Wacom Tablets under FreeBSD

These instructions are correct as of FreeBSD 13.

  • multimedia/webcamd (v3.9.0.5 or newer)
  • x11/libwacom
  • x11-drivers/xf86-input-wacom
  • x11-servers/xorg-server (need HAL support 1))

In /boot/loader.conf, add:

cuse_load="YES"

In /etc/rc.conf, add:

webcamd_enable="YES"

Note: Older FreeBSD versions may have additionally required:

devd_enable="YES"
hald_enable="YES"

Restart devd, and add your user to the webcamd group:

# service devd restart
# pw groupmod webcamd -m <username>

At this point you may need to disconnect and reconnect your tablet.

Disconnecting during an X session can cause issues. It is recommended to disconnect and reconnect your tablet after exiting X Windows.

Some Wacom devices, such as displays, may not function correctly in multiple monitor configurations unless explicitly mapped to themselves:

Identify Wacom device port and number with xrandr(1)

xrandr --listactivemonitors

Identify Wacom Device ID the id of your tablet or pen using xinput(1):

xinput

Map Wacom input Device ID to output device:

xinput map-to-output $Device_ID $Output_Device

Repeat the xinput command for each Wacom Device ID found



1)
Outdated? See: https://svnweb.freebsd.org/changeset/ports/526589 “Support for the HAL backend is dropped completely, it has been deprecated for a long time. Update and improve the DEVD backend”
  • wacomtablet.txt
  • Last modified: 2026/10/12 10:55
  • (external edit)