my original posting, I already bought new Microsoft nibs and tried all three of them. I've taken the nib out, unpaired the pen, added the nib back in, paired the pen again. The problem persists with the strokes coming out small, uneven, and blob like.