A common issue that probably many Adobe Photoshop and Wacom tablet users experience is that the Wacom pen pressure stops working. If you have issues like drag delay, press-and-hold issues and dynamic feedback rings, make sure to read try these tips as well. If you have a Huion Kamvas drawing tablet, make sure to read our solutions here.

The problem usually arises when Adobe comes with a new version of Photoshop or when you install Adobe Photoshop for the first time on a fresh Windows installation, for example when you’re using a new computer or did a re-install of Windows.

The problem seems to occur on any Wacom device and not to one device specific. These solutions work up to the most recent version of Photoshop (2022), but most likely will also fix issues with other versions and other software.

How do I recognize a pen pressure issue in Photoshop?

The symptoms of the pen pressure issue in Adobe caused by a Wacom tablet usually include the loss of pressure sensitivity, a jittery pen stroke and graphics processing, or a complete loss of pressure sensitivity at random times.

How to fix the pen pressure issue in Adobe?

There are 4 solutions that you could try. We’ve selected a few of the best tips that seems to fix the pen pressure problem for most Wacom and Adobe users.

Solution 1: Create a PSUserConfig.txt file

This simple solution solves the pen pressure problem every time we run into it.

Go the the folder: “C:\Users\[USER]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2020\Adobe Photoshop 2020 Settings”. Make sure [USER] is replaced for your personal user handle. If you can’t find it, do it step by step: Go to the C drive first, then to Users, select your user-id and so on.

Create a file in the folder that is called “PSUserConfig.txt“.

Then you have to edit the file and add the following text:

# Use WinTab
UseSystemStylus 0

And that’s it. If you restart Adobe Photoshop now, the pen pressure should work like a charm.

Solution 2: Turn of Windows Ink

If Windows Ink is turned on in your Wacom-tablet settings, it can cause issues as well. So make sure to see if it helps if you disable Windows Ink in the Wacom Settings settings.

Open the Wacom Desktop Center with your Wacom device connected to the computer. Then select Pen Settings, this will open the Wacom Tablet Properties window. The last step is to click on the mapping tab and uncheck the box for “Use Windows Ink”.

Disabling Windows Ink also helps to get rid of these problems:

• No more Dynamic Feedback rings
• No more Press-and-Hold
• No Drag Delay

Solution 3: Reset your Wacom tablet settings

Another thing you can try to do when you have pen pressure issues with your Wacom tablet is to reset the preferences in the Wacom Tablet utility. Maybe somehow the settings got changed and it’s causing the troubles.

1. First step is to open the Wacom Tablet Preference File Utility on your computer.
2. Next click on the Remove button that is under the All User Preferences section.
3. Save the changes you have made and restart your computer.

Solution 4: Update or Re-install your Wacom Driver

If the Wacom driver is outdated, missing or not functioning properly it can cause a lot of problems. To make sure this isn’t the cause of the problems, it’s a good idea to update your Wacom drivers or do a fresh re-install.

The easiest and most secure way is to go to the Wacom website and download the latest drivers there.

If you downloaded and installed the latest drivers and still run into problems, then you could try to uninstall all the old Wacom drivers first, then restart your computer and then download and install the drivers. That way you make sure there’s not an old piece of software causing any issues.

Solution 5: Get expert help

Last but not least you can always hire professional assistance if these tips won’t work. You can checkout Upwork or Fiverr for example to find the right person to help you fix this or other problems.