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If you are in the market for a Samsung Galaxy smartphone and are trying to decide between the original S range and the Note range, one of the big deciding factors is always the S-Pen. The S-Pen offers a great deal more options for using your device and the ways you can utilise different features.
However, even though S-Pens are an amazing feature of the Galaxy Note series, the can sometimes malfunction and stop working. This can be frustrating, especially if you are an avid user! Sometimes it can be to do with the connectivity with your device, or sometimes it could be to do with the accessories you are using.
Whatever it is, if you are having trouble with your S-Pen, we investigate and explain some of the easiest and most common fixes to get it up and running again!
This may seem like an obvious solution, but many people overlook it! The first thing you should do if your S-Pen is not working with your Galaxy Note device is to restart it. This will often fix any connectivity issues between the pen and phone which can arise sometimes.
As the S-Pen is wirelessly connected with your smartphone, the connection can occasionally be obstructed, as do other wireless connections such as WiFi and Bluetooth. If rebooting your device doesn’t fix the issue you are facing, you can manually check if the pen is connected by going to Settings > Advanced Features > S-Pen > S-Pen remote.If the S-Pen is not connected, ensure that the toggle is switched to on.
It is possible that your S-Pen may need to just be reset to resolve any issues you are experiencing.
To reset it, open Settings, and then search for and select S Pen. Tap S Penagain, then tap S Pen remote OR Air actions, and then tap More options(the three vertical dots). Tap Reset S Pen and wait for the S Pen to reset itself.
It is important to note that resetting your S Pen will revert all of its features, including remote commands, to their default settings.
As the S-Pen is a feature of all Samsung Galaxy Note devices, they are dependant on the phone's software. If you are having issues with your S-Pen, it is important to check to see if your Samsung phone is up to date. It is always good to ensure your phone update to date with the latest version of the software as this limits the chance of your phone getting caught up in software bugs that can affect features such as your the S-Pen.
To check if your phone is up to date, go to Settings > Software update. If there is a pending update, this will appear here! It is important to note that some devices require you to restart before connecting and using the S-Pen after a software update, so be sure to do this!
If you are having trouble with your S-Pen not working, it could be to do with the accessories that are being used with your Galaxy Note device. Because of this, it is important to try and remove all accessories from your phone.
Some protective cases sometimes have magnets or metals embedded in the product during manufacturing. These can interfere with the connection or even leave blank spots when writing or drawing with the stylus. Some screen protectors may be too thick and make it difficult to detect the S-Pen, so you should remove these as well to see if this has caused the issues.
If you have been using your pen for some time now, the problem may be that the tip is worn. Inconsistent pen strokes or inability to register the S-Pen can be indicative of this. Some Samsung devices come with replacement tips and the process of exchanging them is a simple process that our team here at DeXTech can assist with.
Rebooting your phone to safe mode can also help you detect what may be getting in the way of any connection issues you are experiencing with your S-Pen. Sometimes a certain application you installed can cause issues on your phone and lead to inconsistent pen stokes or the inability to register the S-Pen altogether.
By turning your device on safe mode, your phone performs as though you only have the apps that are traditionally preinstalled. This is a good way to narrow down if there is an app that is causing the issue.
Start by turning off your phone. When it is off, press and hold the Power button as if to turn it back on. Keep holding it until you see the Samsung logo, then release it and hold the Volume Down button. Do this until the device is done booting. If done correctly, you should see Safe Mode in the lower left corner of the screen.
If your S-Pen works fine when in Safe Mode, this is a good indication that a third-party app is causing the issue you are experiencing. If this is the case, you will want to switch your phone back into normal mode and the start by removing that latest app that you downloaded to try and isolate which installation is causing the problem!
If none of the solutions up until now have solved your S-Pen issues, you may want to think about factory resetting your phone. This resets your phone back to how it was when it was first purchased. In doing this, you can resolve any software or settings issues that may have been interfering with the S-Pen and resolve the problems you have been experiencing.
This is likely the last thing you would try as it does clear all of your information and data from your phone. If you do wish to do this, ensure that you back up your device first in order to not lose any information.
There is a small chance that your S-Pen may be physically broken, causing connectivity issues or the S-Pen to not be working altogether. It is important to take a close look at your S-Pen if it is not working to look for any physical damage such as cracks.
To isolate whether this is the issue, you will need to find another S-Pen to try and connect to your phone. Here at DeXTech we stock a range of S-Pens to replace damaged ones and get you up and running again.
Physical damage can also be to do with the phone itself. If you have a damaged screen or S-Pen port, you may be experiencing issues with using your pen. If there is notable damage that you can see, we suggest you take your phone to a technician who can take a closer look or bring it in to DeXTech where our team of technicians can help you out!
If you are still experiencing issues with your S-Pen, our team here at DeXTech would happily take a look at your Galaxy Note device to try and find a solution for you. Get in touch with our team through our website!
Here at DeXTech, we are here to help you with your technology requirements. We stock a wide range of Apple products, from the iPhone 4s all the way through to the iPhone XS, plus the iPad range. Along with this, we carry a huge range of Android smartphones and tablets, including Samsung, Pixel and LG. With these devices on hand we are able to offer technical support every step of the way from assisting to get your device setup to dealing with issues such as network issues or software troubleshooting. We have a helpful team who can lend a hand via our tech support email address: support@dextech.co.nz. Do not hesitate to reach out!
