With its anniversary update, Windows 10 and Windows 11 has gained a new settings panel. Now, if your device has a pen or any kind of stylus, then you can customize how it works and what its buttons do from the settings. However, to most of us, it’s useless so the below will show you how to turn it off or disable it along with finding the missing Pen or Touch settings.
Previously, device-specific applications such as the Microsoft Surface app were used for configuring surface pens on surface devices. It allows users to adjust their pressure sensitivity and other tools might still have additional settings.
Missing your Pen and Windows Ink settings? Time to find them
To access this:
- In the first step you need to go to “settings application” and select “device > pen and Windows Ink”.
- The “choose which hand you write with” setting controls where menus appear when using this.
For e.g. if you open the context menu while it is set to “right hang”, it shall appear to the left of the pen tip. If you open the context menu while being set to “left hand”, it shall appear right of the pen tip. Windows tries to avoid opening these behind your hand, where you can’t see these.
Window 10; by default assumes that the user is right-handed. However, if you are not then you have to select the left-handed option under “Choose which hand you write with”.
By default, it uses visual effects and a cursor, but these can be disabled. The option “show visual effects” makes the graphical effect like a ripple appear when you touch it on the screen. If you do not like this, turn the option off.
The cursor appears with the “show cursor” option. This is often shaped like a dot when you hover over the screen. Disable this option, if you do not want to see a cursor.
Most devices attempt to perform palm rejection when using it, letting you accidentally bump the touch of the screen without causing any issues. If you see yourself bumping the screen while drawing, you can enable the “ignore touch input when I am using my pen” option.
It carries a feature known as handwriting, allowing users to write with it and convert it to typed text. This option is easier to access with the “show the handwriting panel when not in tablet mode and there’s no keyboard attached” option.
When this option is enabled, the user can click the keyboard icon in your notification area it while the device is in tablet mode and the handwriting keyboard will appear despite the normal one. Press it with your finger and touch the keyboard, and it shall still appear.
The update has also added a feature called Ink Workspace. You can open this by pressing a shortcut button on your open by default (if you have one) or clicking its option in the notification area. However, if you do not see the button, right-click on the “Windows taskbar” and choose “show windows Ink Workspace option”.
This panel provides shortcuts to pen-enabled applications such as Sticky Notes and OneNote. It also suggests pen-enabled applications found in the Store at the bottom of the panel.
If you want to disable this feature and make the panel stop showing suggested applications from the store then you need to turn off the “show recommended app suggestions” feature. If this is disabled, you shall see a “shop for pen apps in the store” link that takes you to the Store rather than a link to a certain application or two.
READ: The 18 Best and Free to Download Typing Software for Windows 10.
Windows 10/11 Pen Shortcuts You Need To Know
Most of the stylus, not all, carry a shortcut button. For example, on the surface pen, you shall find a shortcut button on the tip, where the eraser would be on the pencil. Options at the bottom of the panel allow users to control when they click the button once, double-click it, or press and hold it.
Note: Remember that the press-and-hold feature works only on certain pens.
Now, be the default, if you click the button once it shall open the universal OneNote application. If you double-click, it shall send a screenshot to the universal application. If you press and hold, it shall open Cortana. As a window say, you might need to pair it with your system through Bluetooth if nothing happens while pressing its buttons.
Configure these buttons to do whatever you want, and disable them so nothing happens when you hit the button if you are bumping it. Buttons can be set to open it, open “universal OneNote application”, open “desktop OneNote 2019 application”, launch “classic desktop app of your own choice”, or launch “universal app of choice”. If you set the button to launch a classic desktop application, browse any .exe file on your system. You can select any installed app from the list if you set it to.
Microsoft is going to add more features and other options in future updates. If you wish to configure any other feature on your system’s pen, you can look for a manufacturer-provided application or tool.
READ: 10 Note Taking Apps You Need to Know About that support a Stylus Pen.
Disable Pen/Stylus Settings
- Go to “control panel”, from here click “device manager”.
- Click the carrot icon next to “human interface devices” to expand the menu.
- You have to look for two devices: an HID-compliant touchscreen and an HID-compliant pen.
- Right-click on “required driver”.
- Click on “disable device” (if you want to).
- You shall receive a warning message.
- Hit “yes” to continue.
- If you want to enable it, right-click and click “enable”.
READ: Best 4 Ways on How to Disable InPrivate Browsing in Edge Chromium.
Closing Words
After reading the above article, I hope you know how to find the missing pen and Windows Ink settings and disable it completely. I agree that not all of us use a stylus and must turn this feature off. Do leave your feedback below.
