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What do you do if you plug in your Wacom tablet only to receive the message “no signal” or “no input signal”?
A Wacom tablet will say “no signal” or “no input signal” if there is a disruption in the video display coming from the tablet to the computer. The cause of this could be as simple as the HDMI and/or USB cable (some use both while others just use USB) being plugged into the wrong port.
If your Wacom tablet is coming up with no signal and you’re not sure what to do, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In our guide below we will dive into the reasons why this happens and provide you with some basic steps you can take to fix it. So come a long and let’s jump right in!
Why is My Wacom Tablet Saying it Has No Signal?
So your Wacom tablet is hooked up to your computer but when you go to use it you receive a message like “no input signal.” You’ve checked that the USB and/or HDMI cables are plugged in and yet it’s still not working. Why would this happen?
Below we’ve listed out the most common reasons why a Wacom tablet might be coming up with no signal:
- Cables aren’t connected: Some Wacom tablets connect with the computer via both USB and HDMI while others simply use USB for both the display and information transfer. If these cables aren’t plugged in all the way it will cause a disruption to the video signal.
- Bad cables: If the cables you’re using to connect your Wacom to the computer are bad then it will cause a disruption to the video.
- You’re using the wrong HDMI port: Some of the HDMI ports may not be the best for displaying your Wacom’s video signal. Generally, it’s a good idea to use a port that is in the same group as what your monitor is plugged into.
- You’re plugging your HDMI cable into an adapter: Unfortunately, if you use a splitter or adapter for more HDMI ports, it can actually interrupt the signal from your Wacom tablet.
- The display settings on your computer need adjusting: This is less common, but sometimes the display settings on the computer are the culprit.
The good news here is that most of the time when your Wacom tablet gives you the message “no signal” the problem is relatively simple. With simple problems often comes simple solutions. In the next section we will dive into the solutions for each of these issues.
How Do I Get My Wacom Tablet to Display?
In the sections below we have laid out solutions to the most common reasons why a Wacom tablet might give you “no signal”:
1. Check Your Cable Connections and Cables
The first thing you should do is ensure that your cables are working and that they are fully plugged in.
The best way to do this is to first double check that the cables are plugged in all the way on both your device and the computer. If they are, you can then try a different HDMI and/or USB cable and see if the problem resolves.
2. Try a Different HDMI Port
In the previous section, we talked about how your Wacom tablet may not display if it is plugged into the wrong port or if you are using an adapter. An adapter simply won’t work, while ports not in the same bank as the one your monitor is plugged into often won’t as well..
Try plugging the HDMI cable into a port that is in the same bank or ports your display monitor is plugged into. This should resolve the problem if the issue was simply the wrong HDMI port.
3. Change the Display Settings on Your PC
As we mentioned previously, the display settings on your computer can sometimes cause the tablet display not to show.
Below we’ve outlined step-by-step how to adjust the display settings on a PC with Windows so your Wacom shows properly:
- Right click on your wallpaper and select “Display Settings”
- Under multiple displays, select “extend these displays” and click “apply”
- Select your tablet as a “display monitor”
If your tablet doesn’t come up as a display monitor then this most likely is not the issue. Try some of the other troubleshooting steps above instead.
4. Change the Display Settings on Your Mac
The same issue with display settings can also happen on a Mac. The process of fixing them is a little different but just as simple.
Follow the steps below to adjust the display settings on a Mac so that your Wacom tablet displays properly:
- Go into “displays” (this can be found is system preferences)
- Uncheck “mirror these displays” on the main display
- Ensure your tablet resolution is set to “best for display”
Again, if this doesn’t seem to work or the tablet display doesn’t even come up, you are likely dealing with a different issue and should try the other troubleshooting steps we laid out.
So Really, Why Does Your Wacom Tablet Say “No Signal”?
At the end of the day, a Wacom tablet will say “no signal” if there is a disruption between your device and your computer.
Most of the time, fixing this will involve checking the cables you’re using and ensuring they are plugged into the same group of HDMI cables that your monitor is plugged into. Also, please remember these tablets generally won’t connect properly if you’re using an adapter/splitter instead of plugging directly into the computer.
