Office Performance Issues

Fix ASUS Pen Delay and Ink Lag When Writing in OneNote

Natalie Taylor Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing a rendering delay where ink from their ASUS pen does not appear on the screen until the pen is lifted.

How to Fix ASUS Pen Delay When Writing in Microsoft OneNote

Product: Microsoft OneNote, ASUS Pen, AMD Graphics
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Taking notes, writing, or drawing in Microsoft OneNote using an ASUS active stylus.
Observed behavior: The digital ink fails to render in real-time while the pen tip is touching the screen, and the strokes only become visible after the user lifts the pen.

Before you start

Before making system changes, ensure your ASUS pen is fully charged or has a fresh battery, and verify that your OneNote notebooks are completely synced to OneDrive to prevent any data loss.

Solution 1Recommended

Update Windows and AMD Graphics Drivers

Outdated or incompatible AMD display drivers often cause digital ink rendering delays in hardware-accelerated apps like OneNote.

In many cases, the ink delay is caused by the graphics card failing to render real-time inputs. Installing the latest AMD display drivers (such as version 30.0.14018.15002) and Software Component updates via Windows Update resolves the lag.

Open Windows Update

Click the Start menu, type 'Windows Update' in the search bar, and select 'Check for updates' from the results.

Check for Optional Updates

Click on 'Advanced options' and look for 'Optional updates'. Expand the driver updates section to see if there are any pending ASUS or AMD driver packages.

Install AMD Drivers

Select the available AMD display driver and Software Component updates, click 'Download and install', and wait for the process to complete.

Restart Your Computer

Restart your computer to apply the driver updates, then open OneNote to test the ASUS pen responsiveness.

Driver Availability: If Windows Update does not show the latest AMD drivers, you can download them directly from the official ASUS or AMD support websites for your specific laptop model.

Solution 2

Reset the Microsoft OneNote Application

If updating your graphics drivers does not resolve the pen delay, resetting the OneNote app can clear corrupt cache and settings.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Experience Smooth PDF Annotation and Note-taking with WPS Office

If you continue to experience performance or hardware compatibility issues with Microsoft OneNote, WPS Office provides a lightweight, reliable alternative. Enjoy smooth document editing, stylus-friendly PDF annotation, and built-in presentation tools without taxing your system resources.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office installer for Windows.
2. Install the Application: Run the downloaded installer and follow the on-screen instructions to set up WPS Office on your computer.
3. Start Annotating: Open any document or PDF, select the Draw or Comment tab, and use your ASUS pen for a lag-free writing experience.

Completely free and lightweight office suiteFully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formatsSmooth, responsive stylus support for PDF annotations and presentationsLow system resource consumption prevents UI lag on older or affected drivers

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my ASUS pen only draw after I lift it from the screen?

This delay is typically caused by outdated or incompatible graphics drivers, particularly AMD display drivers. The GPU fails to render the digital ink in real-time, causing strokes to appear only after the pen input is completed and lifted.

Will resetting OneNote delete my existing notes?

Resetting the OneNote app from Windows settings clears app preferences and local cached data. Your notebooks will not be permanently deleted as long as they are completely synced to your OneDrive account. They will reload once you sign back in.

How do I check which AMD driver version is installed on my computer?

You can check your graphics driver version by right-clicking the Windows Start button, selecting 'Device Manager', expanding 'Display adapters', right-clicking your AMD graphics card, selecting 'Properties', and viewing the 'Driver' tab.

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