Hi everyone, I'm very new to Linux, just switched from windows 11 today and I'm having trouble with my drawing tablet. I'm not really sure which direction to go because my computer does detect my tablet, but the display does not work. I did not have this problem when I was a windows user, but I do not want to switch back. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
1 Like
Hello and welcome to the forum!
Please give us more information about your configuration:
- over the zorin start button go to settings - system - info - system details and post it here.
- Do you have dual boot with windows installed or zorin core only?
- Is your windows manager Wayland or X11? Please check over this terminal comanand post the output here:
echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE
The drawing tablet trouble do you have: screen upside down, touch doesn't react, other problems?
Check your BIOS for Secure Boot and Fast Boot and disable both of it, if they are enabled.
Direct way from the Zorin Terminal to BIOS:
sudo systemctl reboot --firmware
1 Like
Hi thank you so much for reaching out!!
System Details Report
Report details
- Date generated: 2026-08-13 00:20:10
Hardware Information:
- Hardware Model: Microsoft Corporation Surface Laptop 4
- Memory: 8.0 GiB
- Processor: 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1145G7 × 8
- Graphics: Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics (TGL GT2)
- Disk Capacity: 256.1 GB
Software Information:
- Firmware Version: 33.108.143
- OS Name: Zorin OS 18.1 Core
- OS Build: (null)
- OS Type: 64-bit
- Windowing System: X11
- Kernel Version: Linux 7.0.0-28-generic
My windows manager is x11
I believe my device has Zorin only, though the windows boot manager appears when I go to the BIOS. When I reach the BIOS, I did have secure boot disabled, but I am not entirely sure how to disable Fast Boot.
My tablet seems to be working completely fine, it is just the display that does not work. I've tried checking for additional drivers, but none show up.
1 Like
Do you have a black screen on your wacom tablet, or do you see something?
1 Like
Hi! My screen is completely black, but it detects the pen and pressure well.
1 Like
There seems to be a special Surface Linux kernel be available with the needed drivers on github:
1 Like
Hi, so I believe I've installed the necessary kernels, but It does not seem to be working 
. What I notice is that my tablet just does not work whatsoever if I unplug it before rebooting and plug again. Zorin still detects it, but neither the display or pen work. However, if I keep it plugged through and after the reboot, only the pen will work.
1 Like
Welcome to the Forum!
How is the Tablet connected? Do You use any Splitters, Adapters or Hub's?
You can check which Linux Kernel is actual installed with Terminal command:
uname -r
and please post here. Than we can see if the original kernel Linux 7.0.0-28-generic is still installed or an other one.
1 Like
Hi, so it seems that I must've missed the step where I changed the default kernel 
, very sorry since I'm so new, but how do i switch kernels? Because I believe I followed every step in the wiki but I can't figure out how to switch the default kernels.
Perhaps this site can help you?
But I'm not sure if it helps solving the problem with your wacom tablet.
Hi! So the part resbonsible for the pen pressure is connected through a usb and the display is connected using a hdmi to usb-c adapter.
Can You try it with a direct HDMI to HDMI Connection?
Hi, when I enable the sudo systemctl enable iptsd I get the error Failed to enable unit: Unit file iptsd.service does not exist.But every other step seemed to have been okay.
I unfortunately cannot, the surface laptop 4 for some reason does not have a socket for HDMI
Does is have anything else? DisplayPort for Example?
It does not unfortunately, just a usb-c and a usb port.
Is the USB-C Port on the Device actually made for Display Output? As far as I know not all of them can do that.
And you have installed iptsd before?
sudo apt install iptsd
I highly doubt it but the display worked completely okay when I was on windows. I did have a few minor issues, but other than that the display worked fine.