Linux FAQ

It is recommended that you check General FAQ first before continuing.

Also check out Linux App Specific FAQ for app-specific instructions.

My tablet is supported but not detected?

Read General FAQ first before continuing below if you haven’t already.

Common Problems

If your tablet is connected properly and is supported, but is still not detected, check logs for any errors or warnings. If you find any, try finding for a match and its accompanying solution below:

Another driver is found

Symptoms:

Another tablet driver found: <driver>

Solution:

Insufficient permissions

Symptoms:

Not permitted to open HID class device at /dev/hidrawX

Solution:

Tablet is detected but not working?

Fresh Install

If this is a fresh install and you have not configured your tablet yet, check logs for any errors or warnings. If you find any, try finding for a match and its accompanying solution below:

Missing uinput device

Symptoms:

Failed to initialize virtual tablet. (error code ENODEV)

Solution:

  • Reboot your computer.

Missing uinput device support

Symptoms:

Failed to initialize virtual tablet. (error code ENOENT)

Make sure that your kernel has uinput support. If you are using a custom kernel or builds kernel from source, make sure that you have enabled CONFIG_INPUT_UINPUT in your kernel configuration. Refer to your distro’s documentation regarding kernel configuration.

Missing uinput device permissions

Symptoms:

Failed to initialize virtual tablet. (error code EACCES)

Solution:

Non-fresh Install

Try disabling your filters one-by-one and see if input finally works.

Tablet is working but there is no pressure

Pressure support is available by changing the output mode of OpenTabletDriver to Artist Mode:

  • Change output mode (at the bottom left of OpenTabletDriver) to Artist Mode.
  • Remove the tip binding in the Pen Settings panel by opening the advanced binding editor (press ... next to the binding), then press Clear
  • Save or apply your settings, and then try drawing in an application that supports pressure.

See here for setting up bindings for Artist Mode.

Mouse button bindings are not working when using Artist Mode

Artist mode does not support regular mouse buttons. You will need to use artist mode pen bindings in the advanced binding editor instead of regular mouse buttons.

How to autostart daemon on boot?

systemd

Make sure that you have enabled the systemd service:

systemctl --user enable opentabletdriver.service --now

If the daemon doesn’t reliably autostart on boot, then the desktop environment is not configured correctly to integrate with systemd.

In such case, refer to your desktop environment’s documentation on how to autostart processes on login using the instructions below

Other init systems

OpenTabletDriver offers no official support for other init systems. Refer to your init system’s documentation on how to autostart processes on login. The command to execute on login is:

otd-daemon

This command should be run as user, not root.

The cursor feels slow on Artist Mode

Using Artist Mode will result in some minor smoothing due to libinput’s tablet handling.

To disable this smoothing, add the contents below to /etc/libinput/local-overrides.quirks:

[OpenTabletDriver Virtual Tablet]
MatchName=OpenTabletDriver*
AttrTabletSmoothing=0

You should restart the OpenTabletDriver daemon after updating this file.

Still have problems?

If you are still encountering problems with OpenTabletDriver, it will be easier to help you over in our Discord server. We will guide you in doing certain debugging steps and will give you different instructions to help resolve your problem.