

Press and hold the side button, then drag your pen over the items you want to select. Then move the item to where you want it to go. Place your pen on an item and hold it there until the circle around the pointer completes.

Press and hold the side button, then tap on the item. Here are some actions you can start with. Your pen can be used throughout Windows, similar to how you would use a mouse or keyboard. To learn how to use it, go to Get to know the touch keyboard. If you want to write instead of typing on a keyboard, you can use the touch keyboard that appears on the screen. To erase, turn your pen over and rub the end of your pen over your writing or drawing. Use the pointer that appears under your pen tip to guide you while you ink. Your Surface is designed to ignore your hand and other inputs while you write. Rest your hand on the screen, like you would on a piece of paper, then start writing. To see which apps to start with, go to the section Try these apps with your Pen. The infinite canvas is ideal for letting your artwork flow, and while it's still in its beta stage, you can save $40 off (opens in new tab) off the full price.Use your Surface Pen in any app that supports inking. Whether you want to sketch something rough or go for a full work of art, you shouldn't have any problems. Need something more suited for artistic ambition? I've been using Leonardo (opens in new tab), which is now available straight from the Microsoft Store, for some time, and I appreciate the simple UI that scales to any size display and the overall collection of tools. Not only is it great for notetaking and journaling - you can add your own photos to a page - it can also be used to sketch or draw thanks to a custom color palette and a collection of tools beyond just a pen.

Wondering exactly where to start with the apps? Bamboo Paper (opens in new tab) is a lightweight app that delivers a true paper feel while writing. Don't have a Surface Pen? You can always check out these Surface Pen and Surface Slim Pen alternatives. And don't worry about mixing and matching hardware the Surface Slim Pen works with older Surfaces. Thanks to most of the above apps having at least some sort of free version, you can give them a try with your pen essentially risk-free to see if they'll come in handy. Why you can trust Windows Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.
