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

I have the exact same issue. Suface Pro 7, 16 ram, 256 ssd. Tried it with both the MS pen and the Raphael 5, both show the same result. Very disappointing because I bought this mainly for doing art.

Work around right now is to use an artists glove to block the touchscreen from registering your palm before they can fix this. I think this is affecting every surface pro 7 and surface pro X that exists (not sure about laptop 3).

Exactly the same issue, I'm from Italy. I have tryed to reinstall windows and manually update drivers and firmware on a Surface pro 7 (128GB storage, i5, 8GB ram), but this and other problems weren't solved. Apart from the pen pressure problem, I noticed a periodic freeze of 1 sec of the entire Surface every 2-3 min, and other software issues. Especially, if I tryed to convert the pen input to text in any program (as Onenote, settings, microsoft edge, etc.) they crashed instantly. I texted the italian Microsoft support about these issues, and they told me directly to "contact the dealer and ask for a refound" because "the Surface pro 7 generally has hardware problems". Good job Microsoft. I have returned the Surface, it is better to wait some months to see if in the future these problems will be solved by software or hardware fixes.

Follow-up from my previous post, Dropped by a local Microsoft Store and tried their display devices. Every single Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro X I checked there had this issue. I chatted with a store clerk about it and he told me he's going to escalate the issue, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Follow-up from my previous post, Every single Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro X I checked there had this issue. I chatted with a store clerk about it and he told me he's going to escalate the issue, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Here is another example of the issue on the Surface Pro X and 7. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfprox-surfdrivers/pen-pressure-staircasing-issue-when-touching-the/8c28cff4-0fb9-4ac3-8781-c22fa2ace98e This is a major issue for artists, since not only does this happen when resting your palm, but any touch interaction, such as when using brush modifiers with your thumb, while drawing with the pen. Apparently, the Surface Laptop 3 seems to also be affected. https://www.reddit.com/r/Surface/comments/ehd79v/surface_pro_7_pen_pressure_issues_with_palm/fcio6ic/

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

2019-12-18T08:08:57+00:00

I have the exact same issue. Suface Pro 7, 16 ram, 256 ssd. Tried it with both the MS pen and the Raphael 5, both show the same result. Very disappointing because I bought this mainly for doing art.
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Anonymous

2019-12-18T08:16:30+00:00

Work around right now is to use an artists glove to block the touchscreen from registering your palm before they can fix this. I think this is affecting every surface pro 7 and surface pro X that exists (not sure about laptop 3).
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Anonymous

2019-12-18T15:52:28+00:00

Exactly the same issue, I'm from Italy.

I have tryed to reinstall windows and manually update drivers and firmware on a Surface pro 7 (128GB storage, i5, 8GB ram), but this and other problems weren't solved.

Apart from the pen pressure problem, I noticed a periodic freeze of 1 sec of the entire Surface every 2-3 min, and other software issues. Especially, if I tryed to convert the pen input to text in any program (as Onenote, settings, microsoft edge, etc.) they crashed instantly.

I texted the italian Microsoft support about these issues, and they told me directly to "contact the dealer and ask for a refound" because "the Surface pro 7 generally has hardware problems".

Good job Microsoft.

I have returned the Surface, it is better to wait some months to see if in the future these problems will be solved by software or hardware fixes.
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2019-12-30T18:26:19+00:00

Follow-up from my previous post,

Dropped by a local Microsoft Store and tried their display devices. Every single Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro X I checked there had this issue. I chatted with a store clerk about it and he told me he's going to escalate the issue, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2020-01-15T13:46:30+00:00

Follow-up from my previous post,

Every single Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro X I checked there had this issue. I chatted with a store clerk about it and he told me he's going to escalate the issue, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Here is another example of the issue on the Surface Pro X and 7.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfprox-surfdrivers/pen-pressure-staircasing-issue-when-touching-the/8c28cff4-0fb9-4ac3-8781-c22fa2ace98e

This is a major issue for artists, since not only does this happen when resting your palm, but any touch interaction, such as when using brush modifiers with your thumb, while drawing with the pen.

Apparently, the Surface Laptop 3 seems to also be affected.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Surface/comments/ehd79v/surface_pro_7_pen_pressure_issues_with_palm/fcio6ic/
Was this answer helpful?

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