The touchscreen on a Windows device is usually enabled out of the box. If it isn't, enable it using the Device Manager, which is found in the Control Panel. In this guide, we show you how to turn on the touchscreen in Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7, as well as how to force Windows to check the hardware for a touchscreen, and how to update the touchscreen driver.
How to Turn On the Touchscreen in Windows 10 and 8
To enable the touchscreen in Windows 10 and 8, you need to access the Device Manager. You can access the Device Manager through the Control Panel, but it's a little faster to access it directly through the search box on the taskbar.
Select the search box on your taskbar.
Type Device Manager.
Select Device Manager.
Select the arrow next to Human Interface Devices.
Select HID-compliant touch screen.
Select Action at the top of the window.
Select Enable Device.
Verify that your touchscreen works.
If the touchscreen has been disabled on your Windows 10 tablet, you need to connect a USB keyboard and mouse to turn it back on.
How to Force Windows to Check for a Touchscreen
If you don't see an entry for an HID-compliant touchscreen in your Device Manager, there are two possible causes. The first is that Windows doesn't realize you have a touchscreen, which can be fixed by scanning for hardware changes. The other is that you don't have a touchscreen.
If your touchscreen has never worked, and you don't see a listing for an HID-compliant touchscreen, contact the manufacturer of your device. Provide them with the product number, and they can tell you if your device should have a touchscreen. Many laptop product lines include similar versions with and without touchscreens.
If you're sure that your device is supposed to have a touchscreen, here's how to force Windows to check for it:
If the Device Manager isn't open, select the search box on your taskbar, type Device Manager, and then click Device Manager to open it.
Select the arrow next to Human Interface Devices to expand the list, and verify that you don't see HID-compliant touchscreen.
Select Action on the toolbar.
Select Scan for hardware changes.
Select the Human Interface Devices list to see if HID-compliant touchscreen is there.
If the Windows hardware wizard finds your touchscreen, check to see if it works. If it doesn't, proceed to the next section to check for driver updates.
If it doesn't find your touchscreen, you may have a hardware problem, or your device may not have a touchscreen at all.
How to Update Your Touchscreen Driver
In some cases, you may have a touchscreen that doesn't work even after you have enabled it. If you can see a listing for an HID-compliant touch screen in your Device Manager, and your touchscreen still doesn't work after you enable it, you may have a driver or hardware problem.
In situations where a touchscreen doesn't work due to a driver issue, you can typically fix it by updating the driver, running Windows Update, or contacting the manufacturer of your computer for any special instructions or update tools.
Here's how to update your touchscreen driver:
If the Device Manager isn't open, select the search box on your taskbar, type Device Manager, and then select Device Manager to open it.
Select the arrow next to Human Interface Devices to expand the list.
Right-click HID-compliant touch screen.
Select Update Driver.
Select Search automatically for updated driver software.
If the driver update wizard finds a new driver, install it.
Check to see if your touchscreen works.
If your touchscreen still doesn't work, run Windows Update.
How to Enable a Touchscreen on Windows 7
Touchscreens work differently in Windows 7 than in later versions of Windows. If you have Windows 7, enable your touchscreen through the Pen and Touch menu instead of the Device Manager. This menu can be accessed through the Control Panel.
Select the Start button.
Select Control Panel.
Select Pen and Touch.
Select the Touch tab.
Select the box next to Use your finger as an input device.
The box needs to be checked for the touchscreen to work. If it's already checked, and your touchscreen doesn't work, you may have a hardware or driver problem.
Verify that your touchscreen works.
Do You Need a Touchscreen in Windows 10?
No, Windows 10 laptops and 2-in-1 devices technically don't need a touchscreen. That means you can run into situations where you find that the touchscreen is disabled. Disabling the touchscreen can prevent unintentional inputs, like clicking on things you didn't mean to click on, so some people opt to do without this feature.
The main reason to enable a touchscreen on a Windows 10 device is that it can make it easier to accomplish some tasks because tapping on the screen typically takes less time than moving the mouse around and clicking with a small trackpad.
In some cases, a touchscreen and compatible pen device can allow you to use your Windows 10 laptop, 2-in-1, or tablet in the same way that you would use a drawing tablet. If you do any kind of graphic design work, this is a great way to get additional functionality out of a touchscreen-enabled Windows 10 device.
FAQ
How to install the Lenovo touchpad driver?
To install the Lenovo touchpad driver, open Device Manager, then go to the Mice and other pointing devices section and uninstall the driver. Next, restart the PC, navigate to the Lenovo support site and download the driver. Restart the PC again.
How can I make my Chromebook a touchscreen?
To turn on Chromebook touchscreen, press Search+Shift+T. If the touchscreen toggle isn't available on your Chromebook, navigate to chrome://flags/#ash-debug-shortcuts and enable Debugging keyboard shortcuts.
Select the arrow next to Human Interface Devices and then select HID-compliant touch screen . (There may be more than one listed.)
Select the Action tab at the top of the window. Select Disable device or Enable device, and then confirm. If there's more than one HID-compliant touchscreen device listed, perform steps 2–3 for that one too.