Match aspect ratios with Force Proportions
Last updated
Last updated
FORCE PROPORTIONS some I recommend you enable if you are using a pen tablet (screenless tablet). It solves a very weird problem that is very common for these kinds of tablets. Once you enable it, it will make it easier and more natural to draw.
If the aspect ratio of your pen tablet's active area does not match your monitor's aspect ratio. You will see distortion. For example, if you trace out a circle on the pen tablet, you will have traced out an oval on the screen. This distortion events every movement of your pen on the tablet. Drawing this way feels VERY WEIRD and messes with your mind. Don't worry! You can EASILY correct this with FORCE PROPORTIONS.
For users of pen tablets (screenless tablets) : YES. I highly recommend it for for everyone using a pen tablet.
For users of pen displays (screen tablets): NO. It is not needed.
The issue with pen tablets is that the tablet and the your monitor are separate devices. And each device has its own aspect ratio. The odds of the aspect rations matching by chance are very low. For example, as of 2025 most pen tablets do not have a 16x9 aspect ratio even though most displays do have a 16x9 aspect ratio.
If the aspect ratios match, then there is no distortion when you draw.
Here are some examples of what happens some Wacom pen tablets because of the mismatched aspect ratios when using a 16:9 monitor. The black circle is what I draw on the tablet. The red circle is what actual got drawn on the monitor.
FP restricts the region of the active area that matches to that of your monitor - so the aspect ratios will match.
If you enable FP, you will not be able to take advantage of some of your tablet's full native active area, but BY FAR this is the better alternative than the distorted drawing.
The amount of active area you lose by turning on force proportions varies depending on the specific aspect ratio of tablet and monitor. The more mismatched they are the bigger the loss. For the Wacom Intuos Pro 2017 series with FP on 16:9 monitors the loss can be between 10% to 20%.
Note that if the active areas of the tablet and monitor are the same, then enabling FP does not incur any loss.
Launch Wacom Tablet Properties
Under the Mapping tab, enable Force Proportions
Launch Wacom Center
Click Mapping
Enable Force Proportions
Huion calls it Screen Ratio.
Launch the HuionTablet app
Go to Working Area
On the bottom left there is a drop down.
Switch the dropdown to Screen Ratio.
Gaomon calls it Screen Ratio.
Open the Gaomon driver app
Go to Workspace
Select Screen Ratio
XP-Pen calls it Proportion.
Open the XP-Pen driver app (called PenTablet)
Go to Work Area
Go to Pen Tablet
Select Proportion
Xencelabs calls it Screen Ratio.
Open the Xencelabs driver app
Go to Device Settings
Look in Tablet to Screen Area Mapping
There's a drop down on the left side. It has three options: Full Tablet Area, Define Portion, and Screen Ratio
Select Screen Ratio in the bottom
This video goes into great detail about this topic.
I built a tool to simulate the effect FP has. go here:
