After the latest Office update PowerPoint get locked in ink mode

Anonymous
2016-02-20T01:24:06+00:00

after my recent office update, PowerPoint is locked in ink mode and I can't use my pen to do anything but to draw. It's so annoying I can't even select anything with my surface pen in order to re-size the text or change text color. and when I use my finger it only moves the cursor, it won't let me select. what should I do?

[Original Title: power point ink]

Microsoft 365 and Office | PowerPoint | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2016-02-28T01:54:03+00:00

UPDATE 4/8:

We have started to roll out the change that also adds the Select button to the Draw tab (#1 in my original email below), so if you want to continue to use your pen to ink by default you can do that, and now use that button to use the pen for selection temporarily.  Of course if you want to use the pen to select by default, the preference we added in the Options dialog and detailed below allows you to do that.

UPDATE 3/15:

I wanted to let everyone know that in the update to Office that started rolling out to Insiders today, you will find a new preference in the Options dialog to allow you to make the pen select instead of ink by default.  Enabling this preference will make the pen function exactly like it did before, plus you can use the options on the Draw tab if you do decide you want to ink.  If you are an Office Insider (which anyone can join), you should get this update within the next day or so.  If you are not an Office Insider, it may take another week or two to reach you.

This is a per-app preference, so you can enable selection by default in Excel for instance while leaving ink as the default in Word and PowerPoint, or you can switch all three.  To access this preference select File > Options, and then in the Options dialog select Advanced and check ‘Use pen to select and interact with content by default’ in the new Pen section.

We’ll be releasing the second piece (#1 below), which is the ability to toggle on pen selection via the Draw tab for those that only want to use the pen to select occasionally, with the next monthly update.

Thanks again to all of you for your feedback, and we hope this change addresses your concerns.

ORIGINAL:

I wanted to first thank all of you for your feedback both here, and on our UserVoice site.  We’ve heard you loud and clear, and as a result we are actively working on two changes:

  1. For people that want to use the pen as a precise pointer temporarily, we will introduce the ability to do that via a button on the Draw tab.  This will keep the new default of having the pen ink on the document canvas, but give the ability to use the pen to do selection when needed.
  2. For people that want or need to use the pen like a mouse by default, we will also add a new preference to the Options dialog that will allow you to restore the previous behavior.  If you want to ink, that will be easier than before because you’ll be able to just tap a pen on the Draw tab and start inking, but you will be able to set your default behavior to be that the pen selects, just like it was before the update.

We are actively working on making these changes so that we can get them out to you as soon as possible.  Note that you may see #2 (the preference in the Options dialog) appear first, because we are prioritizing getting that change to you based on your feedback.

I will keep this post updated with the latest status, or you can follow along at one (or all) of the three relevant UserVoice topics: Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

In addition, if you’d like to get these changes even before they are officially released to everyone, please consider joining our Office Insidersprogram.  It’s a great way to preview the upcoming changes and help provide us with feedback early.

Thanks again,

Dan

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-02-26T23:15:52+00:00

    Point of clarification:

    It is not likely the "programmers" who are to blame. It is the project managers who have accepted recommendation of the "UX", User Experience, designers to make this change.

    If the programmers did accidentally make this change, as MS claims is the case in Word 2010 with the "text boundaries" feature that changed from whole page outlines to paragraph outlines, the project manages still had to accept and approve this change before it was inflicted on the public.

    This is another example of design changes that seem to have been thought up and approved by "little green men" who arrived in "UFO's".  Strange decisions that seem to have little grounding in the reality we users live in.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-02-26T22:01:12+00:00

    Essentially, the programmers have eliminated most of the utility I get from the pen in office programs.

    This sounds like a case where the computer "engineers" know whats best for everybody else, not even giving the user an option.  If I wanted that type of arrogant thinking, I would go to Apple.

    I know how I use the pen, the programmers don't. I do not do a lot of drawing: my work is expected to be typed, not drawn or handwritten.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-02-26T21:25:35+00:00

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-02-26T20:57:57+00:00

    Amanda:

    There is no promise, certainly no guarantee, that MS will fix this issue ever, let alone soon.  It took them about 4 months to fix the "phat QAT" button issue in Office 2016.  More than one person has said that this change has effectively made their tablet unusable for the way they are accustomed to working on it.

    On that basis, your best bet is to return the computer now and just follow the conversation to find out if MS ever does relent and return to proper functionality.  Or at least gives us the easy to set option of what mode WE want to use OUR HARDWARE in ...

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