Touchscreen laptops and PCs make using Windows 11 more intuitive—you can scroll, zoom, and tap just like on your smartphone. But what if your touch screen suddenly stops working, or it isn’t enabled by default?
Don’t worry—it’s usually just a matter of turning it on in your settings. In this quick guide, I’ll walk you through how to turn on touch screen in Windows 11 step by step.
Does Windows 11 Support Touch Screens?
Yes! Windows 11 fully supports touch-enabled devices. If your laptop or monitor has touchscreen hardware built in, the OS will detect it automatically. But sometimes the feature is disabled by default or gets turned off after updates.
How to Check If Your Device Has a Touch Screen
Before enabling it, make sure your device actually supports touch.
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Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
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Expand the Human Interface Devices section.
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Look for HID-compliant touch screen.
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If it’s listed → your device supports touch.
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If it’s missing → your laptop/monitor doesn’t have a touchscreen.
Step 1: Enable Touch Screen via Device Manager
The most common way to turn on the touch screen:
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Press Win + X and choose Device Manager.
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Expand Human Interface Devices.
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Right-click HID-compliant touch screen.
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Select Enable device.
Your touch screen should start working instantly.
Step 2: Restart Your Laptop
Sometimes, enabling the touch screen won’t take effect until you restart. So after enabling, reboot your laptop to be sure.
Step 3: Update Touch Screen Drivers
If enabling doesn’t work, outdated drivers might be the issue.
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Open Device Manager.
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Right-click HID-compliant touch screen.
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Select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers.
Windows will search and install the latest drivers.
Step 4: Check for Windows Updates
Microsoft often pushes driver fixes through Windows Update.
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Press Win + I to open Settings.
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Go to Windows Update.
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Click Check for updates and install everything available.
Step 5: Calibrate the Touch Screen (Optional)
If your touch screen feels unresponsive or inaccurate, try calibration.
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Search for Calibrate in the Start menu.
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Open Calibrate the screen for pen or touch input.
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Follow the on-screen instructions to adjust touch sensitivity.
Troubleshooting: Touch Screen Still Not Working?
If your touch screen doesn’t work even after enabling it:
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Check BIOS/UEFI settings → Some laptops let you disable touch at the firmware level.
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Uninstall and reinstall the driver → In Device Manager, right-click HID-compliant touch screen > Uninstall device, then restart.
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Hardware issue → If none of the above works, your touchscreen hardware may be faulty.
Tips for Using Touch Screen in Windows 11
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Use tablet mode (automatically activates on 2-in-1 devices).
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Enable gestures like pinch-to-zoom and three-finger swipe.
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Keep your screen clean—dust and smudges affect sensitivity.
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Use a stylus or digital pen for drawing and note-taking.
Conclusion
Turning on your touch screen in Windows 11 is usually just a matter of enabling it in Device Manager. With updated drivers and proper calibration, your touch display should work smoothly, making your laptop feel more like a tablet.
If it still doesn’t work, double-check whether your device even has touch hardware or consider a hardware issue.
FAQs
1. How do I know if my Windows 11 laptop has a touch screen?
Check in Device Manager under Human Interface Devices—if you see “HID-compliant touch screen,” your device supports it.
2. Why is the HID-compliant touch screen missing in Device Manager?
It may be hidden, disabled in BIOS, or your device simply doesn’t support touch.
3. Can I install a touch screen on a non-touch laptop?
No, touch screens require special hardware. You’d need an external touch-enabled monitor.
4. Do I need special drivers for touch screen in Windows 11?
Most drivers install automatically via Windows Update, but you can update them manually in Device Manager.
5. How do I disable the touch screen temporarily?
In Device Manager, right-click HID-compliant touch screen > Disable device.