How to Fix Pen Highlighter Stuck in OneNote on a Two-in-One Laptop
Question details
The user is experiencing an issue where a pen stylus causes a highlighter or mouse-highlighting utility to remain stuck on the OneNote taskbar.
- Product
- Microsoft OneNote
- Device & OS
- Windows 10
- Scenario
- Using a pen stylus to highlight or navigate within OneNote on a two-in-one laptop.
- Observed behavior
- The highlighter tool gets stuck and remains active when using a pen, whereas a standard mouse continues to function normally without triggering the issue.
Ensure that your Windows operating system and OneNote application are updated to their latest versions, and temporarily disable any third-party mouse-highlighting utilities downloaded from the Microsoft Store.
Perform a Windows Clean Boot
Starting Windows with a minimal set of drivers and programs helps identify if a third-party highlighting utility is interfering with the pen input.
A clean boot isolates background software conflicts. If the pen works normally during a clean boot, a background application or store utility is likely causing the highlighter to stick.
Type 'msconfig' in the Windows search bar and press Enter to open the System Configuration window.
Navigate to the 'Services' tab, check the box for 'Hide all Microsoft services', and then click the 'Disable all' button.
Go to the 'Startup' tab and click 'Open Task Manager'. Right-click each enabled startup item and select 'Disable'.
Close Task Manager, click 'OK' in the System Configuration window, and restart your laptop. Open OneNote and test the pen highlighter.
Test with a New Windows User Profile
Creating a new user profile helps determine if the issue is tied to specific user account corruption or personalized settings.
Use Temporary Workarounds
If you need to continue working immediately, you can bypass the local desktop application conflict.
Try WPS Office for a Seamless, Glitch-Free Experience
If you frequently encounter hardware or stylus conflicts in Microsoft Office applications, consider switching to WPS Office. It offers a lightweight, highly compatible alternative with built-in tools for seamless document management and annotation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the pen cause the highlighter to get stuck while the mouse does not?
Pens and mice use different input APIs in Windows (such as Windows Ink). A third-party highlighting utility might conflict specifically with the pen-specific drivers, causing the tool to freeze in OneNote while standard mouse inputs remain unaffected.
Does this issue affect all versions of OneNote?
Yes, user reports indicate that this highlighter glitch can affect both OneNote for Windows 10 and the newer Microsoft 365 OneNote desktop client.
How do I know if a third-party app is causing the OneNote pen glitch?
By running a Windows clean boot, you disable all non-essential background programs. If the pen works normally during a clean boot, it confirms that a third-party application, such as a mouse-highlighting utility from the Microsoft Store, is causing the interference.
