Surface Pro 3 Pen / stylus doesn't work well in Illustrator, works fine in Photoshop

[brente206]

Good day,

I've had CC on a Surface Pro 3 for two months now and I've been trying to troubleshoot the erratic behavior of using the Surface Pen in Illustrator. I've checked the batteries (there's multiple batteries in the pen), making sure they're installed correctly. I've gone into the Win 8.1 settings and checked the pen to be sure it's operating properly. It works well in all other apps; draws well in Photoshop, Fresh Paint, One Note, etc.

When using the brush tool with the pen in Illustrator, I'm only able to draw every other line. Sometimes it's once every third or fourth line. I need to tremendously slow down in order for Illustrator to recognize I'd like to draw, and even then, I'm not guaranteed that a line will draw. This issue isn't isolated to the brush tool. Nearly any action with the pen on the canvas haphazardly occurs (selections, join tool, etc.). It's beyond frustrating!

Is anyone else experiencing poor Surface Pen performance in Illustrator?  If no, I suppose I have a hardware issue, but it's suspiciously an app problem, seeing how the pen works great throughout the rest of my apps.

Thanks for reading,

Brent

[Graphic God]

I'm having the same problem and I hope they address this soon.

[JETalmage]

Batteries? I didn't know that (and don't like it). Gens 1 and 2 Surface Pros don't have batteries in the pen. Is it no longer a Wacom based pen?

JET

[brente206]

Here's a good write-up on the new Surface Pen.

Surface Pro 3: Pen Primer | Mobile devices content from Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows

[Graphic God]

The new pen drivers are by N-trig, not Wacom.

[anubhav_r]

Hi.

We have heard of this issue sparingly. Let us investigate this and get back to you.

--Anubhav

Product Manager, Adobe Illustrator

[taylorcoxmotion]

I'm having the same problem. Pretty much a deal breaker.

[JustHarms]

Same issue here. The pen has serious trouble registering making Illustrator unusable.

[Raghuveer_Singh]

Hi All,

Can you please let us know that this issue is also there in the classic UI or not ?

Please change the work-space using the Illustrator menu Window >> Workspace >> Web/Automation/Layout

If possible can you please share the video of the issue with ShareWithAI@adobe.com

Thanks & Regards,

Raghuveer Singh

[Monika Gause]

Yes, it's present in the classic layout. I used the "basic" workspace ("Grundlagen" in my German version) and painted using the blob brush resp. the eraser tool. Had to draw some lines up to 5 times until Illustrator made a mark on the artboard.

I know how to make videos on the Mac - but which tool would be best on the Surface Pro?

[AshutoshChaturvedi]

Thanks   Monika. Does change in tilt angle of the pen make any difference?

Since we are trying to see pen's response on screen. Recording your actions on surface pro using your cell phone will work best

[Monika Gause]

Ashutosh Chaturvedi schrieb:

Recording your actions on surface pro using your cell phone will work best

Kind of analog screenshot 🙂

[Graphic God]

Here is a YouTube video demonstrating the issue.

Surface pro 3 n-trig new driver setup Adobe Illustrator CC - YouTube

[Raghuveer_Singh]

willijay,

Will it be possible for you to join the connect room: https://my.adobeconnect.com/rbhunwal

We would like to have a look into this issue. Please join from the Surface Pro 3 tablet.

Thanks & Regards,

Raghuveer Singh

[HyprDrft]

Has there been any update on this? I only have this issue in Illustrator and it's very frustrating since I have to use it for class.

[Raghuveer_Singh · Accepted solution]

Hi All,

Thanks to Monika Gause for the whole day extended support. Illustrator team really appreciate this.

Monika removed (un-installed) the N-trig Wintab x64 application/driver from the system and the issue got re-solved.

We would love to hear from all the people who are facing this issue that what happens when they follow the above step.

With Best Regards,

Raghuveer

[HyprDrft]

Yes, this has rectified the issue. Is there any need for the N-trig Wintab drivers? What functionality have I lost?

[Monika Gause]

N-trig make this kind of stylus: http://www.n-trig.com/

So this could be a driver that was meant to offer additional functionality for the stylus.

According to their page it could be this:

http://www.n-trig.com/wintab-2/

[IharZaitsau]

driver or application of N-trig missing in surface pro 3 running Windows 10 .. disable drivers like it ("surface pen") did not solve the problem

[manuelc43001253]

I'm using a surface pro 3 with adobe illustrator cc 2015 and i'm having the exact same issue, very frustrating actually since illustrator is my main tool... I looked for the drivers but i could'n find them, maybe due to the fact that I'm using windows 10? don't know. Any help will be very appreciated

[muttstuffle]

Same issue here, it's not as obvious but it is still very much there.  Any clarity on this would be appreciated

[nor90236214]

When I read this forum a year ago, I was hoping that the problem will solve in the next generation Surface Pro, or next update adobe illustrator. I bought the Surface Pro 4 specifically to work brush in Adobe Illustrator. The Adobe Illustrator 2015, have following problems: with Wintab x64 stylus skips every third or fourth stroke, without Wintab x64 does not work pressure. I must to work in Adobe Illustrator CS6 with Wintab x64 because this version does not miss touches and detects the pressure of the brush. But it's damn inconvenient without touch mode interface of the Adobe Illustrator since 2014. Try it and you will understand me ((

[Drawingbreath]

Having exactly the same behaviour on a SP4 running Illustrator 2015. Thought it was a dodgy pen on my new Surface Pro 4. Turns out Adobe can't support premium, well-known hardware and drivers that have been out for 2 years. Good job Adobe.

EDIT: Problem was fixed by uninstalled the Wintab drivers from Microsoft. Regardless, the improved driver can now not be used elsewhere by the system, which is not ideal, given it solved problems with the pen in other software.

[VonFronkenstone]

uninstalling the n-trig driver worked for me.

Love my Surface Pro 3, hope to see more Adobe Touch versions, especially for After Effects, it's pretty impossible to use as is.

[AtuarraM]

How do you uninstall the n-trig wintab driver? I went to device manafer and didnt see it??

Surface Pro 3 i7

Windows 10

Intell HD Graphics 5000