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Wacom tablets are a staple in any artist’s workflow, especially graphic designers. The pressure sensitivity of a tablet allows you to easily draw and alter objects, as well as make small edits to your work. However, this stability can be problematic at times.
Wacom tablets may crash randomly, and you may not know why. The most common causes include overheating, running out of battery, or something as simple as a software glitch.
If your Wacom tablet is crashing on screen, you may be experiencing Wacom tablet instability. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to stop a Wacom tablet from crashing on the Mac.
What Causes Wacom Tablet Crash?
There are a number of potential causes for your Wacom tablet to crash, and it’s important to diagnose the problem as soon as possible. In this post, we’ll discuss what causes Wacom tablet instability, and how you can stop it.
The top issues you may experience are:
- Overheating
- Running Out of Battery
- Software Glitches
All of these issues can lead to crashing, and you could lose your work.
1. Overheating
When drawing with a tablet, the surface can get warm (up to body temperature). If your tablet gets too warm, it may cause the operating system to crash. One way to prevent your tablet from overheating is to take frequent breaks from drawing. Another way to keep your tablet cool is to use the Wacom Cooling Pad.
2. Running Out of Battery
The most common reason for a crash on a device is the battery running out of power. It’s a good practice to charge your tablet at least once a week, so keep that in mind if it’s crashing frequently.
3. Software Glitch
If none of the above help, it may be due to a software issue with your tablet. You can refer to our blog post on fixing software issues with a Wacom device.
Stop Wacom Tablet from Crashing on Mac with Software Updates
As we mentioned earlier, most crashes on a Wacom tablet are caused by overheating, running out of battery, or a software glitch. To stop a Wacom tablet from crashing, you can try updating the software on your tablet.
Make sure you have the latest software updates for your Wacom device. If you don’t have any updates, install the latest one that’s provided by the manufacturer.
Try drawing with your Wacom tablet on a different surface, such as your drawing paper. If your tablet crashes, try drawing on paper again. If your tablet is crashing frequently, you can try removing the device from your Mac and restarting it.
Check Your Hardware for Wacom Tablet Software Issues
If you’re still having problems with your tablet, it’s possible that your tablet is overheating. You can use the following instructions to check if your Wacom tablet is overheating or running low on battery:
- Click on the icon of your Wacom tablet in the menu bar (top left of your screen).
- Click on “Check Device Status”
- Check the name of the computer in which you are using this device to see if it is listed as an active device. If so, go to Step 4. If not, go to Step 5.
- Double-click on “Check Device Status” and select “Advanced”.
- Open System Information and click on “Hardware Overview.” Check for a yellow exclamation mark next to either “Battery” or “Battery Charge”. If there is a yellow exclamation mark next to either “Battery” or “Battery Charge”, you may have an issue with your battery and should contact Wacom to get help.
- If you see a yellow exclamation mark next to “Battery”, click on the “Battery” tab, then click on “Power Manager”.
- Under the “Power Manager” section, you will see a list of applications that are currently using power. Double-click on one of the applications listed and check to see if it is “Busy.” If so, close it.
- Close System Information, then go back to the menu bar icon for your tablet and select “Check Device Status” again. If your tablet is no longer listed as an active device, try restarting your computer (or unplugging and re-plugging in your tablet).
If none of these steps work, it may be time to contact Wacom support for further assistance. They may be able to identify the core issue in the software.
Check Your Internet Connection
As we mentioned above, overheating, running out of battery, or a software glitch is likely the cause of a Wacom tablet crash. If your internet connection is the cause, it may be worth trying another one.
First, try another internet browser. If that doesn’t work, you can try drawing on paper instead, which may help cool down your device and prevent your Mac from crashing. To check the internet connection on your Mac, open the Apple menu and select System Preferences. Click on the Network icon in the left sidebar. The internet connection should be listed as active if it’s not, click on it to set it to active.
If you’re still having issues, you can also try unplugging your Wacom tablet from your Mac and restarting it. After a few seconds, plug your tablet back into the USB port and restart your Mac.
Reset Wacom Device to Fix Software Issues
If none of the above steps have fixed your issue, you’ll need to reset your tablet to factory settings. This will restore your tablet back to its original settings and should solve the problem.
Unplug your Wacom device from your computer and allow it to cool down for a few minutes. Plug it back in and wait until the device is ready to use again. If you’re using a Surface Pro 3 or Pro 4, press the power button on the side of the device for 10 seconds until you see a screen that says, “Start-up Recovery.”
Press and hold the power button for another 10 seconds until you see an image of a spinning gear on the screen. Release it when you see this image. – When this process is complete, restart your computer and try using your Wacom again.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you found this article useful and were able to solve any software issues you might be having with your Wacom tablet. If you’re still experiencing problems, you can always try contacting Wacom customer support.
