How to enable or disable the touch screen on a laptop

Updated: 06/06/2021 past Computer Hope

Touchscreen on a laptop

A impact screen is a great option that allows you to use your finger instead of a mouse to navigate a laptop's operating arrangement. 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 can try turning information technology on manually. You can also try calibrating the touch screen if it's not working correctly.

If you want to disable the touch screen birthday, you can do that also.

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

Note

Non all Windows laptops or Chromebooks characteristic a touch screen display. Check your laptop or Chromebook specifications to determine if it features a touch on screen display.

Note

There are no Apple MacBooks or desktops that back up touch on screen. The but exception is the bear on bar constitute on they keyboard of some MacBook Pro models.

Enable the touch screen

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

Laptop - Windows 8 and Windows 10

  1. Open up the Device Manager in Windows.
  • How to open up 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 right-click the HID-compliant impact screen device in the list.

Notation

If you exercise not observe a HID-compliant impact screen entry in the Device Manager, your laptop probably does non have a bear on screen display.

  1. Select the Enable device option in the pop-up bill of fare.

Enable touch screen in Windows Device Manager

Annotation

If you exercise not see the "Enable device" choice in the pop-up menu, the touch screen is already enabled.

Annotation

If the touch on screen is not working, try cleaning the screen to remove any dirt, dust, and fingerprints. Also, wash your easily to remove any oils, and dry them thoroughly, then try using the bear on screen again. If it still is not working, information technology could be defective and needs to be repaired.

Yous can besides check the manufacturer'southward website to meet if there are updated drivers for the touch screen. Run Windows Update, or download and install the latest drivers for the touch screen, to see if that fixes the problem.

Laptop - Windows vii

  1. Open the Control Console.
  1. Once the Command Panel is open, click the Pen and Touch selection.
  2. In the Pen and Affect backdrop window, click the Touch tab.
  3. Check the box for the Utilize your finger equally an input device option.

Chromebook

Most Chromebooks accept a keyboard shortcut to toggle touch screen functionality. Press Search+Shift+T to toggle the impact screen and attempt to enable it.

If your Chromebook does not respond to the Search+Shift+T shortcut, open the Chrome browser, type chrome://flags/#ash-debug-shortcuts in the address bar, and enable the debugging keyboard shortcuts choice. Attempt the Search+Shift+T shortcut again to see if it works.

Note

If the touch screen is not working, effort cleaning the Chromebook screen to remove any dirt, dust, and fingerprints. Likewise, wash your hands to remove any oils, and dry them thoroughly, then try using the affect screen over again. If it all the same is not working, it could exist defective and needs to be repaired.

Calibrate the impact screen

If the touch screen is working, but non correctly, you can try calibrating information technology to see if that helps fix the outcome. Follow these steps to calibrate the touch screen on your laptop.

Notation

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

  1. Open the Control Panel.
  2. Discover and click the Tablet PC Settings option. If using the Category view in the Control Panel, it is nether the Hardware and Sound option.
  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. Y'all are instructed to tap the crosshair icon on the screen each time it is displayed in different locations.

Disable the touch on screen

If you desire to disable the bear upon screen on your laptop or Chromebook, disable it using the steps for your device.

Laptop - Windows 8 and Windows 10

  1. Open up the Device Manager in Windows.
  2. Click the arrow to the left of the Human Interface Devices option in the list, to expand and show the hardware devices under that department.
  3. Discover and right-click the HID-compliant touch screen device in the list.
  4. Select the Disable device option in the pop-up bill of fare.

Disable touch screen in Windows Device Manager

Note

If y'all do not come across the "Disable device" choice in the pop-up menu, the touch screen is already disabled.

Laptop - Windows 7

  1. Open the Control Panel.
  2. In the Control Panel, click the Pen and Bear on option.
  3. In the Pen and Bear upon properties window, click the Touch on tab.
  4. Uncheck the box for the Employ your finger every bit an input device selection.

Chromebook

Most 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 up the Chrome browser, type chrome://flags/#ash-debug-shortcuts in the accost bar, and enable the debugging keyboard shortcuts pick. Try the Search+Shift+T shortcut once again to see if it works.