How to Turn On Your Touch Screen on Windows 10 Without Device Manager
Is your Windows 10 laptop or tablet’s touch screen not responding, and Device Manager isn’t helping? It’s pretty frustrating, isn’t it? The good news is, there are other ways to get your touch working again without pulling your hair out. Just head over to the Control Panel and check your drivers. Here’s what to do.
Finding the Control Panel
First, you’ll need to open the Control Panel. It can be trickier than it sounds sometimes. The quickest way is to click on the search bar near the start menu and type “Control Panel,” or press Windows + R, type control, and press Enter. The Control Panel acts as the central hub for many system settings, and it’s a handy place to start.
Pen and Touch Settings
Once inside — navigate to the Hardware and Sound section. Find and click on Pen and Touch. To save a few clicks, you can also open it directly by pressing main.cpl in the Run dialog (Windows + R). This setting controls how Windows handles touch input, so it’s worth taking a look here.
Activating Touch
In the “Pen and Touch” window, select the “Touch” tab. Make sure the box labelled “Use your finger as an input device” is checked. Sometimes, updates or glitches can switch this off without you noticing — so double-checking can do wonders for restoring touch functionality.
Oddly enough, if that checkbox doesn’t stay checked after restarting, it might be a glitch. Just check it again after a reboot.
Driver Updates Matter
Next, it’s vital to keep your drivers up-to-date. Instead of messing around with Device Manager, go to Settings, then to Update & Security, and click on Windows Update. Hit Check for updates and see what’s available. For the most recent drivers, head directly to your device manufacturer’s website and download the latest versions. Sometimes, this simple step fixes the issue outright, but be prepared for it to take a couple of tries — patience is key.
powershell -Command "Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | Where-Object { $_.DeviceName -like '*touch*' }"
If you’re still hunting for the right driver, this PowerShell command can show you what touch-related drivers are installed—very handy!
Restart to Apply Changes
After making these changes, give your device a restart. Often, a quick reboot kicks everything into gear. Just press Windows + X, select Shut down or sign out, then click Restart. Once it’s back on, test the touch screen. Many users find that simply restarting can do the trick.
Other Quick Tips for Touch Screen Activation
Make sure your Windows OS is fully updated, too. Manufacturers often release updates that iron out bugs and improve compatibility. If the touch screen still won’t respond, visit your device’s support page for any recent driver updates—these can sometimes resolve issues that Windows alone can’t fix. Also, don’t forget to try the built-in troubleshooting tools: go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters. These automated tools may detect and fix the problem for you.
If it’s still not working, there might be a hardware fault. Remember to back up your files regularly, just in case you need to perform a reset or other repairs.
Answers to Common Touch Screen Questions
Why doesn’t Device Manager show my touch screen?
Sometimes, Device Manager might overlook hardware issues or not display certain devices if drivers are mismatched or missing. It’s a bit of a pain, but checking the Control Panel settings can often bypass these hiccups.
What if my touch screen still doesn’t work?
If you’ve tried everything and it’s still dead, ensure your Windows is fully up-to-date. Also, some devices require specific drivers from the manufacturer—so check their support pages for the latest downloads.
Are third-party tools needed to fix touch features?
Generally not. Windows handles touch input quite well on its own. Using third-party tools may just introduce unnecessary complications or conflicts, which you’ll want to avoid.
Will enabling the touch screen slow my system down?
Nope, turning on the touch feature usually doesn’t affect performance. If your system starts lagging, it might be due to outdated drivers or background processes. Keeping everything updated helps ensure smooth operation.
Can I disable the touch screen if I want to?
Absolutely. You can turn it off through the same “Pen and Touch” settings—just uncheck the box. For those comfortable with command lines, there’s also a PowerShell command:
Disable-PnpDevice -FriendlyName "*touch*" -Confirm:$false
This will completely disable the touch hardware.
Wrapping It All Up
Getting your touch screen working again on Windows 10 without using Device Manager isn’t as tricky as it seems. Just open the Control Panel, keep your drivers updated, and a simple restart often does the trick. Understanding how the system handles touch input can save you time and frustration in the long run.
- Open Control Panel.
- Navigate to Hardware and Sound.
- Enable touch in Pen and Touch.
- Keep your drivers up-to-date.
- Restart your device to apply changes.
Hopefully, this saves someone from a lot of fuss down the track.