Photoshop CC 2019+ uses Windows Ink API. Older versions use WinTab. Match the setting in Wacom Tablet Properties to your Photoshop version.
Quick setup
Configure Wacom for Photoshop in 3 steps
- 1
Enable Windows Ink in Wacom Tablet Properties
Right-click Wacom tray icon → Wacom Tablet Properties → Pen tab → check Use Windows Ink. Close the dialog.
- 2
Set Photoshop Drawing Mode to Basic
In Photoshop: Edit → Preferences → Performance → Advanced Settings → Drawing Mode: Basic. Click OK and restart Photoshop.
- 3
Enable pressure in brush settings
Open a brush. In the Brush Settings panel (Window → Brush Settings): enable Shape Dynamics → Size Jitter → Control: Pen Pressure. Also enable Transfer → Opacity Jitter → Pen Pressure for opacity.
Pressure not working?
Fix pen pressure in Photoshop
Size/opacity not changing with pen pressure
Shape Dynamics not enabled or wrong control
Brush Settings > Shape Dynamics > Size Jitter > Pen PressurePressure worked, then stopped after Photoshop update
Adobe update reset Drawing Mode setting
Preferences > Performance > Advanced > Drawing Mode: BasicLag or stuttering with Wacom in Photoshop
Drawing Mode set to Advanced (GPU)
Change Drawing Mode to BasicPhotoshop CS6 — no pressure with Windows Ink
Older PS uses WinTab API
Disable Windows Ink in Wacom Tablet PropertiesVersion guide
Photoshop version compatibility
| Photoshop version | Windows Ink | Drawing Mode |
|---|---|---|
| CC 2019 (20.x) and newer | ON | Basic |
| CC 2018 (19.x) | Either | Basic recommended |
| CC 2017 and older | OFF | N/A (older API) |
| CS6 and earlier | OFF | N/A |
FAQ
Photoshop questions
Pressure works in other apps but not Photoshop
Photoshop has its own Graphics Processor settings that affect pen input. Go to Preferences → Performance → Advanced Settings → set Drawing Mode to Basic. This is the most common fix for Photoshop-specific pressure issues.
Smooth / stabiliser makes strokes feel laggy
Set Smoothing to 0% in the brush options bar (the % field next to the Smoothing icon). High smoothing values add intentional lag to smooth strokes. For responsive drawing, keep it at 0-5%.
Pen pressure only affects size but not opacity
Enable Transfer in Brush Settings (Window → Brush Settings → Transfer → Opacity Jitter → Control: Pen Pressure). Also check that the brush opacity in the options bar is set to 100% and not locked at a lower value.