Settings guide

Best Wacom settings for Windows — Photoshop, Clip Studio & more

Recommended Wacom Tablet Driver settings for Windows. Pressure curve, tablet area mapping, Windows Ink toggle per app, and Photoshop-specific optimisations.

These settings assume driver 6.4.13-4 is installed. Open Wacom Tablet Properties from the system tray icon to access all settings.

Pen pressure curve

The pressure curve controls how hard you need to press to get full pressure. The default is linear — but most artists prefer a softer curve for natural brushwork.

Use caseRecommended curveFeel
Digital painting / illustrationSoft (shift curve left)Full pressure with light touch
Linework / inkingDefault or slightly firmMore control over thin/thick variation
Photo retouchingSoft or defaultGentle adjustments
3D sculptingDefault or firmConsistent strokes

Adjust in Wacom Tablet Properties → Pen tab → Tip Feel slider or click Customize for a custom curve.

Tablet area and screen mapping

Wacom Tablet Properties → Mapping tab:

  • Full area: the entire tablet maps to your full screen. Best for general use.
  • Portion: use only part of the tablet. Useful if you only work on one monitor or want a smaller active area.
  • Force proportions: always enable this to avoid squashed/stretched strokes, especially on widescreen monitors.
  • Multiple monitors: set the monitor mapping to the specific screen you draw on for accuracy.

Windows Ink — on or off?

ApplicationWindows InkWhy
Photoshop CC 2019+ONAdobe switched to Windows Ink API
Photoshop CS6 / olderOFFOld versions use WinTab API
Clip Studio PaintEitherConfigure in CSP preferences
KritaOFFKrita works better with WinTab
Procreate / iPad appsN/ANot applicable on Windows
BlenderOFFBlender uses WinTab by default

Toggle: Wacom Tablet Properties → Pen tab → check or uncheck Use Windows Ink.

Recommended Photoshop settings

  • Enable Windows Ink in Wacom Tablet Properties
  • In Photoshop: Edit → Preferences → Performance → Advanced Settings → Drawing Mode: set to Basic if you have lag
  • In brush settings: enable Shape Dynamics → Size Jitter → Control: Pen Pressure
  • Disable Smooth (set to 0%) for more responsive strokes

Settings questions

How do I reset Wacom settings to default?
Open Wacom Tablet Properties → click the preferences icon (gear) → Remove All Preferences. This resets all settings including custom pressure curves and button assignments to factory defaults.
Pressure sensitivity feels wrong in Photoshop
First check Windows Ink is enabled (Photoshop CC needs it ON). Then in Photoshop, close and reopen the app after changing Wacom settings. Also check that brush size/opacity dynamics are set to Pen Pressure in the Brush Settings panel.

Pressure not working at all?

Full fix guide for pen pressure on Windows.

Pressure fix guide