The Tool Desk
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To use the Moto G Stylus pen, remove it from an unlocked phone to open the stylus menu, then choose a note, Screenshot, or another shortcut. You can also write in Moto Note, convert handwriting to typed text in supported keyboard languages, and use pen clicks for certain app actions on supported models. The exact menu, lock-screen behavior, and quick actions vary by Moto G Stylus generation and software version, so check your model before relying on a particular shortcut.
What can the Moto G Stylus pen do?
The pen is both a writing tool and a way to reach shortcuts. On supported phones, removing it while the phone is unlocked opens a customizable stylus menu. From there, you can start a note, capture a screenshot, launch an app shortcut, or adjust shortcuts and stylus settings. Some models also recognize clicks or a press-and-hold in particular apps.
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The most useful distinction is between features that start from the stylus menu and actions that depend on a specific model and app. Moto Note and Screenshot are menu options described in Motorola’s stylus guidance; camera, media, brush, and eraser controls are documented only for models with Smart Stylus actions. Menu labels and settings paths can also change between model years and software versions.
How do I open the stylus menu?
On a supported model, remove the pen while the phone is unlocked. Motorola says the menu appears with quick-access tools; tapping elsewhere collapses it into a movable bubble.
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- Unlock the phone.
- Remove the stylus from its slot. Give the phone a moment to show the stylus menu.
- Tap the shortcut you want. To dismiss the expanded menu without choosing an item, tap elsewhere; the menu becomes a movable bubble.
The menu can include a new-note shortcut, Screenshot, an app shortcut, and controls for changing shortcuts and stylus settings. The available items can vary, so treat the icons actually shown on your phone as the reliable list for that device. If you want a shortcut you do not see, look in the stylus menu’s shortcut controls or Stylus settings rather than assuming every generation has the same menu.
What happens when the phone is locked?
Motorola’s 2024 and 2025 instructions say that on the models covered by those instructions, removing the pen while the phone is locked opens Moto Note for a quick note without first unlocking. This is not established as a universal behavior for every Moto G Stylus, and it differs from the unlocked-phone workflow, which opens the stylus menu.
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Tap the note shortcut in the stylus menu to start a note in Moto Note. You can also open Moto Note separately to create, edit, and share notes.
- With the phone unlocked, remove the stylus to open the menu.
- Tap the note shortcut. Moto Note opens a new note for you to write in.
- When you need to return to the note later, open Moto Note directly to create another note, edit an existing one, or share a note.
If your model supports opening Moto Note from the lock screen, removing the pen while locked is a faster route for capturing a quick thought. Motorola documents that behavior for its 2024/2025 instructions; if removal does not open a note on your phone, unlock it and use the menu instead.
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Can I write on a Moto G Stylus screen?
You can use the pen to write notes in Moto Note. For writing in other apps’ text fields, the relevant feature is keyboard handwriting input: write with the pen in the keyboard’s handwriting layout, and the phone converts the writing into typed text at the cursor. That is different from annotating an image or screenshot, which uses the editor’s drawing tools.
How do I turn handwriting into text?
Enable the handwriting layout for the language selected in the onscreen keyboard, then write in a text field with the pen. The keyboard converts handwriting to typed text at the current cursor position.
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- Open the keyboard’s language settings and enable a handwriting layout for the language you want to use.
- Return to the text field and select the keyboard’s handwriting layout.
- Write with the stylus; the recognized text is inserted at the cursor.
Handwriting input is only available for languages that have a handwriting layout. If you cannot find the layout, check the selected keyboard language first; changing an unrelated stylus setting will not add handwriting support for a language without that layout.
How do I take a screenshot with the Moto G Stylus pen?
Open the stylus menu from the screen you want to capture and tap Screenshot. Motorola also documents three-finger capture and the Screenshot control in recent apps as alternatives.
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- Navigate to the screen you want to capture.
- Remove the stylus to open the menu, if it is not already open.
- Tap Screenshot. After the capture, choose an available action such as editing, sharing, sending the image to Google Lens, or deleting it.
To find saved screenshots, open Photos > Collections > Screenshots. Motorola’s guidance also lists three-finger capture and the Screenshot control in recent apps, which are useful alternatives if the stylus menu is not available or you prefer not to use the pen.
Can I write or draw on a screenshot?
Yes. After capture, the screenshot editor supports cropping, drawing or highlighting, erasing, undo, and redo before you save. Use those tools to mark up the image, then save or choose another available action such as sharing or sending it to Google Lens.
How do I take a scrolling screenshot?
Start a capture with Screenshot, then choose the long or scrolling capture option after the initial screenshot. Motorola documents this as an after-capture option; the precise on-screen controls can vary by phone and software version.
Which quick actions can the stylus perform?
On models with Smart Stylus actions, click behavior depends on both the active app and the action Motorola assigns to it. These controls are not guaranteed across all Moto G Stylus generations.
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| App or context | Single click | Double click | Press and hold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camera | Take a photo, or start/stop video | Switch between front and rear cameras | Not stated in Motorola’s documented mappings |
| Media | Play or pause | Play the next song | Not stated in Motorola’s documented mappings |
| Moto Note, Coloring Book, or Screen Editor | Switch between the current and last-used brush | Not stated in Motorola’s documented mappings | Use the eraser in Moto Note and Coloring Book |
These are app-specific mappings rather than universal pen buttons. For example, the documented press-and-hold eraser applies to Moto Note and Coloring Book, not Screen Editor. If a click does nothing, first make sure the phone and app are among those supporting Smart Stylus actions; do not assume the same gesture will work in another app.
How do I customize the menu or fix a pen shortcut that is missing?
Start with the stylus menu’s shortcut controls or the phone’s Stylus settings. Motorola’s support instructions describe enabling the menu in Stylus settings, but the exact settings path varies by generation.
- Remove the pen fully and reinsert it, then remove it again while the phone is unlocked.
- If the menu still does not appear, open the phone’s Stylus settings and check that the stylus menu is enabled. The menu location and setting labels depend on the model and software version.
- If the menu opens but lacks a desired shortcut, use its controls for changing shortcuts and stylus settings, if available on your model.
- If the issue is handwriting rather than the menu, check the selected keyboard language and whether its handwriting layout is enabled.
- If you need a screenshot before fixing the menu, use three-finger capture or the Screenshot control in recent apps, then look in Photos > Collections > Screenshots.
For model-specific steps, identify the model year and software version shown under Settings > About phone. That matters because Motorola’s support pages cover multiple Moto G Stylus generations and do not establish one settings path or set of pen actions for all of them.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How can I tell which instructions apply to my phone?
Check the model and software version under Settings > About phone, then treat support steps and gestures as model-specific unless they match your device. The key differences to check are whether pen removal from the lock screen opens Moto Note, which shortcuts appear in the menu, whether the keyboard offers handwriting for your language, and whether Smart Stylus camera or media actions are supported.
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- Lock-screen note: The documented quick-note behavior applies to the models covered by Motorola’s 2024/2025 instructions, not necessarily every generation.
- Stylus menu: Menu contents and its settings path can vary; use the actual controls on your phone as the guide.
- Handwriting: Availability depends on the selected keyboard language having a handwriting layout.
- Quick actions: Camera, media, brush, and eraser mappings require a supported model and, for several mappings, a specific app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do Moto G Stylus screenshots go?
Motorola’s screenshot instructions point to Photos > Collections > Screenshots. If the capture is not there, first confirm that the screenshot action completed and check the Screenshots collection rather than looking among notes.
Can I use a stylus shortcut in any app?
No. The menu can include an app shortcut, while Smart Stylus click mappings are documented for particular apps and supported models. A gesture that works in Camera or Moto Note should not be assumed to work in an unrelated app.
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Does every Moto G Stylus have the same pen actions?
Motorola’s guidance covers several generations, and the supported shortcuts and gestures differ by model and software. Confirm the model and software version under Settings > About phone before relying on a particular behavior.
Can I use handwriting input in every language?
No. The keyboard only offers handwriting input for languages with a handwriting layout. Availability is determined by the selected keyboard language, not simply by having a stylus.
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