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

You are right (in a sense), the surface pro 7 is not "unusable", at least when it's not connected to anything ... But I guess the very fact that there exists a jitter at all means Microsoft has messed up! I'm using the new pen (2017 version) but have already tested three fidiffere pens (both old and new) with no apparent change. All show the same problem. By the way I'm a part time teacher and used to connect my tablet to the OHP and write on it. With the surface that has become IMPOSSIBLE because though (as I mentioned) the jitter is somehow tolerable when surface is used alone, connecting anything to it that has anything to do with electricity makes the whole thing go crazy! I've also tested few different cables and chargers all producing the same result :(

Guys, can you please stop posting unrelated issues here? This thread is about pen pressure accuracy on the Surface Pro 7. This thread is not about pen *jitter.*The firmware update that fixed jitter on earlier Surfaces does not fix pressure accuracy on the SP7. There are no issues with jitter on my SP7, so that is clearly a different issue. All digital styluses have some jitter. Some digitizers have more jitter than others. N-trig (or Microsoft Pen Protocol, as it's now called) has more jitter than some of the competition (Wacom, Apple, etc.). This is a well known fact and cannot be fixed via software as it is an inherent problem with the technology Microsoft is using. The jitter shouldn't be bad enough that the device is unusable for artists, but without no line smoothing it is certainly noticeable when compared to the competition. If your jitter is bad enough that it is in fact "unusable", please open a different thread, as this thread isnot about jitter . P.S. the underlying tech on the Surface Pen has not been changed since Surface Pro 5, so it shouldn't matter if you don't have the newest pen. Only the color is different on the newer pens.

the jitter is somehow tolerable when surface is used alone, connecting anything to it that has anything to do with electricity makes the whole thing go crazy! I've also tested few different cables and chargers all producing the same result :( Apparently it is possible that "dirty power" can affect the digitizer (it was discussed earlier in this thread too). If you're sure the charger is not faulty, maybe the power controller in the tablet itself is -- send it in for repairs if it's still under warranty.

Guys, can you please stop posting unrelated issues here? This thread is about pen pressure accuracy on the Surface Pro 7. This thread is not about pen *jitter.*The firmware update that fixed jitter on earlier Surfaces does not fix pressure accuracy on the SP7. There are no issues with jitter on my SP7, so that is clearly a different issue. I'm sorry for that. Since my jitter only occurs with my palm touching the screen and strongly correlates with my pressure accuracy issues, I've assumed that both issues have related root cause, if it's not the same issue.

Guys, can you please stop posting unrelated issues here? This thread is about pen pressure accuracy on the Surface Pro 7. This thread is not about pen *jitter.*The firmware update that fixed jitter on earlier Surfaces does not fix pressure accuracy on the SP7. There are no issues with jitter on my SP7, so that is clearly a different issue. I'm sorry for that. Since my jitter only occurs with my palm touching the screen and strongly correlates with my pressure accuracy issues, I've assumed that both issues have related root cause, if it's not the same issue. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfpronew-surfdrivers/surface-pro-intermittent-pen-inaccuracy-when-hand/28ef8566-0003-4c68-a964-6c2562423eb0 perhaps this helps you.

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

2020-02-10T21:39:41+00:00

You are right (in a sense), the surface pro 7 is not "unusable", at least when it's not connected to anything ... But I guess the very fact that there exists a jitter at all means Microsoft has messed up!

I'm using the new pen (2017 version) but have already tested three fidiffere pens (both old and new) with no apparent change. All show the same problem.

By the way I'm a part time teacher and used to connect my tablet to the OHP and write on it. With the surface that has become IMPOSSIBLE because though (as I mentioned) the jitter is somehow tolerable when surface is used alone, connecting anything to it that has anything to do with electricity makes the whole thing go crazy! I've also tested few different cables and chargers all producing the same result :(
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Anonymous

2020-02-10T21:52:40+00:00

Guys, can you please stop posting unrelated issues here? This thread is about pen pressure accuracy on the Surface Pro 7. This thread is not about pen *jitter.*The firmware update that fixed jitter on earlier Surfaces does not fix pressure accuracy on the SP7. There are no issues with jitter on my SP7, so that is clearly a different issue.

Alldigital styluses have some jitter. Some digitizers have more jitter than others. N-trig (or Microsoft Pen Protocol, as it's now called) has more jitter than some of the competition (Wacom, Apple, etc.). This is a well known fact and cannot be fixed via software as it is an inherent problem with the technology Microsoft is using. The jitter shouldn't be bad enough that the device is unusable for artists, but without no line smoothing it is certainly noticeable when compared to the competition. If your jitter is bad enough that it is in fact "unusable", please open a different thread, as this thread isnot about jitter.

P.S. the underlying tech on the Surface Pen has not been changed since Surface Pro 5, so it shouldn't matter if you don't have the newest pen. Only the color is different on the newer pens.
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Anonymous

2020-02-10T22:09:46+00:00

the jitter is somehow tolerable when surface is used alone, connecting anything to it that has anything to do with electricity makes the whole thing go crazy! I've also tested few different cables and chargers all producing the same result :(

Apparently it is possible that "dirty power" can affect the digitizer (it was discussed earlier in this thread too). If you're sure the charger is not faulty, maybe the power controller in the tablet itself is -- send it in for repairs if it's still under warranty.
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Anonymous

2020-02-10T22:27:53+00:00

Guys, can you please stop posting unrelated issues here? This thread is about pen pressure accuracy on the Surface Pro 7. This thread is not about pen *jitter.*The firmware update that fixed jitter on earlier Surfaces does not fix pressure accuracy on the SP7. There are no issues with jitter on my SP7, so that is clearly a different issue.

I'm sorry for that. Since my jitter only occurs with my palm touching the screen and strongly correlates with my pressure accuracy issues, I've assumed that both issues have related root cause, if it's not the same issue.
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Anonymous

2020-02-10T22:36:18+00:00

Guys, can you please stop posting unrelated issues here? This thread is about pen pressure accuracy on the Surface Pro 7. This thread is not about pen *jitter.*The firmware update that fixed jitter on earlier Surfaces does not fix pressure accuracy on the SP7. There are no issues with jitter on my SP7, so that is clearly a different issue.

I'm sorry for that. Since my jitter only occurs with my palm touching the screen and strongly correlates with my pressure accuracy issues, I've assumed that both issues have related root cause, if it's not the same issue.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfpronew-surfdrivers/surface-pro-intermittent-pen-inaccuracy-when-hand/28ef8566-0003-4c68-a964-6c2562423eb0 perhaps this helps you.
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