What you need to know

• Microsoft recently shipped a niffy feature to the Windows Ink experience on Windows 11.
• The new addition lets users write on any input field as well as other elements of Windows 11 where they'd typically type.
• The feature is shipping exclusively to US English, though Microsoft is expected to ship these improvements to additional languages soon.

In the past few months, Microsoft has dabbled with the Windows Ink feature quite a bit, unveiling exciting new features and improvements in preview. The company recently started rolling out a new update, KB5031455, with a much-anticipated feature for Windows 11 users.

It's now possible to write on any input field as well as other elements of Windows 11 where you usually type. Before, the handwriting-to-text conversion functionality was limited to certain apps like Microsoft OneNote or within a special handwritten text recognition box. 

This is a great addition, especially for users with Microsoft Surface devices or any other Windows tablet with Windows Ink support, as it will positively impact their productivity.

How does the new Windows Ink feature work?

The procedure is pretty straightforward. All you need to do is use a stylus pen to write into the search box on the Settings menu, then the handwriting-to-text technology picks it up and inserts it as text.

You might be unable to access this feature immediately as it is rolling out in waves and should be available for everyone in the coming weeks. Alternatively, you can trigger the update manually by heading over to Settings and turning on the Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available toggle.

The new update also brings significant improvements to the handwriting recognition technology, with Microsoft citing that it's "more accurate." Users will also have access to more gestures to delete, select, join, and split words. Moreover, there's now a gesture to split text into a new line.

Microsoft is shipping these improvements to US English only, though support for additional languages is expected to ship soon.

What are your thoughts on the new Windows Ink feature? Please let us know in the comments.

If you're on the lookout for a new stylus for your Windows tablet or laptop, Adonit's INK Pro is now up for grabs in the UK. Targeted at business users, the INk Pro is now available on Amazon for £80.

A stylus isn't something that one typically looks to for sleek styling, but the INK Pro certainly looks sleek. Aside from its looks, Adonit estimates the INK Pro packs up to 80 hours of battery life, or 24 hours with continuous use. The 1mm pressure-sensitive tip is replaceable, and two shortcut buttons located on the side of the stylus allow for a quick way to right click and erase mistakes. Rounding things out is a built-in microphone, which Adonit says can be used to initiate Cortana voice commands.

The INK Pro is certified by Microsoft and uses the Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP), so it should work with a wide variety of devices, including Microsoft's own Surface line. Adonit has also tested the pen with a number of tablets and laptops, each of which you can find at its Amazon store listing.

The Adonit INK Pro is available now for £80.

See at Amazon UK

Last week a patent emerged which appears to describe a touch-sensitive clip for the Surface Pen, allowing users to interact with Windows in new ways via the pen alone. Today, we found another patent which relates to the Surface Pen, which appears to be a method for creating haptic, physical feedback to the pen user via small magnets within the stylus' tip.

Described by the patent as a "Haptic Stylus," it details methods for producing haptic feedback for a variety of functions as detected by the Surface Pen, including pressure sensitivity, tilt, and button presses.

Haptics into the Surface Pen might seem unnecessary at first, but the applications have a lot of potential. For example, gentle vibrations could help create a sensation that you're writing on something rougher, like paper, producing a more natural writing experience than you'll get inking on a glass display. Additionally, Microsoft could create ways for haptic feedback for events, for example, when your stylus rolls over a link while using it to browse in Edge. This might be useful for an inking-heavy device, like say, the rumored folding Surface "Andromeda".

Microsoft to be exploring it as a possible option for the Surface Pen is encouraging, but like many patents, it might never become a real product. Apple itself was exploring haptic stylus features all the way back in 2012, and sadly for Apple fans, they never made it into the Apple Pencil. We'll just have to wait and see on this one.

We write, almost daily, throughout our professional and personal lives. Thus, it makes sense for the familiar pen and paper scenario to be replicated by the technology that is increasingly integrated into our lives.

Millions of people, including business professionals, writers, police officers, students, salespeople, doctors and regular Joes, carry a pen and paper. We often need to scribble some idea, epiphany or other valuable information onto a medium more enduring than our memories. Scrap paper, however, is often lost. And notepads are organized, effective, but finite in their capacity.

Though in our technology-driven world much of what we record with pen and paper is destined for the same "eternal" digital format as our typed data, writing is often more efficient, comfortable and socially acceptable in certain contexts. So writing is both more natural than typing and considered more polite in a social setting.

Microsoft, with its Windows Ink and cellular PC strategy, should launch an inking-focused, always-connected Surface mini tablet. Not a phone or ultramobile PC, just a simple seven-inch, pen-equipped slate running Core OS. This device would serve a multitude of note-taking scenarios and overcome the shortcomings of etching notes on traditional notepads.

What is Windows Ink?

Windows Ink is the evolution of inking capabilities that have been part of Windows since Vista. It allows users to use a pen to write on a touchscreen Windows 10 PC as naturally as they would on paper.

Touch and pen became prominent in Windows with Surface. The pen's integration with OneNote showcased Microsoft's hardware and software integration chops. Windows 10 introduced writing on web pages. And with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, which addressed the creator in everyone, Microsoft made inking front and center.

Windows Ink Workspace is an easily accessed and evolving section of Windows 10 that showcases various inking tool, including:

• Sticky Notes now has pen support and Cortana insights. Cortana scans a note's content and can add reminders as it recognizes actionable data like day or time.
• Sketch Pad provides users with a dedicated inking environment for doodling and notetaking. It's equipped with virtual rulers, pen types and more.
• Screen Sketch allows users to write directly on a screenshot of their displays.

These capabilities can also be accessed from the lock screen, enabling the quick access often needed when people take notes. Microsoft also supports third-party, ink-focused apps like Ink Calendar. It's not hard to envision the usefulness of these tools on a seven-inch, pen-enabled, Core OS digital notepad.

What is Microsoft's Whiteboard app?

Whiteboard is a collaboration-focused, first-party inking app. It digitally replicates the physical whiteboard experience and allows remote users to work in the same digital environment in real time.

Whiteboard also incorporates intelligence. The "Ink to Shape" feature automatically creates a perfect shape out of a user's sloppy attempts. Additionally, after users enter an equation, Whiteboard provides the associated graph illustrating it.

With Bing integration, users can search for and insert images from within the app.

Windows Ink and Whiteboard on a mini cellular tablet

Surface Creator Panos Panay refers to his Surface Mini as a Moleskin (a type of notebook) and keeps it by his bedside for late night notetaking. In 2014, the pen-focused Mini was reportedly scrapped because it lacked a competitive advantage. Things are different now.

With cellular PCs coming to market this year, an eSIM-equipped, pen-focused mini-tablet from Microsoft would have the always-connected advantage the original Mini lacked. Furthermore, with Core OS Microsoft could ensure the full power of Windows while cutting features that may not be needed for the device's form factor and digital notepad positioning. Since inking would be the focus, Sticky Notes, Sketch Pad, Screen Sketch and upcoming inking capabilities would be highlighted features.

Whiteboard is initially targeted at the education sector, but it has broader potential applications on a digital notepad. Imagine business executives collaboratively strategizing from remote locations. Or students remotely working on group projects, artists collaborating, or engineers brainstorming. Field sales reps following up on leads could update the central office with "live" notes. Doctor-patient interactions would be more personal as the doctor faces the patient while writing on a digital notepad, rather than typing into a laptop with his back to them.

The time is right ...

Digital notepads would eliminate scrap paper and with cloud support enable virtually "infinite" note storage. The implications for personal and collaborative uses of an inking-focused mini tablet with Windows Ink and Whiteboard are far greater than what Surface Mini would have brought to market in 2014. With Continuum, Microsoft could even enable full desktop scenarios.

Is Microsoft's rumored 'Surface phone' a reimagined Surface Mini

If Microsoft threw in cellular voice, we'd really be talking (poor pun intended). But that's a topic for another day.

Windows Ink delivers an outstanding drawing and writing experience on many Windows devices, but they often don't come cheap. The Surface Pro, for example, starts at about $800, and that's without figuring in the price of the Surface Pen.

Windows Central forum member CrippsCorner recently created a thread asking for budget Windows Ink device recommendations.

CrippsCorner plans on buying a new computer and has a maximum budget of £450 (about $580 USD). They already own a Surface Pro without the Surface Pen, but buying a second one is out of the question due to the price.

Do you have a recommendation? If so, drop into the thread, read other replies — there are already some valuable answers — and share some advice.

Join the discussion on the Windows Central forum!

Occasionally, someone creates an app so intuitive that you wonder why Microsoft didn't do it first. Ink Calendar from JoeFinApps first this category and as its name implies it's a straight up calendar app for Windows Ink.

Costing $2.99 with a 14-day free trial Ink Calendar is simple and yet well done. The app runs on PC, Mobile, Holographic, and Hub with a pen, mouse cursor, or just touch-drawing.

Launching the app, you jump right to the current month. From there, you just use the standard Windows Ink toolbar with a pen, highlighter, eraser, undo, and touch/mouse drawing options. A full-screen button lets the app stretch its legs for a more immersive experience.

For settings, there are light and dark themes, an option to customize your background image (which gets a nice translucency effect when behind the calendar) and the ability to add a margin to the bottom of the calendar for notes. There is even the ability to set "draw with cursor and touch by default," which is ideal for non-touch PCs or Windows 10 Mobile devices.

Unfortunately, the calendar does not hook into your Microsoft Account, which would be cool for importing your existing dates. As is, Ink Calendar is a standalone system, but you can at least share or print the schedule.

While not for everyone, I could envisage a wall-mounted PC in the kitchen with Ink Calendar running, perfect for the modern family. Maybe someday Microsoft will make something similar if it goes ahead with its Home Hub plans.

Download from the Windows Store

Back in May, Microsoft unveiled a new app in the works called Whiteboard, a digital collaborative canvas with a few interesting tricks up its sleeve. The last time we played with Whiteboard, we mostly got to try out the collaborative element of the app, which allows you to share the same canvas with several other people and ink at the same time. The app has a few other features too, which we'll be showing you today.

Microsoft is pushing digital ink more and more with Windows 10 these days. The Creators Update and Fall Creators Update are updates dedicated to creators, and include several pen features and enhancements. The upcoming Whiteboard app isn't part of the OS, but it does include several Windows Ink related functions including different pens, a virtual ruler and more. The app will also show up in Windows Ink too once installed as a recent app, allowing you to get to it quickly and easily.

The apps UI is very simple. It's designed in such a way to be familiar and approachable from the get-go. Along the bottom is where most of the UI resides. At the bottom left, we have our navigation options, including the ability to undo and redo, zoom in and out and clear the canvas. At the bottom middle, we can see all of our pen options, which can be easily switched between by sampling tapping on a pen. And at the bottom right, we have our additional app features that we'll be diving into in this article.

The rest of the app is a blank white canvas that can be inked on. The app literally puts inking front and center; there's no faffing around with welcome screens and annoying popups. You launch the app, and are encouraged to begin inking right away. It positions itself much like a real whiteboard, where all you've got to work with is a blank space. This is the same thing here, and it's very clever. So, being an app that mimics whiteboards, this app is being targeted at teachers and students, so it has a few helpful enhancements for those markets.

Shape Recognition

For example, the app has something called Ink to Shape. This is a super smart "shape recognition" tech that attempts to figure out what shapes you're drawing and make them more accurate. In the Whiteboard app, you can draw a square, and that square might not be a perfect square. With Ink to Shape, the app will automatically correct the square for you, making the perfect square which you can then alter further. It's an instant process, with the recognition software applying the perfect shape immediately after you take your pen away from the screen.

The shape recognition works with lots of shapes, including squares, triangles, circles, oval, parallelogram and more. If you can think of a shape, the app will likely be able to recognize it. This shape recognition is great for people like teachers, who may be teaching angles to a group of students in a school. With the Whiteboard app, a teacher can quickly and easily draw out perfect shapes without spending any extra time with a ruler making sure each shape is perfect.

The reason I bring up angles as an example is because once the shape has been drawn, the app will also be able to display the angles of the particular shape you've drawn, and will allow you to manually adjust them too. For example, if I draw a square, I can also draw a mini right angle in any of the shapes corners, and that will make the app display the current angles. I can then manipulate those angles into any degree that I like.

Impressive Skills

Shape and angle recognition isn't the only clever thing this app can do either. It also has the ability to automatically draw out graphs when doing equations. All I need to do is enter in my equation, and the app will do the rest of the work. I don't have to waste time drawing out the table and plotting in all the equations. I simply enter the equation into the equations box, and the Whiteboard app will draw out the rest and allow me to insert it into my digital canvas. It's really very clever.

Finally, and this one is more for fun than anything, the app has built-in Bing image search. If I need to insert an image of something, I don't have to leave the app to do so. All I need to do is hit the search icon, write in what image I'm looking for, and then hit the insert button on that image. In about three seconds, I can have an image directly placed in my canvas for drawing on or annotating. It's super quick and convenient, and again saves time.

As I mentioned above, the app also supports digital collaboration. We've already done a hands on with this feature, which you can check out here.

So overall, the Whiteboard app is a fully featured digital canvas with a few useful tricks up its sleeve. I can see why it's being targeted at the education market too, as a lot of its features are incredibly useful for teachers who are presenting to a class of students. The Whiteboard app will be coming later this year to the Windows Store.

Wacom has taken the wraps off of a new digital stylus, the Bamboo Ink, built to take full advantage of Windows Ink on most Windows 10 devices. As what looks to be an evolution of last year's Bamboo Smart stylus, the Bamboo Ink looks more refined and should work with a larger range of pen-enabled devices.

Out of the box, the Bamboo Ink supports inking with Wacom's own Active Electro-Static (AES) protocol. Where the Bamboo Ink diverges from the Bamboo Smart is that it also supports switching to the Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP) by pressing and holding its two side buttons. That opens the pen up to a working with a whole lot more devices that might only support MPP.

Otherwise, the Bamboo Ink supports Windows Ink in full, including jotting notes with the Sticky Notes app and more. You can even easily open the Windows Ink Workspace by clicking the top button. Bamboo will also have three different nib types available to change up the on-screen feel of sketching.

Bamboo Ink will be up for grabs at Best Buy, U.S. Microsoft Stores, and Wacom for $80 on June 1. Other regions will get access to the stylus starting in August. Wacom typically provides a list of devices that their pens have been tested with on its website, but the Bamboo Ink isn't listed in the compatibility section just yet. You should be able to make sure your device is covered soon, though.

See at Wacom

Digital collaboration is everywhere these days. Whether you use Microsoft Office, Google Docs, or something else entirely, you've probably tried out virtual collaboration with others in a single document at the same time. Virtual collaboration with several others via keyboards is one thing, but imagine being able to do it with digital pens?

Well, with Microsoft's new app called Whiteboard, you can do exactly that. Announced alongside the new Surface Pro, Microsoft Whiteboard is an app coming later this year for Surface (and eventually third-party, pen-enabled devices) that allows multiple users to collaborate virtually on a digital canvas with a pen.

Microsoft invited us to its headquarters during the Build conference to go hands on with the new Surface Pro and an early, pre-release version of the Whiteboard app. Keep in mind that considering this is a prerelease build of the Whiteboard app, there are likely bugs that will be fixed and things that will change before launch later this year.

Hands-on with Microsoft Whiteboard

In short, the new Whiteboard app is a simple, clean app that makes it easy to collaborate with multiple other people virtually using the digital pen. The app works across all Surface devices, including the Surface Studio, Surface Book, Surface Laptop and of course Surface Pro. You launch the app, invite the people you wish to collaborate with, and away you go.

Microsoft has done a lot of work in making the virtual collaboration feel almost seamless, as if collaborators are actually there with you in the room. The digital ink flows smoothly from all participants and shows up almost instantly after the virtual collaborator has started drawing or writing on their screen. You can see in our hands-on video just how quickly the digital ink shows up virtually on other people's displays.

• All the details on the brand new Surface Pen

The app provides useful tooltips and pop-ups to let you know who's writing what, too, so you can track progress without getting confused. In the top right, you can see everyone in the current inking session, and you will see colors pulsate behind their profile picture whenever they're interacting with the digital canvas.

As this is an Ink-based app, it features all the same bells and whistles or Microsoft's other Ink-based apps, including the virtual ruler, and several different pen types and sizes. You can even use your finger for ink if you don't have a digital pen with you, which is great in that inevitable scenario where you've forgotten your pen at home.

One way to describe the is "online multiplayer inking," just like in a video game. You can now join your friends or colleagues in a digital inking session, where you can all draw simultaneously on the same canvas and see each other's work in real time.

Microsoft tells us the Whiteboard app will be available later this year, so we're guessing it'll launch alongside the Fall Creators Update. The app is designed for Surface, and although Microsoft isn't guaranteeing the app will work on third party devices, there's technically no reason why it couldn't.

Sketch pad is a new feature available in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, part of the new Windows Ink Workspace feature-set. It allows tablet users to doodle, take notes and more directly on their tablets in a dedicated inking environment, equipped with virtual rulers, pen-types and more. Here's how to use it.

How to open Sketch pad

1. Tap the Pen icon on the taskbar to open the Ink Workspace.

1. Tap the "Sketch pad" feature when Ink Workspace is open. It will be the second block in the list. You'll be greeted with a white canvas.

How to change pen type

1. Navigate to top right of screen where pen bar is.
2. Select either of the first three icons located on left of the bar. These icons look like different variations of a pen.

The first three icons are different kinds of pen-types. You have the option of the following:

• Pen
• Pencil
• Highlighter

How to change color and size of selected pen

1. Tap the icon of the pen you have selected.
2. Choose color from dropdown menu.

1. Slide "size" slider to the left to decrease the size of the pen ink and to the right to increase.

How to use the eraser

1. Navigate to the pen bar at the top right of the screen.
2. Select the eraser icon. This icon looks like an eraser erasing a line.

1. Drag the pen tip of your sketch to erase that potion.Tapping the eraser icon a second time will erase all ink on the screen.

How to use the virtual ruler

The Sketch pad features a new virtual ruler that makes drawing straight lines super easy on a touch screen. Here's how to use it.

1. Navigate to the pen bar at the top right of the screen
2. Select the ruler icon. This looks like a diagonal ruler.

1. Use two fingers or mouse scroll wheel to rotate and position the ruler.
2. Select your pen.
3. Draw a line down side of ruler. The line will automatically snap to the ruler.

How to switch between pen input and touch input

1. Navigate to the pen bar at the top right of the screen.

1. Select **input switch button* to switch between pen and touch input. It looks like a hand pointing up.

How to undo and redo Ink strokes

1. Navigate to the pen bar at the top right of the screen.

1. Select the undo button to undo the last action. It looks like an arrow icon looping back to the left.
2. Select the redo button to undo the last undo. It looks like an arrow icon looping to the right.

How to crop your sketch

1. Navigate to the pen bar.
2. Select the crop button, which looks like two right angles overlapping each other with a line going diagonally through them.

1. Position the crop area by dragging the white circles at each corner to resize the highlighted area.

1. Select the check button at the top right of the screen to apply the crop.Select the cancel button to cancel the cropping. The pen bar will return to its full toolset.

How to delete, save, copy and share your sketch

1. Navigate to the pen bar
   • To save, tap the save button. This icon looks like a floppy disk.
   • To delete, tap the trash button. This icon looks like a trashcan.
   • To copy, tap the copy button. It looks like two rectangles (i.e. copying paper)
   • To share, tap the share button. This icon is a circle with three smaller circles on it.

Sticky Notes are new and improved with the Anniversary Update, now sporting Pen support and Cortana insights thanks to the Windows Ink Workspace. With Sticky Notes, you can keep short, useful and insightful notes directly on your desktop or tablet without needing to use any real life paper notes! Sticky Notes can be pinned to your desktop or kept hidden away inside the Ink Workspace. If you're new to Windows 10 and the Ink Workspace, here's how to get started.

How to create a new Sticky Note

1. Tap the Pen icon on your taskbar to open the Ink Workspace.

2. Tap Sticky Notes. It will be the first option in the Ink Workspace panel.

How to customize your Sticky Note colors:

1. Select the Menu button. It is the three dots in the upper right corner of the note.
2. Choose your desired color.

How to enable or disable Cortana insights:

Cortana insights allow Cortana to read handwriting and text inputted into your sticky notes and suggest intelligent options via reminders. If you would like to disable or enable this feature, here's how you do it.

1. Select the Menu button.
2. Select the Settings icon.
3. Switch "Enable Insights" on or off.

Note: Cortana insights are only available in the United States. Users outside the United States will not have this option.

How to use Cortana insights

Cortana insights work when using terms like "tomorrow" within a note. Here's how to initiate an insight.

1. Either type or hand write your reminder. If Cortana recognizes actionable text, it will be highlighted in blue.

2. Tap the blue text.
3. Select "Add reminder".
4. Tap "remind me" in Cortana prompt.

How to add and delete Sticky Notes

The new Sticky Notes allow you to have multiple sticky notes stored within the Ink Workspace at one time. Here's how to add and remove sticky notes.

1. To create a new note, tap the + button located at the top left of a sticky note.
2. To delete the current note, tap the bin icon located at the top right of a sticky note.

Microsoft really gave us a reason to use a pen on our touch PCs with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. That reason is Windows Ink, and it's a whole new pen experience.

More than just handwriting recognition, there's a new Windows Ink Workspace with three new apps: Sticky Notes, Sketchpad, and Screen sketch.

The new digital ink experience comes enabled by default on devices like Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book, with a set of default configurations that work well out of the box, but you can improve your experience by customizing three key features.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to enable Windows Ink on the Lock screen and Sticky Notes insights, and we'll tell you how to get rid of the pen cursor.

• How to enable Windows Ink above the Lock screen
• How to enable Insights for Sticky Notes
• How to disable pen cursor while using Windows Ink

1. How to enable Windows Ink above the Lock screen

While you can use Windows Ink when you're signed in to your account, but the Windows 10 also allows you get to the Windows Ink Workspace even when your device is locked.

To enable the Windows Ink Workspace on the Lock screen, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Pen & Windows Ink.
4. Under Pen shortcuts, configure the Click once drop-down menu to open Windows Ink Workspace.
5. Select Home from the second drop-down menu.
6. Turn on the "Click once to open my Windows Ink Workspace notes even when the device is locked" toggle switch.

Now when your computer is locked, you can click the button on your pen once, and the Windows Ink Workspace experience will open, letting you access Sketchpad, Screen sketch, and Sticky Notes. The rest of the PC will remain locked behind your passcode or Windows Hello.

2. How to enable Insights for Sticky Notes

The Anniversary Update also includes a new version of Sticky Notes that is optimized to take advantage of Windows Ink using an active pen. Sticky Notes now also integrates with Cortana to create reminders from your notes. Cool, right? Just one catch: you need to manually enable this feature for it to work.

The feature is called "Insights", and you can use these steps to enable it:

1. Open Sticky Notes.
2. On any note, click the three dots (...) menu button on the top-right corner.
3. Click the Settings (gear) button on the bottom-left corner.
4. Turn on the Enable insights toggle switch.

Once you enable insights, Cortana will be able to scan the content of your notes, and help you create reminders.

3. How to disable pen cursor while using Windows Ink

Using an active pen to write notes, sketch, or annotate on screenshots is a surprisingly good experience on Windows Ink. However, if you use an active pen on Windows 10, you probably noticed the cursor that appears as you bring the pen towards to the screen.

This pen cursor can add distraction and a lag effect that can hurt the user experience. Fortunately, Windows 10 now includes an option to disable the cursor if it's bothering you.

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Pen & Windows Ink.
4. Under the Pen settings, turn off the Show cursor toggle switch.

Now you will no longer see the cursor on the screen while using your Surface Pen or any other pen. Not sure if you want to turn the cursor off? Give it a shot, I'm sure you'll like it.

Wrapping things up

Although the default settings for Windows Ink will work for most people, now you know a few new tips to get even more out of the experience.

How have you customized your Windows Ink preferences? Let us know in the comments!

More Windows 10 resources

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 Anniversary Update
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Windows Ink is a new pen experience that Microsoft is introducing with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. At the core of Windows Ink, there is the same pen support that the operating system has included for years, but there are a number of new improvements.

It all starts with the Windows Ink Workspace that acts as the central hub to access the new Sticky Notes to create notes and reminders using Cortana, and you can also draw on a whiteboard or on a screenshot using Sketchpad or Screen sketch. In addition, Microsoft has promised to keep improving the experience to make it easier for developers to implement Windows Ink support on their apps.

If you own a Surface Book, Surface Pro 4, or similar device that includes support for an active pen, the Windows Ink experience will be enabled by default. However, as with any feature, the new improvements may not be for everyone, and this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to disable Windows Ink Workspace completely from your device.

How to disable Windows Ink Workspace using Group Policy

There are multiple ways to disable Windows Ink Workspace, but the quickest way to completely turn off the experience is by using the Local Group Policy Editor -- that's of course if you're using Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education.

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
2. Type gpedit.msc and click OK.
3. Select Computer Configuration.
4. Expand the following path: Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Ink Workspace.Note: It's worth pointing out that if you see two "Windows Ink Workspace" entries, you must choose to configure the second one. Otherwise, the instructions will not work.
5. On the right side, double-click the Allow Windows Ink Workspace setting.

6. Check the Enabled option.
7. Under Options, select Disabled from the drop-down menu.
8. Click Apply.
9. Click OK.

10. Restart your computer to see the new changes.

Once you restart your device, the Windows Ink Workspace icon will no longer be available in the taskbar. And you'll notice that the "Show Windows Ink Workspace button" option on the taskbar context menu will become unavailable.

To revert the changes follow the steps mentioned above, but this time on step 8 select the Not Configured option instead.

How to disable Windows Ink Workspace using the registry

The Local Group Policy Editor is not a feature available on Windows 10 Home, but you can achieve the same results using the registry (if you're up to the challenge).

Important: Before you make any changes to the registry, make sure to understand that these changes may cause irreversible damage to your installation if they're not done properly. It's recommended that you do a full backup of your computer before proceeding. You've been warned!

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
2. Type regedit, and click OK to open the Windows registry.
3. Browse the following path:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsInkWorkspace
4. If you don't see the WindowsInkWorkspace key (folder), then do the following:
   1. Right-click the Microsoft key, select New, and click Key.
   2. Name the new key WindowsInkWorkspace.
   3. Click OK.

5. Right-click on the right side, select New, and click DWORD (32-bit) Value.

6. Name the key AllowWindowsInkWorkspace.
7. Click OK.
8. Double-click the key and make sure its value is set to 0, which means disabled.

9. Restart your computer to apply the changes.

Once you restart your device, identically as the process done with the Local Group Policy Editor, the Windows Ink Workspace icon will no longer be available in the taskbar. And you'll notice that the "Show Windows Ink Workspace button" option on the taskbar context menu will become unavailable.

To enable Windows Ink Workspace again, simply follow the steps mentioned above and on step 9 make sure to change the value from 0 to 1, and restart your computer.

Wrapping things up

It's important to note that after you've disabled Windows Ink Workspace, you won't be able to launch Sketchpad or Screen sketch, but you'll still be able to use Sticky Notes, as it's a regular Windows Store app.

In addition, disabling the experience doesn't remove the Pen & Windows Ink settings page from the Settings app. If you had the pen shortcuts configured to open Windows Ink Workspace, the pen button functions will fall back to open the OneNote app for all the options.

Do you use Windows Ink Workspace on the regular basis? Would you consider disabling the feature? Tell us in the comments below.

More Windows 10 resources

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 Anniversary Update
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update ships with a lot of new improvements and features to make you more productive using the keyboard and mouse, as well as using touch. One of the biggest features in this release is the introduction of Windows Ink.

Windows Ink is the name Microsoft is choosing for its existing pen support that has been part of the operating system for years. However, Windows Ink comes with new features and a promise from the company to make easier for developers to include pen support into their apps.

Here's what is new and improved pen support for the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

Windows Ink Workspace

On the Anniversary Update, Microsoft is introducing its own take for pen support with Windows Ink Workspace, which serves as the central hub to access the three biggest features -- Sticky Notes, Sketchpad, and Screen sketch.

The key to Windows Ink is the new pen button located in the notification area, which opens the Windows Ink Workspace. The button comes enabled by default on touch-enabled devices, but anyone can simply right-click the Taskbar and select Show Windows Ink Workspace button to use the new features on computers without support for touch.

The Windows Ink Workspace is divided into four main sections: at the top, you will see the icons to launch the new Sticky Notes, Sketchpad, and Screen Sketch. Then there is the list of recent apps you used that also include pen support, followed by the suggested list, which is a way for Windows 10 to surface apps from the Store with pen support.

The fourth part is the button that let you access the settings app to customize the pen experience, which can be a little hard to figure out unless you read carefully, as it doesn't include any visual element (like a gear icon) to make it easier for the eye to find.

The settings button is only available for touch-enabled devices, such as Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book. This is perhaps the first thing you want to click to configure whether you're right- or left-handed person, as well as to control different effects, and various aspects of the active pen.

We have already covered in more detail all the Pen & Windows Ink settings options, which we also recommend you to check to customize and make the most of Windows Ink.

Sticky Notes

The first app in Windows Ink is Sticky Notes, which is very similar to the Sticky Notes that we had since Windows Vista. However, on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, we're getting a brand new version with more features, improvements, and even integration with Cortana.

In the old version, you could simply use your keyboard to type the note you want, but now you can also use your pen to write your notes.

When you open Sticky Notes, you'll get a transparent canvas with a new Sticky Note. As soon as you stop writing, you'll notice that relevant content, such as time and phone number, will turn blue — this is Cortana making sense of what you wrote — you can then click the blue text to create different actions. For example, clicking the time will let you quickly create a new reminder using Cortana.

Of course, Cortana needs to have access to your Sticky Notes before it can scan them. You do this by clicking the three-dot menu button, selecting Settings, and clicking Enable insights.

When you close the app using the button on the top-right corner, your Sticky Notes will remain on the desktop, but you can always minimize them by clicking the app icon on the taskbar.

If you're using tablet mode, things are a little tricky. You can launch the app through the Windows Ink Workspace, but every time your palm touches the screen, you'll hear a system sound that can quickly get annoying.

In addition, when closing the app, you won't see any of the Sticky Notes. You can swipe from the right to open Task View and open your notes, but palm rejection won't work. If you aren't precisely writing on a note, you'll be taken back to the Start screen.

Hopefully, these problems will get fixed in future updates.

For more details on how to use this feature be sure to read our previous Sticky Notes guide.

Sketchpad

Windows Ink also introduces Sketchpad, which is a new app that you can use with your active pen (or fingers) to draw and create anything you want, doodle, and solve problems.

The basic idea with Sketchpad is to let you sketch out any idea that comes to your mind quickly as if you were using a blank piece of paper.

Sketchpad similar to any other applications with Windows Ink support includes palm rejection to allow you use your hands more naturally.

The app is very basic, but it comes with a set of tools that are fairly useful for most common pen tasks.

The tools are located on the top-right corner of the screen next to the close button, which is a little unusual for Windows Store apps. Usually, apps you acquire from the Store include a set of options with a left rail and hamburger button at the top.

Sketchpad provides several pen tips and highlighter that you can customize with different colors and tip size.

There is also an eraser tool, which you can select and erase part of the drawing, or you can click the eraser button twice and select "Erase All Ink".

If you don't want to use your active pen, you can click the hand button to draw freely just using your fingers.

Additional tools include undo and redo, crop, a copy button to put the image in the clipboard, which you can paste into any application (e.g., Word). And there is the share button to share your creation with others by email, social media, or even with Cortana to create a reminder.

Perhaps the most interesting feature on Sketchpad (and on Screen Sketch) is the digital ruler, which is a feature that allows you to draw perfectly straight lines just like on a piece of paper.

The ruler works naturally. This means that you can move it up and down with one or multiple fingers, and you can also rotate the ruler with two or more fingers.

Unlike full-featured apps, such as Fresh Paint, there are not particular file formats for Sketchpad. When you're done creating a sketch, you can only save it as a PNG file, which means that you can't edit the file in Sketchpad after it's saved. You can't even re-open a sketch you made using Sketchpad.

Furthermore, there isn't a "create new" sketch button. The only way to create a new sketch is by clicking the trashcan button. This will delete the previous sketch without prompting to save it, and you then get a new blank board. And yes, your work will live on until you click the trashcan button.

Screen Sketch

Finally, Windows Ink also includes Screen Sketch, which is an app that let you draw with your pen on top of a screenshot of the entire desktop.

Screen Sketch shares most of the same functionalities found on the Sketchpad, but with a few differences.

Screen Sketch works by taking a screenshot of anything on the desktop when you open the app from Windows Ink Workspace. You can then draw or annotate anything you want, save and share it with anyone. However, if you move away from the app, your sketch won't save, and you'll need to start all over again.

Wrapping things up

Keep in mind that Windows Ink is a work in progress and Microsoft has promised that will improve the experience over time with future updates. In addition, with the Anniversary Update, we'll soon see more developers implementing pen support into their apps — so, you probably want to keep the list of suggested app on Windows Ink Workspace enabled.

How will you be using Windows Ink? Tell us in the comments below.

More Windows 10 resources

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

One of the new features on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update is Windows Ink, which expands on Microsoft's vision for digital writing on PCs. An all new Windows Ink Workspace is added to the taskbar which lets users with an active pen access core features such as writing sticky notes, doodling in a sketchpad, or annotating screenshots with Screen Sketch. The workspace also makes it easier for users to find apps that support the use of an active pen.

1. Tap the Windows Ink Workspace icon on the taskbar.
2. Tap Get more pen apps under the Suggested area.

3. The Windows Store opens the Windows Ink Collection, where you can browse all the apps that support the pen. Select an app and tap install.

That's it! Here are some recommended apps to get you started:

FluidMath – This app lets you ink math formulas onto digital paper, solve linear algebra, and automatically graph those pesky quadratic equations with ease. It's one of the Windows 10 gems we covered recently. Download FluidMath

DocuSign – Provides a fast, easy and secure way to electronically sign documents and collect signatures from others. Download DocuSign

Sketchable – Allows you to scribble a note, snap and edit a photo, import and augment an image, or paint a masterpiece. Download Sketchable

Zen: coloring book for adults – Select a page and start coloring! The activity can be beneficial for adults for its de-stressing power. Download Zen: coloring book for adults

Drawboard PDF – Open or create a new PDF document, markup using an extensive array of tools, then save it back as a compatible PDF. Download Drawboard PDF

Make sure to keep checking the Windows Ink Collection at the Windows Store to discover new apps. Are you excited about Windows Ink on Windows 10? Let us know in the comments!

The upcoming Windows 10 Anniversary Update brings tweaked capabilities to the pen settings, in addition to all new features. Here's a quick look at what's changed when it comes to inking options in Windows 10.

Accessing settings on Windows is incredibly easy. Simply type "Pen Settings" with the Start Menu open to search for the correct screen. Alternatively, you can find the Pen Settings by clicking on the Start Menu, pressing the cogwheel icon, tapping Devices, and then hitting Pen and Windows Ink settings on the left.

On previous Windows builds, the pen settings only allowed you to set your handwriting orientation, toggle visual effects or show the positional cursor. The pen settings on Windows 10 Anniversary add a whole bunch of new ones. The entire list of settings is as follows.

• Select which hand you write with
• Toggle visual effects
• Toggle digital pen cursor
• Toggle touch input while using the pen
• Toggle handwriting panel when not in tablet mode
• Toggle recommended inking app suggestions on the Windows Ink Workspace
• Customizable pen shortcuts

Most settings are self-explanatory, but here's a bit of clarification on the others. The handwriting panel setting refers to the alternate on-screen keyboard that allows you to produce text via handwriting inputs. It can be faster than tapping the on-screen keyboard on Windows 10, which still doesn't support Windows 10 Mobile's word flow swipe writing.

The customizable pen shortcuts allow you to change how the shortcut button functions. You can add a different behavior for clicking it once, double clicking, or when holding it down. The settings menu notes that only some pen models support the hold down function.

Each function allows you to set either a classic or Universal app on use, in addition to loading the Windows Ink Workspace. The single-click has an exclusive ability to open a new page in OneNote as usually, while the double-click exclusively allows you to send a screenshot directly to OneNote for annotation. Holding it down also has an exclusive option to launch Cortana.

Some of the Surface Pen-exclusive features still require that you download the Surface app, as of writing. The Surface app allows you to tweak the pressure sensitivity of the app on a gradient and gives you a small test area if you decide further tweaks are needed.

Microsoft's investments in digital inking show no signs of slowing down. Given the popularity of the Surface line, it looks as though further improvements and features will continue into the distant future as Microsoft continues trying to court creative industries.

For more Windows Ink and Windows 10 Anniversary Update related content hit the links below!

• Windows Ink
• Windows 10 Anniversary Update

Do you use digital inking on Windows 10 much? Let us know in the comments.

One of the major features that's new on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update is Windows Ink. It brings the writing you do every day into your digital world. Part of Windows Ink is Sticky Notes, which lets you add quick notes to your screen just like you would with Post-it notes.

While Sticky Notes is great for remembering common tasks, it can go a step further. For example, it can add a reminder to your calendar if it recognizes a time or date in the note. Watch our how-to video to see it in action.

How to create a reminder in Sticky Notes

1. Tap the Windows Ink Workspace button at the taskbar on the lower right corner, then select Sticky Notes.

2. Write a note with a date or time
3. If Windows 10 recognizes the date or time, it will change the ink color to blue

4. Tap the blue ink, then choose Add Reminder

5. Add or edit the time and date, then tap the Remind button.

That's it! The reminder attaches an image of your Sticky Note and tries to transcribe the note for the description.

When it's time for the reminder, an image of the Sticky Note pops up in the lower right corner along with the options to snooze or mark as completed. It's faster to ask Cortana for reminders, but it's a nice option to be able to create reminders from within Sticky Notes.

What do you think of this feature on Windows 10? Will you be using it frequently? Let us know in the comments!

Windows Ink is one of the new features added in build 14328 for Windows 10 Insiders. It's a set of pen-driven experiences that help you quickly write notes, sketch, or annotate screenshots. If you want to see how it works before you try, we've got it all on video. Make sure to hit that Play button (and subscribe while you're at it)!

You can tap the Windows Ink Workspace button in the system tray or create a shortcut with your pen in the settings. For example, I've set up the Surface Pen so that clicking the top button once opens the Windows Ink home while double clicking opens the Sticky Notes.

Sticky Notes currently lets you create and save notes to your Windows machine in multiple sizes and colors. But this is just the beginning: Microsoft says it is going to add more advanced features like writing down a flight number will fetch data from Bing to give you the flight status.

Another Windows Ink experience is the SketchPad. a simple blank canvas where you can quickly and easily draw an idea or simple doodle. You have options to switch between the types of brushes and colors, but my favorite is the digital ruler. It helps you draw straight lines just like on paper.

Screen Sketch takes a screenshot of your whole desktop, and you can edit, crop, or draw over it. Just like SketchPad experience, you can easily save your creations or share them online.

The Windows Ink team says they're just getting started, so keep your eyes open for more new features. Give it a try, and let us know what you think in the comments!

Initially demonstrated at Build 2016, Windows Ink is a vast expansion of Microsoft's vision for digital writing on PCs, and should serve as a massive boost to its increasingly successful Surface line.

Windows 10 Build 14328 adds an all new Windows Ink Workspace, accessible straight from the desktop's notification area. From this menu, users with an active pen pairing can access Windows Ink's core functions; writing sticky notes, doodling in the all-new sketchpad, and much more.

The Windows Ink Workspace will only appear if you have an active digital pen attached to your device, but you can still access it by right-clicking on the taskbar, and selecting "Show Windows Ink Workspace button" if you want to try it out regardless.

Windows Ink is not only designed to help Surface owners transfer more of those staple pen and paper tasks to their devices but enhance those experiences through Cortana and other Windows 10 features.

• As noted, Windows Ink Sticky Notes are integrated with Cortana and recognise text strings dynamically to produce rich information and perform tasks. Windows developer Brian Roper demonstrated how a Sticky Note with "Call mom tomorrow" was identified by Cortana as a possible reminder candidate. Sticky Notes can also interact with other services, such as Bing, producing maps for addresses and flight paths for flight numbers.

• Windows Ink also comes with a sketch pad that enables you to make larger, potentially more complex diagrams with the tap of the Surface pen. As demonstrated at Build, this also comes with ruler functionality, allowing you to make perfect lines naturally by placing a virtual stencil on the screen.
• In addition to the sketch pad, Windows Ink allows you to draw directly onto screenshots, crop them, and either save or share them instantly using the Ink Workspace. For those of you who are fans of the built-in Windows Snipping Tool, this feature should be particularly useful.

• Windows Ink is also integrated into other apps like Office, Edge, and even Maps, often with contextual functionality only possible with a computer. For example, when using Ink in Maps, you can draw lines to plot routes, get directions and make itineraries by writing directly onto the app, no additional menus required. Ink can also be used in Word, allowing you to highlight perfectly, make notes, and even scribble out words as you might on a real document.
• You can customize your pen settings by going to Settings > Devices > Pen, giving you greater control over how your pen functions, and what programs launch from certain button presses.

• Finally, Windows Ink is available for other developers to integrate into their applications. At Build, Microsoft demonstrated how Adobe had utilized the ruler functionality to create unique stencils, allowing digital artists to create perfect lines and curves while drawing in Adobe Illustrator.

Windows Ink is just one of an array of exciting new features available in Build 14328. While Windows 10 Fast Ring Insiders can get their pens busy today, Windows Ink will become accessible to the general public this summer along with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

For more information on what other features Build 14328 contains, check out Dan's post over here!

During Build 2016, Microsoft introduced Windows Ink, a new way to bring the focus back to the pen, putting it front and center. Windows Ink will be made available with the Anniversary Update to Windows 10 that will be coming this summer. This will help solve the constant need for pen-and-paper, and bring the power of the computer and its deep platform integration. 3M sells around 50 billion Sticky Notes a year, and Microsoft now will use handwriting recognition to smartly integrate your notes with Cortana and more.

With the sketchpad, you can now draw on a white surface, use a virtual ruler and much more. On Maps, you can draw dots for points of interest, connect the dots for directions and it will sync across your Windows devices. In Word, Windows Ink will allow you to remove words and paragraphs by simply crossing them out, and dragging across the words will highlight, while Powerpoint gains a ruler to snap objects along any axis that you draw the line of. Partners like Adobe are adding support so you'll be able to use a stencils in Illustrator to get perfect lines, and it all works with minimal latency.

Windows Ink will be available later this summer with the release of the Anniversary Update for Windows 10.