Configuration of barrel buttons of HP Tilt Pen MPP 2.0 not possible on HP Spectre x360 Laptop 14

[Hans991]

HW-Setup:

Laptop Device: HP Spectre x360 Laptop 14-eu0799nz (9E4Y0EA)

Pen Model: HP Tilt Pen MPP 2.0 (https://www.hp.com/ch-en/shop/products/accessories/hp-rechargeable-mpp-2-0-tilt-pen-black-3j122aa-ab...)

According the pen description, it is compatible with the laptop model: "Lightweight digital pen for use with Spectre and Envy x360 laptops only"

Problem description:

The pen basically works ok for writing. However the two barrel buttons provide no function and it is not possible to configure them.

Question:

Is there any possibilty to make the the buttons of the HP Tilt Pen MPP 2.0 work on a HP Spectre x360 laptop?

Additional information:

According the the features description of the pen, it should be possible to configure the buttons: "Customize your pen controls with 2 personalized buttons via the HP Pen Control application."

Please not the the "HP Pen Control application" does not exist anymore and is replaced by the HP app ("HP Pen Control has been deprecated. To configure the HP Pen, use the myHP app." on https://support.hp.com/ph-en/document/ish_7791449-7791493-16).

From the description of the "HP app" (https://support.hp.com/my-en/document/ish_7449949-7450003-16) it should be possible to customize the pen buttons.

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @Hans991 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thank you for laying out the details so clearly. It’s genuinely frustrating when a feature that’s advertised—like customizable barrel buttons—doesn’t function as expected, especially on a compatible device like your HP Spectre x360. You’ve done everything right by checking compatibility and researching the software options. 

Let’s walk through what you can do to restore button functionality.

 

Steps to Enable and Configure Barrel Buttons on HP Tilt Pen MPP 2.0

1. Ensure the Pen Is Fully Paired and Recognized

Even if writing works, button functions may require deeper integration.

• Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices
• Confirm the pen is listed under Connected Devices
• If not, remove and re-pair the pen via Bluetooth > Add device

 

2. Install or Update the HP App

The HP Pen Control app has been deprecated. Button customization now resides in the HP app.

• Open the Microsoft Store
• Search for HP app (formerly myHP)
• Install or update it to the latest version
• Launch the app and go to Devices > PC Devices > Pen

📎 Reference: HP PCs – Using the HP app

 

3. Customize Pen Buttons

Once inside the HP app:

• Select Pen from the left panel
• You should see options for:
  • Customize buttons (assign functions like Erase, Right-click, Screenshot, etc.)
  • Pen sensitivity
  • Radial menu (if supported)

If the buttons still don’t respond, try assigning a different function and testing in apps like Microsoft Whiteboard or OneNote, which support pen input natively.

 

4. Check for Firmware and Driver Updates

Outdated firmware may prevent button mapping from registering.

• Visit the HP Spectre x360 14-eu0000 Driver Page
• Download and install:
  • System BIOS
  • Intel Integrated Sensor Solution Driver
  • HP Pen Firmware Update Utility (if listed)

 

5. Test in Supported Applications

Some apps may not respond to custom button functions. Try:

• Microsoft OneNote
• Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator
• Windows Ink Workspace

If the buttons work in these apps, the issue may be app-specific rather than hardware or driver-related.

Let me know how the HP app behaves once installed—I’ll guide you further based on what you see. You're navigating this with precision, and we’ll get those buttons working.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[Hans991]

The provided solution does NOT solve the problem. Details:

1. Ensure the Pen Is Fully Paired and Recognized

• ⚠️Note: This step is useless/unnecessary, because the HP Tilt Pen MPP 2.0 is NOT a bluetooth device. The pen never appears in the connected devices in the windows settings and it cannot be paired.
• ⚠️Note: The pen works without bluetooth; i.e. it works even if bluetooth is disabled on the windows device.
• ✔️Info/solution: The good news is, that the pen works just fine for writing on the HP Spectre x360 without any additional setup. 
• ➡️Action/todo: HP, please update your documentation on the pen product page accordingly.

3. Customize Pen Buttons

• ⚠️Note: This step is useless/does not work. On a HP Spectre x360 device with a connected/present HP Tilt Pen MPP 2.0, the HP app does not provide any configuration option for pen settings.
• ➡️Action/todo: HP, please update your documentation the pen product page and on the HP app decription page.

However, the buttons actually work when known how to use them. Details:

Button functionality with Microsoft OneNote:

• ✔️The buttons of the pen actually work in the Microsoft OneNote application. In order the buttons to perform an action when pressed, the tip of the pen has to close the laptop screen (just lift it a bit after writing).
  • one button when pressed switches the pen into ereaser mode
  • the other button when pressed switches the pen into select/lasso mode
• ➡️Action/todo: HP, please update your documentation on the pen product page in order to give the users/customers at least some minimal input on how the buttons work.
• ℹ️What functionality the buttons actually provide is application specific. Other applications then Microsoft OneNote have not been tested.

In the future it would be nice, that there will be some button customization options available in the HP app for this specific device setup.

[Hawks_Eye]

Thank you for your detailed follow-up, and I’m truly sorry for the confusion and the time you’ve had to spend sorting.

You're absolutely right: the HP Tilt Pen MPP 2.0 is not a Bluetooth device, and it operates through Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP), which doesn’t require pairing. The fact that writing works flawlessly is reassuring, but the lack of button configuration options in the HP app is understandably frustrating.

Your observations about OneNote’s behavior are especially helpful. The tip proximity requirement for button activation is subtle and undocumented, and your suggestion to update the product page with this insight is well-founded. It would also be beneficial for future updates to include application-specific behavior and clarify the absence of universal customization.

Thank you again for your clarity and persistence. If you explore other apps and discover additional button functions, I’d be glad to help compile a reference guide for others facing similar confusion.

Regards,

Hawks_Eye