Stylus Icon Doesn't Appear on Laptop

Emily450

Hi, I've only had my new Acer Spin 11 Chromebook for like a week, and the whole time I've been having issues with getting the stylus to work.  Sometimes it will suddenly start working properly and the stylus icon will appear on my screen, but most of the time there is nothing there indicating my Chromebook can be used with a stylus at all.  Even the OS setting usually doesn't have an option for turning on and off a stylus as everything I've read said there should be.  My Chromebook did come with the stylus, so it shouldn't be a compatibility issue, especially since the pen has worked on occassion.  For reference, it came with a Wacom EMR pen (which I do believe is an active pen).  I don't know if this is an issue with the laptop itself or with the stylus, but I would like to get this to work without having to go to the store and replace an already new Chromebook with a different new Chromebook (it just seems wasteful to do that, and I'm trying to leave my house as little as possible given that there's currently a pandemic).  Is there something I can do to get this to work?

JackE

Sounds like the stylus alkaline AAAA battery needs to be taken out and its ends cleaned up a bit with a cloth. Or possibly the battery needs to be replaced. The barrel of the pen should simply be unscrewed like a retractable ball point pen. The alkaline battery, if not swollen, should drop out of the top barrel. They do need to be replaced from time to time just like a wireless mouse AAA or AA battery. So you should pick up extras when you see them at a store. Some supermarkets are starting to carry the AAAA alkaline batteries now. Jack E/NJ 

Emily450

JackE said:

Sounds like the stylus alkaline AAAA battery needs to be taken out and its ends cleaned up a bit with a cloth. Or possibly the battery needs to be replaced. The barrel of the pen should simply be unscrewed like a retractable ball point pen. The alkaline battery, if not swollen, should drop out of the top barrel. They do need to be replaced from time to time just like a wireless mouse AAA or AA battery. So you should pick up extras when you see them at a store. Some supermarkets are starting to carry the AAAA alkaline batteries now. Jack E/NJ 

Thank you, I will give that a try.

Emily450

IJackE said:

The barrel of the pen should simply be unscrewed like a retractable ball point pen.   

I've tried getting the pen to open up, but it won't unscrew.  I've tried looking up videos on how to change batteries in Wacom pens, but none of them look like this pen.  I'm starting to think this pen is a cheap knock off that Best Buy just threw in with the computer (which might explain why it wouldn't work).

Emily450

Emily450 said:

I've tried getting the pen to open up, but it won't unscrew.  I've tried looking up videos on how to change batteries in Wacom pens, but none of them look like this pen.  I'm starting to think this pen is a cheap knock off that Best Buy just threw in with the computer (which might explain why it wouldn't work).

I have to correct my previous statement -- I looked up the Chromebook on the Acer website, and the pictures shown there include the stylus.  I still can't get the pen open tho

JackE

Do you have the box the pen came in. Any part numbers or further descriptions? Did you get a users or fast start manual with the system? Jack E/NJ

Emily450

JackE said:

Do you have the box the pen came in. Any part numbers or further descriptions? Did you get a users or fast start manual with the system? Jack E/NJ

I recycled the box a while back, but if I remember correctly, the box for the stylus itself did not have any markings on it.  There was a setup guide, but it is focused on really basic start up steps like charging the laptop and doesn't say anything about a stylus.

JackE

>>>For reference, it came with a Wacom EMR pen (which I do believe is an active pen). >>>

>>>I remember correctly, the box for the stylus itself did not have any markings on it. >>>

This is suspicious. The stylus box should've also come with a small folded stylus users sheet. How did you know it was a WacomEMR pen? Jack E/NJ