The 2.1.6 drivers *should* automatically create entries for the macOS Privacy settings as shown below in the original post, but you'll want to make sure they are checked, and your tablet will not work until you restart your Mac. On restart you'll likely see a bunch of privacy/security pop-ups and you need to authorize all of them.
Both I and one of my friends own the same model XP-PEN Artist 15.6 display tablet and M1 Macs. It's a nice tablet for the money but the support for Mac users is terrible, especially since the M1 "Apple Silicon" chip was introduced. The tablet itself is actually made by Ugee and I think XP-PEN is just one of many "brands" the same tablets are sold under (their websites have the same layout, the driver files are the same versions, the interface for their preferences app is the same, they just swap out some images).
So, anyway, the "New UI" version 3.x drivers are garbage. They absolutely do NOT work. Version 3.0.5 would at least detect the tablet if you unplugged it and plugged it back in, though you couldn't configure the pen or the Express Keys as none of the sections would appear in the left-hand column of the preferences app. The versions after that won't detect the tablet at all.
I'm using the USB-C to USB-A + HDMI cable that came with my tablet because I'm mirroring my primary display to the tablet through an HDMI splitter. I haven't tried connecting my display tablet with a USB-C cable, but from what I've read on their forums and Reddit, it doesn't sound like that would make any difference.
The (as of this writing) current 2.1.8.2 drivers are listed as the "Official" ones on XP-PEN's website, and if you have an M1 Mac they will get you up and running, but you won't be able to assign your Express Keys. There's a bug in those drivers that won't let you reassign them properly and I doubt they'll ever fix it because they've moved on to developing their worthless 3.x drivers.
The Express Keys bug was also present in 2.1.7 version of the drivers and a different bug was present in the 2.1.6 drivers. The 2.1.6 will let you reassign the functions of the keys, but they were inconsistent in actually working. When yo press one it displays a message across the bottom of the screen confirming not only that the button was pushed by tells you in bright green lettering what it's supposed to do. Except on a M1 Mac it wouldn't always actually do it (the drivers seem to work fine on my Intel Mac).
XP-PEN frustratingly does not provide an archive of older versions of their drivers. And, no, you can't get them through the Internet Archive Wayback Machine either. Thankfully between three computers I had installers for several different older versions.
Your settings should now be usable with your tablet. When you press one of the Express Keys on the tablet you should see a gray bar across the bottom of the screen with text telling you what action is assigned to that button.
When you re-open the settings app be aware you may need to select your tablet from the drop-down list at the top before it will actually load your custom settings. I had made my pen pressure softer but when I reopened the settings app it wasn't showing the curve I'd set for the pen, but after selecting "Artist 15.6" from the list at the top it loaded my settings. They seem to be persistent after that, but if they revert to showing defaults I'd try selecting the tablet in the drop-down first, just to see if your custom settings load.
This WILL fix your issue assigning the Express Keys custom functions. Whether using these old drivers ends up causing you other problems I can't say.
I am hoping the Adobe community can help me with this issue. Wacom support is very poor and has only provided the answer that my problem is an Adobe issue. Here is the background on my problem. I am running current version of 2017.0.1 for PS. I have Windows 7 Ultimate as my OS. On 12.16.16, Adobe pushed out a CC update to Photoshop. Since then, the express keys and radial dial on my Wacom Intuos5 tablet have not worked in PS even though under the tablet properties it shows configured correctly with the express key shortcuts I want. I currently have the driver 6.3.15-3 installed for the tablet. I have not upgraded to the latest driver of 6.3.19-3 simply because when I attempted this, the tablet did not work at all in any Adobe program. I then rolled back to the previous driver of 6.15.3-3 on the tablet. The plot thickens! The tablet works flawlessly with Adobe Lightroom. Illustrator and Premiere Pro. All the programmed express keys do what they are supposed to do. Photoshop is the only program it does not work in. I am inclined to believe that this is and Adobe issue with the latest CC update or PS simply because PS seems to be the only program affected from Adobe. I have read countless threads here on previous versions of PS CC and Wacom tablet compatibility, but nothing specific for 2017 CC. Some threads were informative and others remain unanswered. I am hoping that Adobe can provide some answers and assistance. Is there any update coming to fix this? Any suggestions on how to resolve the express key dilemma currently?
That file "PSUserConfig.txt" is copied into your User ID Photoshop Preferences for each creative Cloud version version of Photoshop that can use Microsoft INK Interface for Pen support to use WinTab API instead. It does not need to be in older version of Photoshop older versions like CS2 only support Wintab API. I do not use that file on my Microsoft Surface Pro 3 where I may use my Wacom Intuos Pro or Surface Pro 3 Pen. Windows 10 has some Pen and Touch support the I do not remember Windows
There are many threads on Problem with Wacom Tablets. There are many OS version, many Photoshop versions and many Wacom driver versions. Depending on what software you have installed there are Operating System settings that need to be set, Photoshop Settings the need to be set and Wacom setting that need be set so everything works together in a useable way. Some things like double click distance may not seem important but with Photoshop Brushes and Wacom pen it is best to be set to off. I have many version of Photoshop installed including CS2. Old versions of Photoshop only support the Wacom pen using Wintab API for communication. So I configure Wacom drivers not to use Microsoft INK api for Photoshop and configure all versions to use Wintab APD when communicating the wacom pen. I now use windows 10 and there are setting the control panel Pen and touch, and mouse panels the need to be set from their default settings. I'm posting what seem to work for me. I have Window 10 and Photoshop CS2, CS6, CC, CC 2014, CC 2015, CC 2015.5 and CC 2017 installed. All version of Photoshop have bugs. Also if you set a large brush tip, Spacing 1% there will be brush lag. Make it a wet mixer brush and you will thing Photoshop is using slow motion.
Many thanks for the very detailed response JJMack. It is good to know that there have been issues with all versions of PS with the Wacom tablet. I appreciate you posting your settings and this gives me a baseline to start troubleshooting further. If I may ask the question, I see you have written something in Notepad. Did you alter any of the config settings by adding this to a file? If so, where did put this over ride so to speak?
That file "PSUserConfig.txt" is copied into your User ID Photoshop Preferences for each creative Cloud version version of Photoshop that can use Microsoft INK Interface for Pen support to use WinTab API instead. It does not need to be in older version of Photoshop older versions like CS2 only support Wintab API. I do not use that file on my Microsoft Surface Pro 3 where I may use my Wacom Intuos Pro or Surface Pro 3 Pen. Windows 10 has some Pen and Touch support the I do not remember Windows 7 having. Top Window File Explorer capture shows where the Creative cloud versions of Photoshop stores User Preferences. The Bottom File Explorer show where Older versions of Photoshop Stores User Preferences you can see my CS2 setting there. CC 2017 outlined in Green. All Photoshop versions in Red. I never installed CS3 version 10, CS4 version 11 or CS5 version 12 on this machine.
I have not installed the latest Wacom Driver yet. If toy add the PSUserConfig.txt to your Photoshop Preferences. You must also uncheck Use Window in your Wacom Tablet Preferences for Photoshop pen mapping so Wacom will use WinTab APIs with Photoshop. I will install the latest drivers to see ir Pen pressures still works for me. I'll let you know. Check you configuration files. PS and Wacom.
Yes, I've edited my post earlier I found the solution exactly as You said it
The biggest issue here is Express keys not working (also Pen settings). It seems as if Wacom does not recognize Photoshop app is active. As I said I've tried even manual adding of Photoshop.exe to properties, but no luck
If you have altered any of the pen or ExpressKey settings, save a backup of your customised device settings to the Wacom Cloud or onto your computer. An accessible local backup file may be useful later.
If everything works after resetting, but the problem reappears after restoring them, re-create your settings manually. Test the problem function frequently while you do this. If it is working, make a backup. This way you will discover if it is a specific problem setting, and won't have to start again from square one!
For me resetting tablet preferences helped, but restoring them messed up Photoshop again (neither express keys nor pen recognized Ps is active). So I've reset preferences again and started adding back manually app by app starting from Photoshop and so far all works well. Added back already Ps, Lr, Chrome and Thunderbird. It's a shame I have to create panels all over again, but at least it works as supposed to.
I have had that happen to me. I had to remove all my Wacom preferences and delete all the one I save and start from Wacom defaults. Have not had to do that though with many of the latest Wacom drivers. I think there may have been compatibility issues between drivers in the past.
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