HP Active Pen not working

[SGreag16]

I recently got a new pen to use for my laptop/tablet hybrid (HP Zbook x2 G4), as the pen that originally came with my computer had been causing Blue Screens of Death for the past month and a half. The new pen is an HP Active Pen G2.

I've successfully connected the pen to my computer via bluetooth, but I can't get the pen to actually turn on. I read online you're supposed to hold down the top button on the pen and wait for the pen to light up after blinking a few times, but every time I try to do so, it just blinks and turns back off.

Does anybody know what my problem is? It shouldn't be compatibility, as the person who sold this to me on eBay said my computer system was compatible with this kind of pen.

[Manuel733567 · Accepted solution]

It sounds like the pen is only entering Bluetooth pairing mode (the blinking light) and then turning off, which typically points to either a weak/defective battery or the pen not being supported by your device. In this case, per the HP ZBook x2 G4 Quickspecs, the system is specifically designed to work with the HP ZBook x2 Pen (Wacom EMR technology) and not the HP Active Pen G2, which uses a different protocol, so even though it may pair over Bluetooth, it will not function properly for input. I would first try replacing the battery to rule that out, but given the compatibility limitation, the main issue is likely that the Active Pen G2 is not supported on this model, and you would need to use the original ZBook x2 Pen or a compatible Wacom EMR pen for full functionality.