Charles Esther
Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint have long offered basic pen and drawing tools, but their functionality has been limited compared to OneNote or dedicated art software.
Now, Microsoft is introducing significant improvements by adding Fountain Pen and Brush Pen options to these Office apps.
From OneNote to the Rest of Office
The enhanced pen tools first arrived in OneNote for Windows back in October 2024.
Following positive feedback, Microsoft is extending these features to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
More Creative Ink Options
In a recent blog post, Microsoft said,
“We know many of you loved the Fountain pen and Brush pen introduced in OneNote last year, and we’re excited to bring them to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint! Now, you can unleash your expressiveness and creativity with the Brush pen when adding ink and annotations in PowerPoint or Excel, or write your notes in Word with a bit more flourish using the Fountain pen.”
Customizing the Draw Tab
With more pen types now available, the Draw tab could get cluttered.
To help, Microsoft is allowing users to add, remove, and reorder tools.
For example, if you only use the basic pen and highlighter, you can hide the rest.
Tools That Can’t Be Removed
Some tools—Select, Lasso Select, and Eraser—are locked in place for convenience.
However, users can duplicate tools with different settings for quick access.
Useful for Common Office Tasks
While still not a substitute for professional art software, these improved pens cover everyday needs.
You can add signatures in Word, highlight content in PowerPoint, or select spreadsheet cells in Excel with a stylus.
OneNote for Windows 10 Nearing End of Support
Microsoft also noted that support is ending soon for OneNote for Windows 10—the modernized version released alongside Windows 10.
Over time, features from that app have been merged into the classic OneNote desktop version, which now shares the same pen tools as the rest of the Office suite.
Availability of the New Features
The upgraded pens are now available in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Windows running Version 2508 (Build 19127.20000) or later.
Microsoft has not confirmed release dates for Mac, mobile, or web versions, though some customization features already exist on those platforms.
Pen Customization Already on Mac
For instance, on Word for Mac, users can right-click (or two-finger click on a trackpad) to move pens along the toolbar—similar to the new functionality in Windows.
A Step Forward for Digital Inking in Office
By giving users more expressive tools and customization options, Microsoft is making inking more versatile and accessible across its productivity apps.
