- Gaming and consoles
- PC peripherals and accessories
The tablet driver is not responding
Wacom tablet The tablet driver is not responding: sync error
Risk level
Low
Usually safe to check without specialist tools.
Urgency
Medium
Quick answer
When a Wacom Pen Tablet, Pen Display or Pen Computer reports The tablet driver is not responding, restart the computer and verify macOS Login Items or Windows Wacom Professional Service recovery settings. If it remains, run Driver check in Wacom Center or reinstall the current official driver.
Safety first
Stop and check this first
- Save and close open work before uninstalling or reinstalling the Wacom driver to fix a non-responding message, because completing the installation requires a system restart.
Safe checks you can perform
- Restart the computer and verify macOS background login items
- Run Driver check and restart from Wacom Center Settings
- Configure Wacom Professional Service recovery in Windows
Leave these tasks to a qualified professional
- Do not attempt this professional task: Reinstall the current official driver and test in a new Windows Admin account
- Do not attempt this professional task: Collect Wacom driver logs and escalate unresolved communication failures
What a technician must be able to justify
Technician visit
These are the steps they must carry out and show you. Tick them as they work: if steps are skipped, do not accept a part swap.
These are not instructions for opening or handling the equipment yourself. They are the checks that should support a technical conclusion.
Reinstall the current official driver and test in a new Windows Admin account
What they doThe technician uninstalls the existing tablet driver, restarts the computer, installs the latest official driver from Wacom's driver page, and if the issue remains on Windows, tests driver installation inside a newly created local Admin user account.
They must show youthe installed official driver version, background permission or service recovery settings, and live pen response.
In writingoperating system version, Wacom driver version installed, and test results in the original or new Admin account.
Collect Wacom driver logs and escalate unresolved communication failures
What they doIf the driver still does not respond after permission checks, service recovery adjustments and clean reinstallation, the technician gathers computer specifications, Wacom product details and driver logs to submit a support request to Wacom.
They must show youthe Driver check result in Wacom Center and the collected driver logs prepared for Wacom Support.
In writingWacom model, driver version, completed troubleshooting steps, and the Wacom Support ticket reference.
Before accepting a part or repair
Nothing has been shown yet. Do not accept a part swap based on the code alone.
Follow these steps
Note: Follow the documented order. An error code identifies the affected system, but it does not prove by itself which part has failed.
Restart the computer and verify macOS background login items
- Who:
- you, with access to system settings on the computer connected to your Wacom device.
- How:
- restart the computer first; on macOS 13 (Ventura) or newer, open System Settings > General > Login Items, add Wacom Center under Open at login, confirm both Wacom and Wacom Technology Corp are enabled under Allow in the background, and restart again.
- Result that matters:
- grant the background execution permissions the Wacom driver requires to synchronize with macOS.
- If the error message clears after rebooting and pen input works:
- keep the updated Login Items configuration.
- If the driver still fails to respond:
- run the built-in diagnostic check in Wacom Center next.
- Evidence to keep:
- screenshot of the Login Items background toggles and the message state after restarting.
Evidence: What does the error message “The tablet driver is not responding” mean after synchronization fails and how do I fix it?
Run Driver check and restart from Wacom Center Settings
- Who:
- you, using the Wacom Center application on your Windows PC or Mac.
- How:
- open Wacom Center, click the Settings button in the upper-right corner, scroll down to Troubleshooting options, click Driver check, and choose to restart the driver whether or not an error is reported.
- Result that matters:
- test the driver state and trigger a controlled driver restart inside Wacom Center.
- If restarting the driver restores normal tablet response:
- verify operation in your usual creative software.
- If the non-responding message returns:
- configure service recovery on Windows or perform a clean reinstall.
- Evidence to keep:
- outcome displayed by Driver check inside Wacom Center.
Evidence: Pen input or touch input does not work as expected
Configure Wacom Professional Service recovery in Windows
- Who:
- you, logged into an administrative Windows account with all Windows updates installed.
- How:
- install all pending Windows updates first; press Windows Key + R, type services.msc and press OK, right-click Wacom Professional Service > Properties > Recovery tab, set all three failure dropdowns to Restart service with Restart service after set to 0 Minutes, click OK, and reboot.
- Result that matters:
- instruct Windows to restart Wacom Professional Service immediately if it fails during startup.
- If the error message no longer appears after rebooting:
- retain the service recovery settings.
- If the message persists:
- uninstall and reinstall the current official Wacom driver for your model.
- Evidence to keep:
- screenshot of the Recovery tab for Wacom Professional Service and the installed driver version.
Evidence: What does the error message “The tablet driver is not responding” mean after synchronization fails and how do I fix it?
Still not solved
If the error persists, stop here. See what the technician must do and show you.
Where this code applies
A code is meaningful only inside the right product and version context.
Primary scope
- System
- Gaming and consoles
- Brand
- Wacom
- Product type
- PC peripherals and accessories
Known code variants
- El controlador de la tablet no responde
- Fallo de sincronización del controlador Wacom
- Tablet driver did not respond
- The tablet driver is not responding
- Wacom driver synchronization failed
What it means
Wacom's official article “What does the error message ‘The tablet driver is not responding’ mean after synchronization fails and how do I fix it?” covers Pen Tablets, Pen Displays and Pen Computers on Windows and macOS, explaining that the installed driver failed to communicate with the operating system or failed during synchronization. Wacom's “Pen input or touch input does not work as expected” guide adds the Driver check tool in Wacom Center. Menu layouts on other product generations may differ. This message alone never proves that your tablet or pen hardware is defective.
Warnings and stop conditions
- Lowsource verified
Save and close open work before uninstalling or reinstalling the Wacom driver to fix a non-responding message, because completing the installation requires a system restart.
Evidence: What does the error message “The tablet driver is not responding” mean after synchronization fails and how do I fix it? · Pen input or touch input does not work as expected
Symptoms and causes
Probable causes · in order
- Background login permissions disabled on macOS Ventura or newerCommon
On macOS 13 (Ventura) and later, the synchronization error appears when Wacom Center is missing from Open at login or Wacom and Wacom Technology Corp are turned off under Allow in the background.
Evidence: What does the error message “The tablet driver is not responding” mean after synchronization fails and how do I fix it?
- Wacom Professional Service failing during Windows bootPossible
The driver can fail to start when Windows boots if Wacom Professional Service stops without automatic restart recovery configured in services.msc.
Evidence: What does the error message “The tablet driver is not responding” mean after synchronization fails and how do I fix it?
- Corrupted driver state or Windows user profile conflictPossible
When restarting does not restore communication, Wacom points to an outdated or damaged driver installation or an account-specific issue requiring a clean reinstall or a test in a new Admin user account.
Evidence: What does the error message “The tablet driver is not responding” mean after synchronization fails and how do I fix it? · Pen input or touch input does not work as expected
Virtual technician
Does The tablet driver is not responding still appear after these checks?
Answer a few questions to narrow down the likely cause and the safest next action. Guidance only - it never replaces a professional.
Sources and technical references
- 2
Wacom · 2026 · official_doc
- 3
Pen input or touch input does not work as expected
Wacom · 2026 · official_doc
- 4
La entrada de lápiz o la entrada táctil no funcionan cómo se esperaba
Wacom · 2026 · official_doc
Was this entry useful?