How to enable or disable the touch screen on a laptop

Updated: 06/06/2021 past Computer Promise

Touchscreen on a laptop

A touch screen is a great option that allows you lot to utilize your finger instead of a mouse to navigate a laptop's operating system. If your laptop or Chromebook has a touch screen, it's enabled and turned on by default.

If for some reason your touch screen is not working, you tin can try turning it on manually. You can as well endeavour calibrating the touch screen if it'due south not working correctly.

If y'all want to disable the touch screen altogether, you can exercise that besides.

Choose an activeness from the list below and follow the steps to enable, calibrate, or disable the touch screen on your laptop or Chromebook.

Notation

Not all Windows laptops or Chromebooks feature a touch on screen display. Check your laptop or Chromebook specifications to decide if information technology features a touch screen display.

Note

There are no Apple tree MacBooks or desktops that back up touch on screen. The only exception is the affect bar establish on they keyboard of some MacBook Pro models.

Enable the impact screen

If the touch on screen is not working on your laptop or Chromebook, endeavor enabling it using the steps for your device.

Laptop - Windows 8 and Windows 10

  1. Open the Device Manager in Windows.
  • How to open Windows Device Managing director.
  1. Click the arrow to the left of the Human Interface Devices option in the list, to expand and bear witness the hardware devices under that section.
  2. Find and correct-click the HID-compliant touch on screen device in the list.

Annotation

If you do not find a HID-compliant impact screen entry in the Device Manager, your laptop probably does not have a touch screen display.

  1. Select the Enable device option in the pop-upwardly menu.

Enable touch screen in Windows Device Manager

Notation

If you do not run into the "Enable device" selection in the pop-upwards menu, the touch screen is already enabled.

Note

If the touch screen is not working, endeavor cleaning the screen to remove whatever dirt, dust, and fingerprints. Also, wash your easily to remove whatsoever oils, and dry out them thoroughly, then try using the touch screen again. If it still is not working, it could be defective and needs to be repaired.

Y'all tin also check the manufacturer's website to see if there are updated drivers for the bear upon screen. Run Windows Update, or download and install the latest drivers for the bear upon screen, to come across if that fixes the trouble.

Laptop - Windows 7

  1. Open up the Control Panel.
  1. Once the Command Panel is open, click the Pen and Bear on selection.
  2. In the Pen and Touch properties window, click the Touch tab.
  3. Cheque the box for the Use your finger equally an input device option.

Chromebook

Virtually Chromebooks have a keyboard shortcut to toggle bear upon screen functionality. Press Search+Shift+T to toggle the touch screen and try to enable it.

If your Chromebook does not answer to the Search+Shift+T shortcut, open the Chrome browser, type chrome://flags/#ash-debug-shortcuts in the accost bar, and enable the debugging keyboard shortcuts option. Try the Search+Shift+T shortcut once again to run across if it works.

Note

If the affect screen is not working, endeavor cleaning the Chromebook screen to remove any dirt, dust, and fingerprints. Also, launder your easily to remove whatever oils, and dry them thoroughly, then try using the bear upon screen again. If it still is non working, it could exist defective and needs to be repaired.

Calibrate the touch screen

If the bear on screen is working, only not correctly, you can try calibrating it to see if that helps fix the issue. Follow these steps to calibrate the touch screen on your laptop.

Annotation

There are no touch screen calibration options available on a Chromebook. You can endeavour installing a third-party app from the Google Play store designed to help calibrate the affect screen.

  1. Open the Control Panel.
  2. Find and click the Tablet PC Settings pick. If using the Category view in the Command Panel, it is nether the Hardware and Audio selection.
  3. In the Tablet PC Settings window, on the Display tab and nether the Display Options section, click the Calibrate button.

Calibrate touch screen in Windows

  1. Follow the instructions displayed on the screen. You are instructed to tap the crosshair icon on the screen each time information technology is displayed in different locations.

Disable the touch screen

If yous want to disable the touch screen on your laptop or Chromebook, disable it using the steps for your device.

Laptop - Windows 8 and Windows x

  1. Open the Device Manager in Windows.
  2. Click the arrow to the left of the Homo Interface Devices choice in the list, to aggrandize and bear witness the hardware devices under that department.
  3. Detect and correct-click the HID-compliant touch screen device in the listing.
  4. Select the Disable device option in the pop-upwards carte du jour.

Disable touch screen in Windows Device Manager

Annotation

If y'all practice not see the "Disable device" option in the popular-up menu, the touch screen is already disabled.

Laptop - Windows vii

  1. Open the Control Panel.
  2. In the Command Panel, click the Pen and Touch on choice.
  3. In the Pen and Touch backdrop window, click the Bear upon tab.
  4. Uncheck the box for the Utilise your finger as an input device choice.

Chromebook

Well-nigh Chromebooks have a keyboard shortcut to toggle touch screen functionality. Press Search+Shift+T to toggle the touch screen and disable it.

If your Chromebook does not respond to the Search+Shift+T shortcut, open the Chrome browser, blazon chrome://flags/#ash-debug-shortcuts in the accost bar, and enable the debugging keyboard shortcuts option. Try the Search+Shift+T shortcut again to meet if information technology works.