Drawing Tablet is a highly effective tool for digital art that allows you to write, sketch, draw and edit photos with a simply natural pen experience.

However, you may encounter issues with pen pressure not working in drawing programs like Photoshop CC 2025 or other drawing apps like Krita, SAI, CSP, etc.

This situation is frustrating, but not unheard of. Instead, this issue is fairly common and has probably driven many users insane.

Some common problems that stop your pressure sensitivty from working effectively. These problems are often caused by driver issues, incorrect API or Brush settings, or even hardware malfunctions.

Luckily, these problems are generally fairly easy to fix. Most of the time, your drawing tablet isn’t actually broken. More often than not, once you identify the issue, you’ll be able to troubleshoot.

What is pen pressure sensitivty?

pen pressure allows you to vary the width of your pen strokes with how much pressure you apply to it, and almost essential to digital art.

You can notice tapered ends to the strokes with pen pressure but the same width in the strokes without.

Pen pressure doesn’t work in photoshop 2025? 6 Fixes

Here are ways to figure out what’s wrong with your drawing tablet, and some easy fixes.

For reference a lot of the time I’ll refer to using Wacom tablets, but unless I specify that the solution is Wacom specific, it shouldn’t matter what brand of tablet you have.

1. Switch back to Pen mode

Drawing tablets are absolute positioning devices (a 1:1 scale of the monitor to your tablet’s working area). But enabling mouse mode will make them behave like a relative positioning device like a mouse.

Mouse mode (relative mode) is designed not to have pen pressure. Once you select Mouse mode for your drawing tablet, you will no longer have pen pressure.

You will also notice that you will need to push the cursor across the screen, just like you would a mouse.

If you require pressure sensitivity and precision, such as drawing/painting/etc. switch back to Pen mode . It’s just possible to work a lot faster when you have an intuitive 1:1 mapping of the input surface and the document.

2. Install the latest tablet driver

If you are buying a tablet for the first time, Please don’t forget to install/update your driver! It is NOT optional! Please install it.

The driver is responsible for communicating pressure sensitivity and other data between your tablet and computer.

Download the latest driver for your computer OS and spefic tablet model from the manufacturer official site’s driver download page.

3. Uninstall and ReInstall the driver

You may have installed other drivers or run the drawing software when installing the driver. Or your driver is damaged without your knowledge.

Please uninstall all the drivers from the control panel and delete any unnecessary files, close the drawing software, then download and reinstall the tablet driver.

It’s suggested to restart your computer after finishing the installation, especially you are using a windows computer.

4. Change the preferences for Windows API

Tablet Driver API determine how drawing program like Photoshop works with Windows Ink, affecting performance when using a tablet on Windows.

Windows is naturally conflicted between its own pen API, called Windows Ink, and the interaction to 3rd party tablets/pens (e.g. Wacom’s Wintab).

Wintab (WinTab32.dll) is an ancient API created by Wacom to communicate tablet-like devices with Windows programs.

Before Windows 8, this was the “de facto” standard used to access pressure information from tablets created by Wacom and other brands. Since Windows 8, Microsoft introduced a new official API: Windows Ink.

Windows Ink and WinTab are competing technologies. Wintab is older and more mature while Windows Ink is newer and recommended. Depending on your needs one or the other may be a better choice for you.

Generally speaking, in windows you have to configure windows ink in the driver and in the drawing program. These have to match settings.

Most drivers for pen tablets and pen displays have the Windows Ink checkbox under Pen or mapping Settings. You can turn it on and off by checking or unchecking it. Windows Ink feature is turned on by default.

In addition, Photoshop has it’s own windows-ink/wintab check box you have to tick in it’s settings. It needs to be the same as you tablet’s.

When using a Wacom tablet, Wintab is preferable. and wacom in particular allows you to disable Windows Ink for individual applications.

When using non-Wacom tablets, Windows Ink might be preferable, because their Wintab drivers are usually not good.

If you are using an old windows 7 computer, or old version of drawing app like PS 6, Wintab is preferable, because windows ink is not available.

In this case, Turn off the window ink in drawing tablet driver setting, and select Wintab in Krita or Photoshop settings.

5. Check your Brush Settings in Photoshop Program

Many applications have built-in support for pressure sensitivity that require you to turn on pressure capabilities within the application before the pen will respond as a pressure-sensitive tool.

Take a look at your brush settings in drawing app. For example, In Photoshop and Illustrator the brush you are using must be set up to use pressure, some brushes do not have this turned on by default.

The working space will need to be set to “Painting” to easily find the pen settings to check or change this setting.

Here is a tuto on how to locate your pressure-sensitive features in Photoshop

Find the Brush Tool: In the brush tool, choose the Options menu.

Locate the Two Buttons: You’ll see two buttons next to the Opacity and Flow settings. Hover help will actually tell you what each button does.

Enable Pressure Sensitivity: If you enable pressure sensitivity in this menu, it overrides what you may have selected in the Brush Options panel.

6. Replace the Pen Nib or Pen

Sometimes, however, pen pressure sensitivity not working indicate that your tablet’s itself or pen might be damaged.

You can try out your tablet on other computers to see if the tablet lies in itself.

Make sure the nib isn’t worn out and if it is replace it. Make sure that the actual tablet or pen isn’t broken as well, if it is you might have to replace it.

Tips on Fixing Pen pressure Not working in Photoshop

Usually when pen sensitivity isn’t working in one drawing program, You can try it out in other free drawing programs like Krita to make sure that it’s fine.

If you have more than one computer or can get one from others, Also try out your tablet on other computers to see if the tablet lies in itself.

If you’re having trouble with your drawing tablet’s pressure sensitivity options, the first and best place to start troubleshooting is the manufacturer’s website. Many manufacturers offer detailed troubleshooting guides, as well as product-specific support for a variety of issues.

Additionally, there are plenty of third-party support resources, such as help forums and discussion boards, where experienced users can provide guidance and advice on how to solve your particular issue.

Conclusion

There are several reasons why your pen pressure sensitivity may not be working properly. I hope my guide is helpful to you.

The troubleshooting solutions mentioned above should work regardless of the brand of your tablet, e.g. Wacom, Huion, XPPen, Ugee, Parblo, Veikk, Xencelabs, Gaomon, etc.

For some devices pen pressure sensitivity can work out of the box, while others might require some setup.

But if these all are not help, I am out of idea. My suggestion is to contact tablet manufacturer to ask a customer support while waiting for answer form here at the same time.

You bought the product and this is your right so feel free to contact manufacturer.

Good luck with your troubleshooting!

Also Read: Good Cheap Graphics Tablets for Beginners Under $100