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Windows 10 keeps getting better and better. It receives new features every time a new major update is released, so make sure you’re getting the most out of your OS. For example, Surface users will greatly appreciate the Windows Ink experience.

What Is Windows Ink?

The Windows Ink experience is a set of pen- and touch-driven features specifically designed for Windows 10 devices. It provides an alternative way to interact with your OS.

Various Microsoft apps include pen support in one way or another; for example, a pen-optimized version of OneNote is launched when you click the Surface Pro 3 or Surface Pro 4 stylus.

Ink Experience allows you to configure your pen to suit your unique needs. For instance, you can set up your pen for left-handed use, choose what happens when you press the shortcut button on your pen, and much more.

Talking about the Ink Workspace, you can refer to it as a Start menu for your Ink applications. It provides a central location for accessing your pen-driven applications, including Whiteboard, Sketchpad, Sticky Notes, and Screen Sketch.

You can also use Windows Ink from the Lock screen.

How to Use Windows Ink

Keep reading to find out how to manage Pen and Windows Ink settings in Windows 10.

Here’s what you have to do to open Pen and Windows Ink settings:

  1. Go to the Start menu and click on the Windows Settings icon.
  2. Click on Devices and then select Pen & Windows Ink in the left pane.
  3. On the right-hand side of the page, you will find a section for Pen and another section for the Windows Ink Workspace.

Let’s take a look at each of them.

  1. How to Configure Your Pen

Under the Pen section of the Pen & Windows Ink Settings page, you can indicate what your device’s pen can do when connected. But first, you have to make sure that you’ve paired the pen to your device.

Here’s how to pair your pen:

  1. Go to the Settings app (click the cogwheel icon in the Start menu).
  2. Click on Devices and select Bluetooth & Other Devices in the left pane of the new page.
  3. Press the shortcut button on your pen and hold it for about seven seconds to initiate Pairing Mode.
  4. Now, select your pen from the list of available devices and click on Pair.

Once your pen has been paired, the default mode is set to Right-handed. If you are left-handed, you will need to change the setting. Why? When you open context menus with your pen, they are displayed on the opposite side of your dominant hand. Thus, if you are left-handed and stick to the pen settings for right-handed use, you will have trouble viewing the opened menus.

Here are the pen settings you can enable or disable:

  • Visual Effects.
  • Show Cursor: When this setting is enabled, the cursor will be displayed as a dot on the screen in any position you move the tip of your pen.
  • Ignore touch input when I’m using my pen: When this option is enabled, your hand gestures and touch input won’t have any effect whenever the pen is active.
  • Show the handwriting panel when not in tablet mode and there is no keyboard attached: This option, when enabled, converts your writing to text. You will see a keyboard icon in the notification area when the option is active.

  1. How to Set Up the Windows Ink Workspace

Now that you have configured your pen, it’s time to set up your Ink Workspace. As previously mentioned, the Ink Workspace is a menu for all applications that support your digital pen.

Here’s how to add the Ink Workspace button to your taskbar:

  1. Right-click on a blank area on your taskbar and select the “Show Windows Ink Workspace button” option from the context menu.
  2. The button will now appear in the right corner of your taskbar. When you click on it, you will see the applications that support your pen. These include Sketchpad, Sticky Notes, and Screen Sketch.

However, after the Windows 10 Version 1909 Major Update was released, you will find two options, namely Whiteboard and Full-screen snip, in the Ink Workspace.

And here we are! What are your thoughts about Microsoft’s Windows Ink? Are there any improvements you think should be made? Let us know what you think by leaving us a comment in the section below. We will be happy to hear from you.

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