Pen-Button doesn't open OneNote

[PickWick]

Hi there,

So i bought the Surface Pro 3 a while ago and there is one thing that bothers me a little. I thought i read somewhere that you can open OneNote by pressing the button on top of the Pen. But that doesn't work for me. In fact, pressing the Button doesn's do anything which makes it kinda useless. Is there a tool to determine the action made by pressing the Button? Or am i lacking some kind of driver?

Thanks in advance,
PickWick

 

[hughlle]

Hi there,

So i bought the Surface Pro 3 a while ago and there is one thing that bothers me a little. I thought i read somewhere that you can open OneNote by pressing the button on top of the Pen. But that doesn't work for me. In fact, pressing the Button doesn's do anything which makes it kinda useless. Is there a tool to determine the action made by pressing the Button? Or am i lacking some kind of driver?

Thanks in advance,
PickWick

Hi PickWick. If you go into settings, and find the bluetooth section, is the pen listed as a paired device? If not, hold the top button of the pen for about 10 seconds and you'll see a little LED start blinking (I think it is located in the middle fo the pen clip). You will then be able to pair the pen to the surface.

 

[PickWick]

Hi PickWick. If you go into settings, and find the bluetooth section, is the pen listed as a paired device? If not, hold the top button of the pen for about 10 seconds and you'll see a little LED start blinking (I think it is located in the middle fo the pen clip). You will then be able to pair the pen to the surface.

Thanks got it, it works now.
Just to make sure:
Bluetooth has to be on to use it right? But doesn't that use a lot more battery? And if it's only to open OneNote it's kinda useless i mean opening OneNote normally is not that time consuming.

 

[hughlle]

Thanks got it, it works now.
Just to make sure:
Bluetooth has to be on to use it right? But doesn't that use a lot more battery? And if it's only to open OneNote it's kinda useless i mean opening OneNote normally is not that time consuming.

Bluetooth needs to be on all the time, but that isn't to say it is active all the time. It only activates when the button is clicked, so really doesn't have any discernible impact on battery.

The pen button can also be used to take a screenshot. Even with that, i'm with you, it's a waste of time. Just like Cortana, it really isn't that hard to open onenote or such and such. I think that the main purpose for the pen/onenote, is for when your surface is in sleep and you can just press the button n the pan and in a few seeconds be taking a note. Never used it, never seen a reason. If my life was that manic that 5 seconds was life or death, then i'd just quit

 

[jnjroach]

Bluetooth uses very little battery, the entire system is designed for power management and conservation.

 

[ScottyS]

I do find the pen click to open OneNote useful (when it works). I teach medical residents and students on rounds and carry my SP3 asleep. One click and I got a blank page in OneNote where I can can jot down notes or draw diagrams for teaching.

 

[PickWick]

I do find the pen click to open OneNote useful (when it works). I teach medical residents and students on rounds and carry my SP3 asleep. One click and I got a blank page in OneNote where I can can jot down notes or draw diagrams for teaching.

Thanks for the help guys. I guess i am just gonna try it and see if it helps me. Just one more question:
When i press the button it opens the Store App that is on my Surface but i have bought the 2016 Version of the office. Can i change the Settings somewhere that it opens the Office Program and not the App?

 

[ScottyS]

Thanks for the help guys. I guess i am just gonna try it and see if it helps me. Just one more question:
When i press the button it opens the Store App that is on my Surface but i have bought the 2016 Version of the office. Can i change the Settings somewhere that it opens the Office Program and not the App?

Do you have the (free) app store version of OneNote? (It's the MUI version, should have been installed when Surface was new). That's the version that opens by default with the pen button.

 

[PickWick]

Do you have the (free) app store version of OneNote? (It's the MUI version, should have been installed when Surface was new). That's the version that opens by default with the pen button.

Yes, the one that was pre installed is the one that opens. But i bought office 2016 so i am using OneNote 2016 and not the free basic one and i would want the pen to open the 2016 version

 

[amer]

Hay there ,
This happened to me when i purchased the sp3
The batteries is dead , i mean the batteries that in the Bluetooth adapter , not the AAAA one ,simply , hold THE BT button for 10sec and watch the green led to blink in the top of the pen under the pen holder stick near the BT button , if it blinks so your pen is ok , THEN , go to the surface BT , check if it is on and shows in the tray downside near clock , then go to search and write Bluetooth , then it will show you the scan , press and hold the pen button tell it pair , that's it .
NOTE , SORRY FOR BAD ENGLISH

 

[ScottyS]

Yes, the one that was pre installed is the one that opens. But i bought office 2016 so i am using OneNote 2016 and not the free basic one and i would want the pen to open the 2016 version

I believe that option existed in Office 2013 but is lost when you upgrade to Office 2016.

 

[PickWick]

I believe that option existed in Office 2013 but is lost when you upgrade to Office 2016.

That's a bummer because I don't use the preinstalled Version