Windows Ink

Overview

Windows Ink is an API and set of features in Microsoft Windows that enable using a pen to work with your PC.

Background

More here: The history of Windows Ink. Windows Ink is one of two APIs used for Windows to talk to a tablet. The other, older one, is called WinTab.

Configuring Windows Ink

There are two places to configure Windows Ink:

• In your pen-aware application: configure Windows Ink in an application

• In your tablet driver: See configure Windows Ink in the tablet driver

Recommended configuration

Baseline configuration: Use Windows Ink

• In Tablet Driver - Enable Windows Ink - this means Windows Ink will be available for all apps

• In Each App - Configure the app to use Windows Ink. If you change the setting, restart the app.

For specific apps that don't work well with Windows Ink

• In the App - configure the app to NOT use Windows Ink. If you change this setting, restart the app

• In tablet driver - Usually you don't need to do anything. However, it may be necessary in the driver to create an application-specific setting to disable the use for Windows Ink

Tips for troubleshooting

If you are having problems with your tablet on Windows, one of the first things you should verify is how Windows Ink is configured:

• In your application

• In your tablet driver

  • And check if the tablet driver has an app-specific configuration for Windows Ink