Office Compatibility Issues

Action Pen Availability in Microsoft Word and Excel for iPad

Algirdas Jasaitis Oct 15, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know if the Action Pen intelligent inking feature is available for use in Microsoft Word or Excel on an iPad.

Action Pen Availability in Microsoft Word and Excel for iPad

Product: Microsoft Word and Excel
Device & OS: iPadOS / iOS
Scenario: Attempting to use the Action Pen editing gestures for drawing or annotating documents on an iPad.
Observed behavior: The Action Pen feature is completely missing and cannot be found in the iOS versions of Microsoft Office applications.

Before you start

Check the App Store to ensure your Microsoft 365 applications are fully updated to the latest version, as feature sets and interface menus can occasionally change with new iOS updates.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Microsoft Office Desktop Applications

Since the Action Pen is currently exclusive to the desktop versions of Microsoft 365, switching to a Windows or Mac computer will allow you to utilize this feature.

The Action Pen is designed for intelligent inking, allowing you to edit documents natively using stylus gestures. According to Microsoft documentation, this capability is fully supported in the desktop environment but has not been rolled out to iOS or iPadOS.

Save to Cloud

Ensure your current Word or Excel document on the iPad is saved and fully synced to your OneDrive account.

Open on Desktop

Launch Microsoft Word or Excel on your Windows or Mac computer and open the recently synced document.

Access the Action Pen

Navigate to the Draw tab on the desktop ribbon menu. Click on the Action Pen icon to start editing text with ink gestures.

Use Microsoft Office Desktop Applications

Feature Limitation: If you do not see the Action Pen on the desktop version, verify that your Microsoft 365 subscription is active and you are signed into the correct account.

Solution 2

Utilize Standard Drawing Tools on iPad

While the specific Action Pen gestures are missing, you can still use the standard drawing and highlighting tools natively provided in Office for iPad.

Solution 3

Submit a Feature Request via Microsoft Feedback

Let Microsoft developers know that you need the Action Pen feature on your iPad by submitting official feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly does the Action Pen do in Microsoft Office?

The Action Pen is an intelligent inking tool available in desktop Office apps. Unlike standard drawing pens that just leave ink on the page, the Action Pen allows users to perform editing gestures—such as crossing out text to delete it, circling text to select it, or splitting words apart.

Why is the Action Pen missing in Excel for iPad?

Microsoft currently restricts the Action Pen feature to supported desktop applications for Windows and Mac. The iOS and iPadOS versions of Microsoft Office have simply not yet received an update to support these advanced intelligent inking gesture commands.

Can I edit text with an Apple Pencil in Word for iPad?

While you cannot use the Action Pen gestures to natively edit text blocks, you can use the Apple Pencil with iPadOS's built-in 'Scribble' feature to handwrite text into document fields, or use the standard Draw tab to annotate and mark up the file.

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