Office Apps Crashing

Fix OneNote Stylus Inking Causing Desktop Window Manager Crashes

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user experiences Desktop Window Manager (DWM) crashes resulting in screen freezes and black screens when using a stylus to ink in the Microsoft Store version of OneNote.

Product: Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Drawing or writing with a stylus (inking) in the OneNote desktop application.
Observed behavior: The Desktop Window Manager crashes during stylus inking, causing the system to freeze and display a black screen, which persists even across new Windows user profiles.

Before you start

Before proceeding, ensure your Windows operating system and graphics drivers are fully updated, and verify if the crash also occurs in OneNote for the Web or other Office apps like Word.

Solution 1Recommended

Collect Logs and Contact Your Microsoft 365 Administrator

Because this issue affects the Desktop Window Manager across multiple user profiles, it requires advanced diagnostic investigation by Microsoft Support.

System-level crashes involving the Desktop Window Manager (DWM) often point to a conflict between the application version and device graphics rendering.

Since standard troubleshooting like creating a new Windows profile does not resolve the bug, official diagnostic logs must be collected from the backend.

Record application and system details

Note down your specific OneNote version (Microsoft Store version), your Windows version, and device hardware details.

Verify account information

Check and record if your Windows sign-in account differs from the account you use to sign in to OneNote.

Document reproduction steps

Write down the exact sequence of actions that trigger the freeze and black screen while inking with your stylus.

Open a support ticket

Provide this collected information to your organization's Microsoft 365 administrator and request them to open an official support ticket with Microsoft.

Temporary Workaround: While waiting for a resolution, you can use OneNote for the Web or Microsoft Word, as these platforms do not typically experience this specific inking crash.

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Try WPS Office for a Stable Note-taking and Document Experience

If your current Office apps are repeatedly crashing or causing system-wide freezes during essential tasks, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a highly stable, lightweight environment for all your document needs without overloading your system graphics.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download the free, lightweight installer.
2. Install and Launch: Follow the on-screen instructions to install the software, then launch WPS Office.
3. Import and Edit: Open your existing Microsoft Office documents seamlessly and enjoy stable editing without graphical crashes.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Office formats, including Word, Excel, and PowerPointLightweight architecture minimizes system crashes and hardware conflictsStable performance even on older Windows devicesFamiliar user interface for seamless and quick migrationFree to download and use for essential office tasks

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Desktop Window Manager crash when I use my stylus in OneNote?

This issue is usually caused by conflicts between how the Microsoft Store version of OneNote processes digital ink and your device's graphics or display drivers, leading to an overload or crash in the Windows Desktop Window Manager.

Does this stylus inking crash affect OneNote for the Web?

No, this issue typically only occurs in the desktop app version. OneNote for the Web uses different rendering engines that do not interact directly with the Desktop Window Manager in the same way, making it a safe temporary alternative.

Will creating a new Windows user profile fix the OneNote inking crash?

In most cases involving this specific bug, the issue persists across all Windows user profiles on the affected machine. This indicates a deeper system or application-level conflict rather than a corrupted user profile.

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