The fastest way depends on your hardware and what you want to disable

The method to turn off your touch screen varies by whether you own a laptop with a built-in touch panel, a desktop monitor with touch capability, or a hybrid device. Some computers let you disable touch through Windows settings alone. Others require you to turn off the hardware in Device Manager. A few—particularly business laptops—have a physical button or keyboard shortcut. The right approach depends on what you're trying to accomplish: whether you want to stop accidental touches while typing, disable it temporarily, or turn it off permanently.

Start by identifying what kind of touch screen you have. If it's built into your laptop lid, you likely have a digitizer panel. If it's an external monitor you plugged in, you may be able to unplug it or disable it through display settings. Knowing which one you own will save you time, because the steps differ.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows 10 and 11 let you disable touch through Device Manager by right-clicking the touch screen driver and selecting Disable Device.
  • Some laptops have a physical button or keyboard shortcut (often Fn + a function key with a touch icon) that toggles the touch screen on and off when ready.
  • If you use an external touch monitor, unplugging it is the simplest solution; if you want to keep it plugged in but disabled, you can hide the device in Device Manager.
  • Disabling touch in Device Manager is reversible—you can re-enable it the same way if you change your mind.
  • If you cannot find a touch screen driver in Device Manager, your computer may not have a touch screen, or the driver may be bundled with another device.

Disable touch screen through Device Manager in Windows

This is the most common method and works on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Device Manager, or by typing "Device Manager" into the search box. Look for a category called Human Interface Devices and click the arrow to expand it.

Inside that category, find an entry that includes the word "Touch" in its name—it might say "HID-compliant touch screen" or list the manufacturer's name like "Synaptics TouchPad" or "ELAN Touch Screen." Right-click that entry and select Disable device. Windows will ask you to confirm. Click Yes. The touch screen will stop responding when ready.

To turn it back on later, open Device Manager again, find the same entry (it will now show a down arrow or "disabled" label), right-click it, and select Enable device. This method works whether your touch screen is built into a laptop or connected as an external monitor.

Check for a physical button or keyboard shortcut

Some laptops—particularly business models from Dell, Lenovo, and HP—have a dedicated button or keyboard combination to toggle the touch screen. Look along the edges of your keyboard or on the sides of your laptop for a button with a hand or touch icon. Press it to toggle touch on and off.

If there is no physical button, check your keyboard for a function key (F1 through F12) with a touch icon printed on it. Hold Fn and press that key. The touch screen should disable. Press it again to re-enable. Not all laptops have this feature, so if you do not see an icon, move on to the Device Manager method.

Check your laptop's manual or manufacturer support page if you are unsure. Search for your model number plus "disable touch screen" to find the exact key combination for your device.

Unplug an external touch monitor

If your touch screen is a separate monitor you plugged into your computer, the simplest solution is to disconnect it. Unplug the USB cable (or the cable carrying the touch signal) from the back of the monitor or from your computer. The touch input will stop working when ready because the hardware is no longer connected.

If you want to keep the monitor plugged in for display purposes but disable only the touch function, you can disable the touch driver in Device Manager while leaving the monitor itself active. This is useful if you use the monitor for its screen but do not want accidental touches to register.

Turn off touch through Settings (Windows 11)

Windows 11 added a quick toggle for touch in some cases. Open Settings by pressing Windows key + I. Go to Bluetooth & devices on the left, then select Touch. If your device supports it, you will see a toggle to turn touch on or off. Toggle it to Off.

This method does not work on all computers—it depends on whether your touch screen driver supports this setting. If you do not see a Touch option in Settings, use the Device Manager method instead. The Settings toggle is faster if it is available, but Device Manager is the reliable fallback.

What to do if you cannot find the touch screen driver

If you open Device Manager and do not see a touch screen listed under Human Interface Devices, your computer may not have a touch screen. Some laptops advertise touch capability but do not actually have it, or the driver may be bundled under a different name.

Try expanding the Mice and other pointing devices category—some touch drivers hide there. You can also expand Monitors to see if a touch driver is listed with your display. If you still cannot find it, search your Device Manager for the word "Touch" using Ctrl + F.

If nothing appears, your computer likely does not have touch capability. You can verify by trying to touch your screen—if nothing happens, there is no touch hardware to disable.

Re-enable your touch screen when you need it again

If you disabled touch through Device Manager, re-enabling it takes the same steps in reverse. Open Device Manager, find the touch screen driver (it will show as disabled), right-click it, and select Enable device. Windows will reinstall the driver and your touch screen will work again within seconds.

If you used a keyboard shortcut or physical button, press it again to toggle touch back on. If you unplugged an external monitor, plug it back in. There is no risk to disabling touch—it does not affect your computer's performance or any other hardware, and you can turn it back on whenever you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling the touch screen slow down my computer?

No. Disabling the touch screen driver does not affect your computer's speed, performance, or battery life. It straightforward stops the touch input from being processed. Your computer will run exactly the same whether touch is on or off.

Can I disable touch only in certain programs?

Not through Windows settings. You can disable touch for your entire computer, but you cannot turn it off for one program and keep it on for another. If you need touch disabled only while typing, disabling it in Device Manager and re-enabling it when you need it is the workaround.

What if I disabled touch and now my screen does not work at all?

You likely disabled the wrong driver. Open Device Manager again, look for any disabled devices (they will have a down arrow), and enable them one by one until your screen works. The touch screen driver and the display driver are separate—disabling touch should not affect your screen image.

Is there a way to disable touch only when I am typing?

Windows does not have a built-in setting for this. Some laptop manufacturers include software that can detect typing and pause touch input automatically—check your laptop's support page or control panel for a "palm rejection" or "typing mode" setting. If your laptop does not have this feature, you can manually disable touch in Device Manager when you plan to type and re-enable it when you are done.

Do I need to restart my computer after disabling touch?

No. Changes made in Device Manager take effect when ready. You do not need to restart your computer to disable or re-enable the touch screen.