Pen works fine when only the pen is making contact with the screen. However, when my palm is resting on the screen, the pressure detection of the pen becomes extremely inaccurate. As soon as skin (palm, fingers, etc) makes contact with the screen, the pressure curve of the pen becomes a staircase, as if the pen could only detect 5-20 levels of pressure, instead of 4096 like it's supposed to. Here's a screenshot from the Surface app: ![](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/cdc3b0c5-bfcc-4409-b0a1-318885287f48?platform=QnA And here is how it looks like when drawing: Is this normal? How can I fix it? Device : Surface Pro 7 Model 1866 i5 (8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) OS : Windows 10 Home Version 1903 build 18362.449 (edit: I've since updated to 1909 build 18363.628, issue persists) Pen : Microsoft Surface Pen Model 1776 (Burgundy) I have: paired my pen unpaired and repaired the pen via Bluetooth options rebooted the Surface Pro soft reset the Surface Pro (volume+ and power buttons down for 15 seconds) removed and reinserted the battery into the pen (only way I could think of turning it off and on again) checked Windows Updates checked for app updates via Windows Store run the Surface Diagnostic Toolkit, no problems detected tried with and without Settings → Devices → Pen & Windows Ink → Ignore touch input when I'm using my pen set the correct hand I'm using from pen settings tried in multiple different apps, including Surface app, Adobe Photoshop, Krita, Sketchable, Autodesk SketchBook and others — same problem everywhere tried calibrating the pen (search "calibrate" from start menu and choose pen calibration), a dialog opens after choosing "Calibrate..." → "Pen input", asks for permission, and just makes a sound and closes after I grant permission, so I'm not sure if it's not working correctly, but nothing changed either way — tried to do this multiple times, rebooting in between, but doesn't seem to do anything

Man, I have this issue too. Between this and other issues, they are really piling up and making me question why I spent so much money on this device if the QA is absolutely terrible. I had the very first Surface Pro, and it too was riddled with random issues like this (using the trackpad while charging caused it to go haywire, had to ground it by touching the tablet with my other hand...). I had hoped that since this is the 7th iteration of this thing, most of the kinks would have been fixed. I love this form factor, but damn, Microsoft can't seem to make a stable product. I've got until May 14th to return it, and I think this issue will be the straw that breaks the camels back if it isn't fixed by then.

Solution 1 seems to have mostly helped the issue for me. There's still some slight stepping, but it's not nearly as bad and is passable for my purposes. Hopefully there's a software update, in the very near future, that solves this issue entirely.

I have recently bought a Surface Pro 7 (i7, 16Gb, 265Gb) and I can confirm that the first time I started it up there was no problem. I immediatly checked for pressure staircasing when touching because I saw Tablet Pro's video and wondered if it was still present and boy was I glad to see it was ok. Then I updated and boom, pressure staircasing with palm touching the screen. So it is almost certain that this is a problem that can be fixed on the software/firmware side... no? I really hope Microsoft takes care of this issue, but judging by the comments here it has already been a pretty long time with no solution.. Other things that I have done +- at the same time as updating and thus at the same time the pressure staircasing started: installing Office 365, installing Smart Notebook (I use this in the classroom as a teacher) I primarily chose the Surface for drawing so it really is a big setback. Things like this make me want a freaking iPad and I can assure you, that's a weird statement coming out of my mouth...

Just had to say thanks for the story. You don't know how nice it is to hear additional evidence like that to prevent wasting more time thinking about other possibilities ("What if it really is my hardware?" etc). It also brings some vague hope that the fix is around the corner. There's a small rumor it might coincide with the release of the Go 2 next week. Either way they're killing me and I've also spent the past month thinking about taking the hit to switch to iPad...

haven't checked in on this thread for a while, but it SEEMS like the issue has improved. I know windows has done a few updates in the past few weeks, and I hadn't done any drawing in a while, but trying it now it does seem better. Some line wiggle, but not the hard stepping that was happening before. id suggest everyone apply the updates, or try updating the SP7 firmware (I haven't tried that yet, but I did download it).

Surface Pro 7 pen pressure issues with palm rejection

Anonymous

Pen works fine when only the pen is making contact with the screen. However, when my palm is resting on the screen, the pressure detection of the pen becomes extremely inaccurate. As soon as skin (palm, fingers, etc) makes contact with the screen, the pressure curve of the pen becomes a staircase, as if the pen could only detect 5-20 levels of pressure, instead of 4096 like it's supposed to. Here's a screenshot from the Surface app:![](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/cdc3b0c5-bfcc-4409-b0a1-318885287f48?platform=QnAAnd here is how it looks like when drawing:

Is this normal? How can I fix it?

Device: Surface Pro 7 Model 1866 i5 (8GB RAM, 128GB SSD)

OS: Windows 10 Home Version 1903 build 18362.449 (edit: I've since updated to 1909 build 18363.628, issue persists)

Pen: Microsoft Surface Pen Model 1776 (Burgundy)

I have:

paired my pen
unpaired and repaired the pen via Bluetooth options
rebooted the Surface Pro
soft reset the Surface Pro (volume+ and power buttons down for 15 seconds)
removed and reinserted the battery into the pen (only way I could think of turning it off and on again)
checked Windows Updates
checked for app updates via Windows Store
run the Surface Diagnostic Toolkit, no problems detected
tried with and without Settings → Devices → Pen & Windows Ink → Ignore touch input when I'm using my pen
set the correct hand I'm using from pen settings
tried in multiple different apps, including Surface app, Adobe Photoshop, Krita, Sketchable, Autodesk SketchBook and others — same problem everywhere
tried calibrating the pen (search "calibrate" from start menu and choose pen calibration), a dialog opens after choosing "Calibrate..." → "Pen input", asks for permission, and just makes a sound and closes after I grant permission, so I'm not sure if it's not working correctly, but nothing changed either way — tried to do this multiple times, rebooting in between, but doesn't seem to do anything

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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87 answers

Anonymous

2020-04-21T02:29:31+00:00

Man, I have this issue too. Between this and other issues, they are really piling up and making me question why I spent so much money on this device if the QA is absolutely terrible. I had the very first Surface Pro, and it too was riddled with random issues like this (using the trackpad while charging caused it to go haywire, had to ground it by touching the tablet with my other hand...). I had hoped that since this is the 7th iteration of this thing, most of the kinks would have been fixed. I love this form factor, but damn, Microsoft can't seem to make a stable product.

I've got until May 14th to return it, and I think this issue will be the straw that breaks the camels back if it isn't fixed by then.
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Anonymous

2020-05-03T22:44:32+00:00

Solution 1 seems to have mostly helped the issue for me. There's still some slight stepping, but it's not nearly as bad and is passable for my purposes.

Hopefully there's a software update, in the very near future, that solves this issue entirely.
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2020-05-08T22:17:01+00:00

I have recently bought a Surface Pro 7 (i7, 16Gb, 265Gb) and I can confirm that the first time I started it up there was no problem. I immediatly checked for pressure staircasing when touching because I saw Tablet Pro's video and wondered if it was still present and boy was I glad to see it was ok.

Then I updated and boom, pressure staircasing with palm touching the screen. So it is almost certain that this is a problem that can be fixed on the software/firmware side... no?

I really hope Microsoft takes care of this issue, but judging by the comments here it has already been a pretty long time with no solution..

Other things that I have done +- at the same time as updating and thus at the same time the pressure staircasing started: installing Office 365, installing Smart Notebook (I use this in the classroom as a teacher)

I primarily chose the Surface for drawing so it really is a big setback. Things like this make me want a freaking iPad and I can assure you, that's a weird statement coming out of my mouth...
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2020-05-08T23:03:30+00:00

Just had to say thanks for the story. You don't know how nice it is to hear additional evidence like that to prevent wasting more time thinking about other possibilities ("What if it really is my hardware?" etc).

It also brings some vague hope that the fix is around the corner. There's a small rumor it might coincide with the release of the Go 2 next week. Either way they're killing me and I've also spent the past month thinking about taking the hit to switch to iPad...
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2020-05-09T02:32:25+00:00

haven't checked in on this thread for a while, but it SEEMS like the issue has improved. I know windows has done a few updates in the past few weeks, and I hadn't done any drawing in a while, but trying it now it does seem better. Some line wiggle, but not the hard stepping that was happening before. id suggest everyone apply the updates, or try updating the SP7 firmware (I haven't tried that yet, but I did download it).
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments