My slim pen 2 stop working

Keith Nesbitt 0 Reputation points
2026-10-28T22:06:03.8466667+00:00

My slim pen 2 stop working so I bought a new and I can get it to work as well

Surface | Accessories | Surface Pen
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  1. Lychee-Ng 30,145 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-29T04:22:24.54+00:00

    I'm so sorry to hear you're stuck in such a confusing position, Keith Nesbitt.

    Since your original Slim Pen 2 stopped working and a brand-new one won't work either, there's a chance that the problem is actually with your laptop. You mentioned already trying the AI suggested steps, so is the led/indicator on the pens lighting up, and do they work on another Surface, or you couldn't confirm that yet?

    Right now, what matters most is to check whether your touchscreen still works. Instead of pens, try tapping and swiping on the screen with your finger. If touch doesn't work either, you can try to reinstall the touch drivers as below, or you would need to consider repair/replacement option for your Surface.

    1 - Reinstall the touch drivers

    • Right-click Start > open Device Manager > expand Human Interface Devices.
    • Right-click HID-compliant touch screen / Touch Device > Uninstall device
    • Restart your PC so Windows can reinstall the drivers automatically.
    • If the touchscreen is still working normally, continue below.

    2 - Fully charge the pen and reconnect it correctly

    • Put the pen in its charger / keyboard storage tray for about an hour with the Surface turned on.
    • Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices. If you see the old pen listed there, select Remove device.
    • Hold the new pen's button for 5–7 seconds until the light blinking to put it in pairing mode.
    • Still in Bluetooth & devices, select Add device > Bluetooth > choose your Slim Pen 2
    • If it cannot pair or the Surface's Bluetooth cannot find the pen, let me know.

    3 - Hard shutdown your Surface 

    • Unplug your Surface > press and hold Power button until it shuts down 
    • Wait 5 seconds > press and hold the Power button for 20-30 seconds. 
    • Once done, wait 30 more seconds > plug in the charger and turn on. 

    If you're still not sure, let me know the outcome of the tests above and anything new you found. It'd be helpful if you can test the pens with another Surface too.

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  2. Keith Nesbitt 0 Reputation points
    2026-10-28T22:09:21.0533333+00:00

    I have tried this,

    and the keyboard has power

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  3. AI answer

    2026-10-28T22:07:31.2266667+00:00

    Charge and wake the new Slim Pen 2 with a compatible Surface Pro keyboard charging tray or Surface Slim Pen Charger before attempting Bluetooth pairing; because both pens are completely unresponsive, test the shared charger or keyboard connection first.

    1. Confirm the charging method

    The Surface Pro 8 supports Slim Pen 2, but the tablet itself is not listed as a pen-charging location; use one of these:

    • Surface Pro Signature Keyboard or another compatible Surface Pro keyboard with a pen storage/charging tray
    • Surface Slim Pen Charger

    Place the pen into the tray with its button side facing outward. A new pen needs to charge briefly to wake up before first use.^1^ Supported charging locations are documented here.^2^

    Leave the Surface plugged in, powered on, and awake while charging. The expected LED behavior is:

    • White fading in and out: charging
    • Amber fading: battery low
    • Amber and white flashing: charging accessory needs an update
    • No LED: the pen is not receiving power or has a hardware problem^3^

    2. If using a keyboard charging tray

    Reset the keyboard connection:

    1. Detach the keyboard.
    2. Select Start > Power > Shut down.
    3. Hold the Surface Pro 8 power button for 20 seconds, continuing to hold it even if the Surface logo appears.
    4. Reattach the keyboard.
    5. Press Caps and Fn and verify their lights respond.
    6. Put the new pen back into the charging tray.

    If the keyboard lights do not respond, the keyboard is not receiving power and should be serviced rather than replacing another pen.^3^

    3. Install Surface and accessory updates

    With the keyboard or charger connected and the pen docked:

    1. Open the Surface app.
    2. Expand Help & support.
    3. Select Check for updates.
    4. Install everything offered through Windows Update.
    5. Restart the Surface, dock the pen again, and check for an LED.

    This updates the Surface firmware and any detected charging accessory firmware.^3^

    If updates do not resolve it, run Start > Surface Diagnostic Toolkit and complete its tests.^4^

    4. Pair only after the LED responds

    Once the pen has power:

    1. Open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Add device > Bluetooth.
    2. Hold the pen’s top button for 5–7 seconds.
    3. Wait for the LED to flash white.
    4. Select Surface Slim Pen 2.

    A solid white LED indicates successful pairing.^5^

    5. Isolate the failed component

    Test the new pen using another compatible keyboard charging tray or Surface Slim Pen Charger:

    • It charges elsewhere: service or replace the original keyboard/charger.
    • It remains completely dark on another charger: request replacement of the new pen.
    • Neither pen charges elsewhere: both pens may require service, but verify the second charger is powered and compatible first.

    Microsoft’s supported service path is Microsoft account > Devices > select/register the Surface > start a service order > Accessory > Pen issue. Replacement options depend on warranty and exchange eligibility.^3^

    References

    1. Use Surface Slim Pen | Microsoft Support
    2. How to charge your Surface Slim Pen | Microsoft Support
    3. Fix problems with charging Surface Slim Pen | Microsoft Support
    4. Diagnose and repair problems on your Surface | Microsoft Support
    5. Troubleshoot your Surface Pen | Microsoft Support
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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