reMarkable Paper Pure · Troubleshooting

The reMarkable Marker isn't writing or is lagging on the Paper Pure

The Marker makes no mark, skips, lags behind your hand, or the eraser and shortcut button do nothing. Most cases are a worn tip, a software hang, or a setting.

Software
Codex firmware
Difficulty
Easy
Time
15 minutes
Last tested
August 2026
Last updated
September 2026

Symptoms

  • The Marker makes no mark on the screen at all.
  • Lines skip, break up, or only register when you press hard.
  • The ink appears a moment behind the Marker tip.
  • The Marker Plus eraser or the barrel shortcut button does nothing.

Before you start

  • Check whether you have spare tips and the puller tool that came with the Marker.
  • Confirm you are using a current-generation Marker — the Paper Pure does not work with reMarkable 2 pens.
  • None of these steps affect your notebooks or documents.

Which fix do you need?

Most common cause

The most common cause of skipping or "press hard to write" is a worn Marker tip — tips are a wear part and last a few weeks to a few months. The most common cause of no marks at all, or lag, is a software hang that a restart clears. The eraser and shortcut button not working is usually a Marker Plus settings issue.

Fixes

Fix 1 Restart the Paper Pure and check the Marker

A Marker that suddenly makes no marks, or writes with lag, is almost always a software hang rather than a hardware fault. A restart clears it. A Marker that never worked on this device may be the wrong generation.

  1. Restart the device from Settings, then "General", then "Power", then "Restart". If the screen is unresponsive, hold the power button for about 10 seconds.
  2. After it boots, open a new notebook and touch the Marker to the centre of the screen. Try writing there first.
  3. Confirm you have a current-generation Marker or Marker Plus — the kind that charges on the device edge. A reMarkable 2 Marker will not work on the Paper Pure at all.
  4. If the centre works but the edges do not, the problem is likely the tip (Fix 2), not the software.

Fix 2 Replace the Marker tip

Marker tips wear down with use. As a tip flattens it stops making reliable contact, which shows as skipping, broken lines, or needing to bear down. A fresh tip usually fixes it completely.

  1. Use the small tip-puller tool (a metal ring or tweezers) to grip the tip and pull it straight out with a firm, even pull.
  2. Push a new tip straight in until it seats. It should sit flush and not wobble.
  3. Test on a notebook page. Writing should feel light again and lines should be unbroken.
  4. The Paper Pure uses the same current-generation tips as the Paper Pro and Paper Pro Move, not the reMarkable 2's. reMarkable's own tips and well-reviewed third-party packs both work.

Fix 3 Fix the Marker Plus eraser or shortcut button

The eraser end and the barrel button are only on the Marker Plus, and both are controlled in settings. If they stopped working, it is usually a setting or a firmware bug, not the pen.

  1. Confirm you have the Marker Plus — it has a flat eraser end and a small button on the barrel. The plain Marker has neither.
  2. Open Settings, then "Stylus" (or "Marker"), and check the shortcut button is assigned to an action such as "Erase" and is not set to "Off".
  3. Make sure the device firmware is current, from Settings, then "General", then "Software".
  4. Restart the device. If the eraser still does nothing after a restart and a firmware check, contact reMarkable — a Marker Plus with a dead eraser is usually replaced under warranty.

Undo / recovery

None of these steps touch your content. If a restart or a tip change does not help and the Marker still will not write anywhere, the Marker or the digitiser may be faulty; the Marker is covered by the device's warranty and reMarkable replaces it readily.

If the Marker skips or needs pressure, replace the tip first — it is the answer most of the time and takes a minute. If it makes no marks at all or lags, restart the Paper Pure, and double-check the Marker is a current-generation one, since reMarkable 2 pens do not work here.

You’re leaving ReaderTweaks

This link opens another website in a new tab:

We don’t run that site and can’t vouch for its content. This page stays open in your current tab.