Office Apps Crashing

How to Fix Lenovo Pen Causing Flickering and Crashes in Word and OneNote

Rana Garcia Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing screen flickering and application or system crashes when attempting to use a Lenovo pen within Microsoft Word or OneNote.

How to Fix Lenovo Pen Causing Flickering and Crashes in Word and OneNote

Product: Microsoft Word, Microsoft OneNote
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Writing, drawing, or navigating with a Lenovo stylus in Microsoft Office applications.
Observed behavior: The screen begins to flicker, and the computer or the specific Office application crashes unexpectedly.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, make sure to save any open documents and ensure your laptop is plugged in, as updating drivers or repairing applications will require a system restart.

Solution 1Recommended

Update Microsoft Office Applications

Applying the latest Office updates is the most effective way to resolve known hardware compatibility bugs and stylus crashes.

Microsoft frequently releases patches that address specific bugs related to touch input and digital pens. Ensuring your Office suite is fully up to date should be your primary troubleshooting step.

Open Office

Launch Microsoft Word or OneNote on your computer.

Navigate to Account Settings

Click on 'File' in the top-left corner of the window, then select 'Account' from the bottom of the left-hand menu.

Check for Updates

Under the Product Information section, click the 'Update Options' button and choose 'Update Now' from the drop-down menu.

Restart Application

Wait for the updates to download and install. Once complete, restart Word or OneNote and test your Lenovo pen.

Keep Office Updated: Turning on automatic updates for Microsoft Office can prevent similar hardware accessory issues in the future.

Solution 2

Perform an Online Repair of Microsoft Office

If updating Office does not stop the flickering, repairing the installation can fix corrupted application files that cause crashing.

Solution 3

Update Windows, Graphics, and Lenovo Pen Drivers

Outdated graphics or Lenovo pen drivers can conflict with the hardware acceleration used in Office apps, leading to visual flickering and instability.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Switch to WPS Office for a Stable, Crash-Free Writing Experience

If Microsoft Office continues to crash when using your Lenovo pen, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a free, lightweight alternative that offers excellent compatibility with touchscreens and styluses, without the heavy resource usage that often triggers system crashes.

1. Install WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office suite from the official website.
2. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing Word documents with perfect formatting preservation.
3. Use Your Lenovo Pen: Navigate to the 'Draw' tab to seamlessly write, highlight, and annotate using your Lenovo pen without unexpected crashes.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), and PowerPoint (.pptx) formats.Lightweight architecture ensures smooth performance, reducing the risk of screen flickering and crashes when using a digital stylus.Built-in PDF editor with seamless inking and annotation features optimized for touchscreens.Familiar, easy-to-use interface that requires no learning curve when migrating from Microsoft Office.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Lenovo pen cause screen flickering only in Microsoft Office?

This usually happens due to conflicts with Microsoft Office's hardware graphics acceleration. The graphics driver struggles to render the pen input simultaneously with the Office user interface, resulting in visual glitches or complete crashes.

Can I disable hardware acceleration in Word to stop the crashing?

In older versions of Office, you can go to File > Options > Advanced, scroll down to the Display section, and check 'Disable hardware graphics acceleration'. However, Microsoft has removed this option in newer Microsoft 365 versions, making Office updates and driver updates the most reliable solution.

What should I do if updating and repairing Office does not fix the pen issue?

If the issue persists, you should completely uninstall and reinstall the Lenovo Pen software from the Lenovo website. If you still need help, reach out to Microsoft Support and provide a screenshot of your Windows version and your Office Account page for advanced troubleshooting.

Office App Problems