Wacom and PhotoShop wavy line problem?

2021 and the issue persists... Adobe just doesn't care

2020, still has this issue.

what if i have this problem on everything but photoshop?

I have struggled with this for decades and my lines are worst than yours. I don't have other programs but this happens on my older laptop too. I have an older wacom. I've wondered if it's just me and some artists might just have shakey hands. Some of these solution are just too crazy. Makes me think of all the things SpongeBob made Mr. Krabs do before they could discuss the formula haha. Been using photoshops since the late 90s. For inking I've given up on the brush and just use the pen tool. It does suck but my lines come out great.

I solved this issue by:





1. turning my tablet off





2. unplugging all cables





3. Holding the power button for 20 seconds





4. plugging everything back in and turning the tablet back on.





Theory for why this works:


The Wacom pen uses electromagnetic waves to determine the location of the pen tip, static electricity is/affects electromagnetic waves and causes the "wobble" in the pen. The amount of static build-up is determined by how long you monitor has been on, what other monitors or devices are set up around it, the condition and location of your cables and what you use to wipe the dust off the screen. The excess static needs to be discharged to fix the problem (using the above steps). The exact work area conditions are impossible to replicate by the Wacom Technicians which is why many people report sending the tablets back in and Wacom finds no issue. for the record, I have no idea what I'm talking about, but the above steps worked for me and all the evidence I have says static build-up is the problem sooo... good luck!

I'm struggling with this right now 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Still have the same problem as you mkluis... Either i can use the alt+right mouse button size wheel with my pencil + wobbly lines or i cant use it but my lines are ok... Depends if i add the PSUserconfig fix.

This problem has always bothered me. Manga Studio and basically any other software is better for drawing. In my opinion.

you sound like jim lee

I get hard edge strokes (snap is off) and weird tips on the end of a stroke.

Wow, this problem is from 2014 ._. and they still haven't fixed the damn thing ?

I've done most of the top suggestions, but what did it for me was reinstalling the original drivers from the disk that came with it, hope it helps.

do what @Wermwort said but make sure wondows ink is checked in the calibrate settings on a cintiq

You sound like Mike Portnoy.

I have been having the same issues, with a couple other things driving me crazy as well. I've been searching for an answer, and I seem to have just found the answer. In the menu, under View, I apparently had Snap on, and after changing just that, no more wavy lines. I noticed, when it was happening, that if I was zoomed in, the wavy lines were not there. But I need to be zoomed out for a lot of long lines, so I was going crazy. I hope this helps people, and I hope that this is all that was actually wrong.

Using a 2013 IMAC and a CIntiq 27. Had the stepped line, and it was making me nuts. Tried all other solutions listed here (grid fixes, snapping etc) but uninstalling the driver, and reinstalling a legacy (6.3.16) driver was the only fix that worked.

Thank you so much!
I've been using PhotoShop for a long time and i thought my tablet was broken.

Ok, Windows 10 users. This just worked for me: Right click Photoshop > Compatibility > check (disable display scaling for high DPI settings) hit APPLY. restart Photoshop.
hope this helps

I have a similar problem. I can't afford PS so I use Fire Alpaca, and whenever I draw say, a circle, there's always some weird bump. So I always have to sketch by slowly drawing lines, which trust me, IS NOT fun! I was thinking it was something to do with my stylus or Wacom, since it happens in not ONLY Fire Alpaca but also in SAI. What's going on?

Have this problem since day 1 and decided to use SAI instead of PS. Today just searching a solution read that might be some issue with the new drivers wacom gives so I downloaded the Legacy Driver 6.3.6-3 from the official page and it fixed the issue right away. Just uninstall everything and install that version of the driver

Hello, Just passing along information. I had the same issue. After a lot (A LOT) of troubleshooting I found something that has worked for me. I am using a Cintiq 24HD on an older iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010) and after uninstalling and reinstalling all of Adobe Suite and Cintiq software and drivers...what has been working to get my Cintiq to produce good line quality is getting a new stylus. I got a Wacom Art Pen (KP701E2) from Amazon. The Cintiq 24 HD comes with a "Grip Pen". This "Art Pen" has been great. Make sure all drivers and everything is up to day. I hope you get it working!

Go to edit>preferences>Guides Grids and slices. Change the grid lines to every 1000 PIXELS and the subdivisions to 2 or less. Then even if you zoom out and snapping comes on it won't affect you and create the stepped lines that have annoyed me for the last couple of years. Try this B4 changing drivers + moving monitors etc.

I also have this problem with my Monoprice tablet. I disabled Snap and also switched the monitors to a different side. It seems to have made it a little better but it's still there. Since it's a graphics tablet monitor I think I might be SOL!

I found 'SNAP' in Photoshop was causing problems with wavy lines.   Go to 'VIEW' and then down to 'SNAP' and deselect.  This may or may not work for you, but worth a try.

This solution works on Photoshop and Sketchbook Pro both.

Right click on photoshop.exe > go to properties > select Compatibility tab> click on 'Change settings for all users'> Tick on 'Run this program in compatibility mode for:' > select your OS Win 7/8 > Tick on 'Disable Display scaling on high DPI settings' > Press ok

For me it just worked when I switched my second monitor (on the left) to the right. So I'm painting on the left monitor in the end and it somehow works. Whatever this joke of a bug is...

I found two solutions that worked for me.

1/ Calibrate the wacom again.
2/ Setting cintiq as your main monitor and then switching it back to secundary.

Worked in photoshop CC at least.

The squiggly lines were driving me crazy too. Found that when i opened the wacom tablet properties, and in the mapping section I deselected "use windows ink", this made the lines smooth again. Another observation that happens on my photoshop windows configuration is that when i have the grid line showing and i move the pen over the grid line, it makes the same squiggle. I have not heard anyone comment on that being a problem for them. So i turn the grid off when drawing and I'm fine. Hope my fixes help someone . Thank you Mkluis for starting this thread.

I have this problem but only one display. I don't get it. I'm frustrated...

I have the same issue but strangely my lines are perfect in Photoshop but squiggly in sketchbook...

IT BECAUSE PHOTOSHOP LAGS A LOT. DON'T KNOW WHY BUT WORKS AWESOME IN ILLUSTRATOR

Problema Wacom Cintiq 22HD + Mac OS X 10.9.5 con Photoshop CS6 y CC2014 (wobbly lines)

• Me acabo de comprar una tableta Cintiq 22HD. La he enchufado en un iMac (27 inch, Late 2013, 3,5 GHz Intel Core i7) con OS X 10.9.5. Al instalar los últimos drivers de Wacom disponibles en su web (WacomTablet_6.3.14-1.dmg), he comprobado que, tanto con la Cintiq como con una Intuos 3 que había conectada, al dibujar líneas finas despacio en Photoshop (CS6 y CC2014), la línea resultante es terriblemente temblona (wobbly lines). Las líneas más rápidas también quedan deformadas, incluso bajando el spacing a tope.
• Para solucionar el problema, he usado la Utilidad de Wacom (Applications > Wacom Utility > Wacom Utility) para cargarme los drivers (Tablet Software: Remove). He reiniciado.
• A continuación, he instalado los drivers más antiguos que hay en la web de Wacom (pro637-3.dmg), y eso ha solucionado el problema, tanto con la Cintiq como con la Intuos. Ahora las líneas son suaves y uniformes.

I got the same issue but i fixed this disconecting 1 of my screens, i got before 3 monitors now i just have 2.

I have the same problem and it might be because of that multiple monitor thing. The weird thing is, I only used a second monitor for like a few hours and I don't use it anymore but the problem hasn't gone away since then.
Now I don't know what to do and I hate not being able to do neat lineart.

When that happens to my cintiq i just unplug everything & connect everything again. Sometimes just the usb. But sucks that i have to do that bc it was a bit expensive for my budget.

had this problem, just fixed it, its because of multiple displays! I used to use my cintiq as a second display for my laptop, if you switch it to both displaying the same screen, it no longer wiggles!

I got lapazz tablet and same problem...

apparently this can be a multiple monitor issue but i had the same problem with only one monitor and what solved was installing a previous driver [6363].

I solved my problem by downgrading to Legacy Driver 6.36-3

I have the same thing with my intuos3 in cs6 an CC. I noticed that it's getting worse when I'm going to full screen mode and draw same ellipses.