Solved Pen not writing - Purple button working

[Maninrochester]

Eureka!! My battery was installed upside down! This is the only device I've ever seen that will actually power on with the battery installed backward. I've lost 3 hours of my life to this.

 

[Garyjk]

exactly what I was going to have you check. my neighbor got a surface 3 and the button worked but didn't write. had her bring it over and low and behold, the battery was installed upside down.

 

[sharpuser]

Eureka!! My battery was installed upside down! ... I've lost 3 hours of my life to this.

Thanks for donating those three hours of experience to this community, @Maninrochester. You will likely save other members days, dollars, and dread.

 

[jelderlaw]

Hey guys. My Surface Pro 3 pen is currently not working. It worked fine for the few weeks I've had it. The purple button still opens One Note, but the pen doesn't write. I can't tell if the other buttons are working since I haven't been able to write anything. I'm not sure what happened. Any tips to fix this? I tried pairing the pen to the tablet again, but no luck. any help would be appreciated! Thanks

Hello I too was having the same problem I actually just figured out what the problem is and I'm so excited because my surface is only three weeks old and I was going to have to go through all the trouble of sending it back to Microsoft . The problem that I had was that the battery was not in the proper spot. I actually just took the battery out and flip flopped it and BAM it works now! I am new to this and actually just signed up so that I could respond to your post because I know how frustrating it be. I hope this helps!

 

[cjs525]

Just joined the forum to +1 jelderlaw -- my purple button was working but my pen tip didn't respond to the screen (2 week old Surface).

I took out the AAAA battery and put it back in (exactly the same way I took it out) and BOOM -- it worked! I'm assuming there was some type of dust or build-up on the battery contact, as I typically keep the pen in my pants pocket (and have fiddled with the battery a number of times).

Easy fix and I saved myself from buying a AAAA battery that I didn't need.

 

[cstringe103]

Pen stopped working. Confirmed dead battery. Replaced battery. Eraser button worked, stylus did not. After reading others solved issues by cleaning contacts, I inspected the contacts inside the barrel. Noticed that the silver paint had peeled and obstructed one of the three contact points on the barrel (that match up with the three on the cap, under the clip when the cap is off). Used end of paper clip to remove the paint, replaced the cap, and the stylus works again. I suspect removing the cap when replacing battery peeled the paint.

 

[acmaurer]

Batteries Plus...where else? Didn't find them at a Best Buy.

 

[GreyFox7]

Batteries Plus...where else? Didn't find them at a Best Buy.

Amazon. and they have a 2 pack add-on item $2 Energizer Max long life batteries.

 

[jokejong]

Hi All, I am so excited to share my discovery. The Pen ACTUALLY WORKS without the AAAA battery!
i Removed the battery, and the button to launch onenote and take print-screen works! Yikes!

 

[GreyFox7]

Hi All, I am so excited to share my discovery. The Pen ACTUALLY WORKS without the AAAA battery!
i Removed the battery, and the button to launch onenote and take print-screen works! Yikes!

Which Pen? the SP3 version had coin cell battery for the button. I believe the SP4 pen just has the one AAAAA battery without the separate coin cells.

 

[claudioita]

This is so strange to me.

My pen also works only the purple cap, nothing else. I did not know that the cap is working also without battery!!! How does it get the power ..?

I now ordered a new AAAA, hope that's my problem

 

[sharpuser]

The purple cap is powered by button batteries. This pen uses button batteries for the cap, and AAAA for the stylus.