Buzz
Lost your stylus? Looking for a way to draw on your tablet with greater precision or struggling to use touchscreens while wearing gloves? You don’t need to spend money on a new stylus because you can easily create your own using common household items.
Steps
Understand Touchscreen Technology
Identify the type of touchscreen your device uses. There are different types, and a DIY stylus may not work on all touchscreens.
- For iPhones, iPads, Android devices, Kindles, and many other smartphones or tablets with capacitive touchscreens, these screens require a conductive material (like the human body) to register touch.
- Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Nook tablets, and some older phones or e-readers use infrared or resistive touchscreens, which only require pressure to register contact. You can use almost any object as a temporary stylus (just be careful not to scratch the screen).
Test the screen if you're unsure. Tap the screen with the pen tip. If the device responds, your screen is infrared or resistive. If nothing happens, the screen hasn't been activated.
Create a Stylus from a Sponge (for Capacitive Touchscreens)
Gather your materials. Find a dishwashing sponge (not a scouring pad) and a ballpoint pen with a removable tip.
- A cheap plastic pen works best, as long as you can pull off the plastic tip and easily remove the ink inside.
- A clear plastic pen can make it easier to see what you're doing.
Cut a piece of sponge roughly the width of the pen tip. You can estimate the size by pressing the pen tip into the sponge and marking it with a marker, or simply eyeball it.
If the sponge has a scouring side (like a Scotch-Brite sponge), cut or tear it off. Anything abrasive can scratch or damage the screen. You only need the soft foam part.
Wash and dry the sponge thoroughly. Some dishwashing sponges may still have soap residue, so be cautious by rinsing the sponge in warm water. Squeeze out all the water and let the sponge dry completely.
Remove the plastic tip and internal components of the pen, such as the ballpoint tip, ink cartridge, and spring (if it's a click pen). We only need the hollow pen casing.
- You can usually pull the tip off by hand. If it's stubborn, use a pair of needle-nose pliers.
Insert the sponge into the pen. Compress the foam to shrink it and push it into the pen casing.
Leave about 0.3-0.6 cm of the sponge sticking out from the pen tip. Use your fingers to trim and tidy any loose foam strands.
Hold the pen near the tip to ensure proper touchscreen functionality. Your finger must touch the base of the pen where it connects to the sponge. If you hold the pen too far back, the electrical current won't transfer to the foam, and the screen won't register the stylus's touch.
Create a Stylus Using Aluminum Foil (for Capacitive Touchscreens)
Gather your materials. You'll need a roll of aluminum foil (about 0.3 meters), tape or any similar adhesive, and a blunt pencil. Additionally, a sharp knife is required to sharpen the pencil.
- If you don't have a pencil, you can substitute it with a pen, chopstick, dowel—anything pen-shaped. Wooden items like pencils work best, but you'll need to shape the tip to create a flat, rounded stylus.
Use a sharp knife to flatten and blunt the pencil tip slightly. While you'll use the stylus for writing, it doesn't need to be sharp. The tip should have a flat surface with a minimum area of 4 mm, roughly the size of a pencil eraser or your fingertip. Many capacitive touchscreens won't register touches from anything smaller.
- This step isn't critical—the stylus will still work—but it allows for a more comfortable grip and natural writing angle.
- Remember: Always handle the knife carefully and cut away from your body. Never pull the knife toward yourself.
Wrap the entire pencil with at least two layers of aluminum foil. Fold the foil neatly around both ends of the pencil.
- If you're using a pen, keep the cap on while wrapping.
Smooth the foil over the flattened tip of the pencil. The tip must be flat and even, without wrinkles or bumps.
- If the tip isn't smooth, the stylus won't function properly.
Wrap a piece of tape around the middle of the pencil to secure the aluminum foil.
Cover the stylus tip with clear tape. This protects the screen from scratches caused by the foil.
Test the stylus to see if it works. If it doesn't, try flattening the tip further. Remember, the tip must be at least the size of a pencil eraser; otherwise, the touchscreen won't recognize it.
Create a Stylus Using a Wooden Chopstick (for Infrared or Resistive Touchscreens)
Gather your materials. You'll need a chopstick, sandpaper, and something to sharpen the wood. A manual pencil sharpener works best, but you can also use a sharp knife if a sharpener isn't available.
- Avoid using an electric sharpener, as it may break the chopstick.
Shape the tip of the chopstick (the smaller end used for picking up food) using a pencil sharpener. Instead of sharpening it to a fine point like a pencil, aim for a blunt tip resembling a dull pencil.
Smooth the chopstick tip with sandpaper. A sharp point could damage the touchscreen or even injure you. Use sandpaper to blunt the tip until it no longer feels painful when pressed against your skin.
- Sand down any rough edges, ensuring the stylus doesn’t break apart.
Decorate your stylus with decorative tape or paint. Adding a few colorful layers of tape can make the stylus more comfortable to hold.
- Remember: this stylus will not work on iPhones, Android devices, Kindle Fire tablets, or other devices with capacitive touchscreens.
Warning
- Exercise caution when using a knife. Always cut or carve away from your body—never pull the knife toward yourself!
What You'll Need
Create a Stylus Using Sponge
- Clean sponge
- Retractable ballpoint pen
- Scissors
Make a Stylus Using Aluminum Foil
- Aluminum foil
- Tape (clear tape, silver tape, etc.)
- Blunt pencil
- Sharp knife (optional)
Create a Stylus Using Chopsticks
- Chopsticks
- Sharp knife or manual pencil sharpener (non-electric)
- Sandpaper
- Decorative tape, paint, or markers for customization
