Install OpenTabletDriver on Windows+

Overview

This document is for CREATIVES interested in using OpenTabletDriver on Windows and need features such as pressure sensitivity and tilt.

If you don't know about OpenTabletDriver or why you might want or need to use it, read: OpenTabletDriver.

Familiarize yourself with the My notes on OpenTabletDriver.

How to uninstall on Windows: Uninstalling OpenTabletDriver on Windows

What follows are the detailed steps I personally use to install OTD on Windows. This document does not replace the official OTD documentation (https://opentabletdriver.net/Wiki

Some expertise is required

Using OTD for doing artwork is an advanced scenario. Try this only if you are confident in your technical skills or can get someone to help you.

Supported tablets

  • OTD supports 300+ tablets from different brands (as of November 2025)

  • Consult the complete list of supported tablets: https://opentabletdriver.net/Tablets

  • In that list, your tablet may be marked as needing "Zadig WinUSB". There are special requirements for this case. My instructions here DO NOT include those instructions.

Version information

OTD version

  • The instructions cover this specific version of OTD: v0.6.6.2

Windows versions

  • These instructions are for Windows x64 systems only.

  • OTD does not support 32-bit versions of Windows.

  • OTD does NOT support ARM on Windows

  • I tested these instructions on Windows 11 (Version 10.0.26200 Build 26200) on 2025/11/20

PHASE 1: Preparation

STEP 1.1: Verify that OTD supports your tablet

On the list of supported tablets, if your tablet is marked as "Zadig WinUSB" - there are special requirements to install this that are NOT covered in this document. Consult the OTD docs for help.

STEP 1.1: Uninstall existing tablet drivers

You MUST uninstall any existing tablet drivers on your computer. If you leave them installed they will interfere with OTD.

STEP 1.2: Create a folder for OTD

  • Create a folder somewhere on your computer called OpenTabletDriver

  • I prefer to use C:\OpenTabletDriver

  • All the instructions in this document will use C:\OpenTabletDriver

STEP 1.3: Download the VMulti driver

You MUST install VMulti driver if you want pressure sensitivity & tilt to work with your tablet on Windows.

STEP 1.4 Install the VMulti driver

This next step file may restart your computer without warning. So, close any applications before you install VMUlti.

  • Close all applications.

  • In the C:\OpenTabletDriver\VMulti.Driver folder, right click on install_hiddriver.bat, then select Run as Administrator

STEP 1.5: Install the .NET Runtime

OTD requires a specific version of the .NET Runtime to be installed on your computer. It won't work otherwise.

  • Click on this link https://opentabletdriver.net/Framework

    • It will take you to a page that lists differerent verions of the .NET framework for OTD to use

  • Under "Windows" click on the link labelled "x64".

    • A download will start for windowsdesktop-runtime-8.0.22-win-x64.exe

  • Once the exe file is downloaded, run it to install the .NET Runtime.

STEP 1.6: Download OpenTabletDriver

  • Open a browser to this location:

  • Scroll down the page to a section labelled "Assets"

  • Look for a file with a name like this OpenTabletDriver-0.6.6.2_win-x64.zip

  • Download that zip file.

  • Move the zip file into the C:\OpenTabletDriver folder

  • Right-click on the zip file, then select Extract All.

    • This creates a folder with a name like C:\OpenTabletDriver\OpenTabletDriver-0.6.6.2_win-x64

PHASE 2: OTD Basics and connecting to a tablet

STEP 2.1: Launch the OpenTabletDriver app for the first time

DO NOT launch the OTD app with "Run as Administrator". This will cause problems with OTD.

  • In the C:\OpenTabletDriver\OpenTabletDriver-n.n.n.n_win-x64 folder, launch OpenTabletDriver.UX.Wpf.exe.

    • This launches the OTD app. (Do not launch it as Administrator)

  • If you see a message that ".NET X Desktop Runtime X64 is not installed", then follow its instructions to install that runtime. Then launch OpenTabletDriver.UX.Wpf.exe again.

    • This message should not appear because you install edthe .NET Runtime ina previous step.

  • The OpenTabletDriver Guide will automatically start

  • Click the X in the upper right hand corner to close the guide.

  • You can get back to this guide at any time in OTD by navigating to Help > Show guide.

STEP 2.2 Minimizing the OTD app

This is an important thing to learn, because you will be doing it a lot.

  • You can keep the OTD app running without it being on the desktop my minimizing it.

  • Once it is minimized, you can find it in the taskbar

  • Click on the OTD icon in the taskbar to open the OTD app

STEP 2.3: Understanding the OTD app on Windows

For you to use OTD on Windows, the OTD app MUST always be running.

Although it must always be running, You don't have to always have the visible on your screen, you can minimize the app and find it later in the task bar.

STEP 2.4: Detect your tablet with OTD

  • When the OTD app starts, it will automatically try to detect your tablet.

  • The tablet will be shown in the Window title at the top and at the bottom left of the application window

  • If needed, you can force detection click Tablets > Detect tablet

STEP 2.5: Checkpoint

At this point, moving the pen on the tablet should move the mouse pointer.

Do not worry about which monitor the mouse is on. We will cover that soon.

Pressure and will not work right now. We will cover that soon.

PHASE 3: Configuring OTD to work with your tablet

STEP 3.1: Configure tablet to display mapping

  • In the OTD App, go to Output > Tablet Section

  • In Output > Display, right-click anywhere and pick Set to Display <displayname> where <displayname> is specific display you want to use with the tablet.

  • In Output > Tablet, right click anywhere, and then select Lock Aspect Ratio.

  • At this point moving the pen will move the pointer on exactly 1 display.

  • Also there will be no stroke distortion - for example a circle on tablet makes a circle on the monitor with no distortion/stretching

  • Press APPLY and then press SAVE.

STEP 3.2: Understanding APPLY and SAVE

The instructions have already asked you to press APPLY and SAVE. Let's take a moment to understand these actions a bit better.

SAVE

  • SAVE will save current settings, even if you haven't clicked apply and loads them the next time you open OTD.

  • You can test this out by clicking SAVE without clicking APPLY applying and starting the OTD app again. It will load the settings that were saved.

APPLY

  • APPLY will load the current settings you have set in the user interface. Until you click APPLY no changes you have made in the UI will be in effect.

To keep things simple for you for now, I suggest you always click APPLY then SAVE whenever you make a change in the OTD app.

STEP 3.3: Install the Windows Ink plugin

  • In the OTD app, navigate to Plugins > Open Plugin Manager

  • Click on the Windows Ink plugin, then click Install

  • The Windows Ink plugin will appear at the top of the plugin list

  • Close the Plugin Manager window

STEP 3.4: Configure Windows Ink mapping mode

  • In the OTD app, on the bottom, change the mode dropdown:

    • from Absolute Mode

    • to Windows Ink Absolute Mode

    • click APPLY then click SAVE

NOTE: You will only see Windows Ink Absolute Mode listed if you previously enabled the Windows Ink plugin.

STEP 3.5: Configure the pen

Navigate to the Pen Settings tab

By default the will be configured as shown below

What to notice here: The tip settings, eraser settings, and the buttons have been configured "Adaptive Binding". For now leave these alone.

Click SAVE and APPLY.

NOTE: You cannot assign the pen buttons to take MOUSE actions such as right-click and left-click, etc.

STEP 3.6: Configure your drawing application to use Windows Ink

STEP 3.7 Checkpoint

At this point you should be able to effectively draw with OTD. Pressure and Tilt should work.

I suggest you install Krita and configure it to use Windows Ink

Try some basic drawing and see if everything is working

PHASE 4: Optional customization

STEP 4.1 Start OpenTabletDriver when Windows starts

  • Right-click on OpenTabletDriver.UX.Wpf.exe

  • Select Create Shortcut

  • Right click on the shortcut, then select Properties

  • Under Run, select Minimized

  • Click OK

  • Press WINDOWS+R to bring up the Run window

  • In Open, type shell:startup

  • This will open a new Explorer window pointing to a folder called Startup

  • Move the shortcut to the Startup folder in that explorer window

STEP 4.2 Pressure curves

By default OTD does not use a pressure curve to modify how the pressure data is interpreted. However, you can edit the pressure curve by following these instructions: Pressure curves in OpenTabletDriver

STEP 4.3 Smoothing

By default OTD performs no smoothing on the pen data. This is desirable because

  • it gives you a VERY responsive drawing experience

  • Gives you complete control about the smoothing

Two ways to introduce smoothing

  • Application-level smoothing - To add smoothing back in to your drawing, your first and easiest option is to use the smoothing features in your drawing application. Learn more here: Configure smoothing in applications

  • Driver-level smoothing in OTD - this will be a little more complex to do. More here: Smoothing with OpenTabletDriver

STEP 4.4 Configure tablet buttons

  • Open the Auxiliary Settings tab

  • each button shows up as an Auxiliary Binding.

  • In the screenshot above, one of the buttons has been set to match the "e" key.

STEP 4.5 Display toggle

To allow rapid switching between monitors you have two options:

  • the Monitor toggle plug-in - I've never used this plug-in so I don't have any instructions for it.

  • Switching presets - a hotkey can be used to switch between presets

Other topics

Uninstalling OTD

See the instructions here: Uninstalling OpenTabletDriver on Windows

OTD application data directory

No matter where OpenTabletDriver is installed, when it is running, it will put its data into a user-specific application data folder on Windows.

The location of the folder is here:

%localappdata%\OpenTabletDriver

This expands to a path that should look like:

C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\OpenTabletDriver

This is what my folder looks like:

ProTip: Quickly get to the AppData folder by pressing WINDOWS+R and typing appdata. It will open a window directly to that folder.

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