We designed Nexus Pen to be ready in minutes, not hours. No drivers. No desktop software. No complicated pairing ritual. Here's the complete setup guide from the moment you open the box.
What's in the Box
- 1x Nexus Pen Donna (with ink cartridge installed)
- 1x USB-C charging cable
- 2x replacement ink cartridges
- 1x quick start card
The pen ships with a partial charge — enough to get through setup. We recommend doing a full charge before your first extended session.
Step 1: Download the Nexus Pen App (1 minute)
Search "Nexus Pen" in the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android). Install the app — it's free. The app is required for initial setup and handles your account, conversation history, and mode settings.
If you prefer, you can also create your account at nexuspen.org/account first and then sign in on the app.
Step 2: Create Your Account (1 minute)
Open the app and tap "Create Account." Enter your email and set a password. You'll receive a verification email — tap the link in it and you're in. No phone number required. No credit card at signup.
You'll start on the Free plan automatically. You can upgrade at any time from the Settings tab.
Step 3: Power On the Pen (10 seconds)
Hold the top button (Button A) for 2 seconds. The OLED display will light up with the Nexus Pen logo, then show "Donna Ready." The pen emits a short startup chime through the built-in speaker.
If the display doesn't turn on, charge the pen for 15 minutes via USB-C and try again.
Step 4: Connect via Bluetooth (1 minute)
In the Nexus Pen app, tap the Bluetooth icon in the top right corner. The app will scan for nearby devices. You'll see "Nexus Pen Donna" appear in the list — tap it to connect. The pen will vibrate once and the display will show "Connected."
Your phone's Bluetooth must be enabled. You do not need to pair through your phone's system Bluetooth settings — the app handles everything.
Once paired, the pen remembers your phone. Future connections are automatic when the app is open and Bluetooth is on.
Step 5: Ask Your First Question (30 seconds)
Press and hold Button A (the top button) on the pen. You'll hear a brief tone and see "Listening..." on the OLED display. Speak your question clearly — try something simple like "What is photosynthesis?" or "Explain the Pythagorean theorem."
Release the button. Donna will process your question (usually 1–3 seconds) and respond both through the pen's speaker and as text on the OLED display. The full response also appears in the app's conversation history.
That's it. You're set up.
Understanding the Three Buttons
- Button A (top) — Press and hold to talk to Donna. Short press to scroll through OLED display content.
- Button B (middle) — Volume up. Hold to increase volume incrementally.
- Button C (bottom) — Volume down. Hold to decrease volume. Short press to mute/unmute.
Choosing Your Mode
Donna operates in five modes, each optimized for a different use case. You can switch modes from the app's home screen or by saying "Donna, switch to [mode name]."
- Answer Mode (Free) — Fast, direct answers to any question. Best for quick lookups.
- School Mode (Free) — Academic focus. Explains concepts clearly, walks through problems step by step, encourages active thinking.
- Research Mode (Plus/Pro) — Deeper analysis, citing reasoning, structured responses for complex topics.
- Creative Mode (Plus/Pro) — Brainstorming, writing feedback, ideation support.
- Language Mode (Plus/Pro) — Translation, grammar correction, language learning support.
Volume and Display Settings
Volume persists between sessions — set it once and it stays. The OLED display brightness adjusts automatically based on ambient light. You can manually adjust display settings from the app under Settings > Pen Settings.
Troubleshooting Tips
Pen won't connect: Close and reopen the app. Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your phone. If still not connecting, hold all three buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds to reset the BLE pairing, then reconnect.
No audio from the pen: Check that volume is above zero (Button B to increase). Make sure the pen is connected in the app — audio requires an active BLE connection.
OLED display shows "No Signal": The pen is powered on but not connected to the app. Open the app and tap the Bluetooth icon to reconnect.
Donna gives a short response and stops: You may be in Answer Mode. Switch to School Mode or Research Mode for longer, more detailed responses.
Pen not charging: Try a different USB-C cable. The pen uses standard USB-C power delivery — any 5V USB-C charger works.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Day One
- Use Nexus Pen while writing notes, not after. The workflow is: write, encounter something you don't understand, ask immediately.
- Ask follow-up questions. You can ask "wait, explain that part about mitosis again" and Donna will re-explain with different framing.
- Set a study streak goal in the app. Even 15 minutes per day compounds quickly over a semester.
- Try Language Mode if you're bilingual — it handles code-switching naturally and won't penalize you for mixing languages in a question.