How to Enable or Disable the Touch Screen in Windows

Many Windows laptops, 2-in-1 devices, and tablets have touchscreen functionality built into them, offering benefits such as enhanced productivity, improved accessibility, and intuitive interaction with the OS. However, administrators may want to disable it in specific scenarios, such as kiosk setups and shared-use systems, or to prevent accidental input during remote desktop sessions or presentations.

To help IT professionals and power users manage this functionality, this article will discuss how to enable or disable touch screens in Windows using Device Manager, PowerShell, and registry workarounds for manual and enterprise-level deployment.

How to enable or disable your computer’s touch screen

If you have an HID-compliant touch device, you can use various methods to turn its touchscreen functionality on or off, from accessing Device Manager to deploying PowerShell scripts.

Note: Administrator privileges are required for every method. The following methods work across both Windows 10 and Windows 11, with only minor differences in UI appearance. However, users on Windows 10 should ensure they are running PowerShell version 5.1 or later.

If you PowerShell Version is below 5.1 here’s a comprehensive guide: How to Update PowerShell to Version 5.1

Method 1: Disable or enable via Device Manager (GUI)

Using the Device Manager is the most direct method that you can use, allowing for visual confirmation of the changed setting. It is best for single-device users and helpdesk technicians who are performing manual troubleshooting. This method also works immediately, so a reboot is not necessary to see the change.

1. Press Windows key + X or right-click the Start button to open the Quick Link menu and select Device Manager.
2. Find and expand Human Interface Devices.
3. Right-click the HID-compliant touch screen entry.
4. Select Disable device to turn off an enabled touch-screen feature, or select Enable device if it’s disabled and you want to turn it on.
5. Click Yes in the pop-up window to confirm the changes.

Method 2: Disable or enable via PowerShell (for single-touch devices)

Note: These PowerShell commands work on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Ensure your device is running PowerShell 5.1 or newer for full compatibility. Here’s how you can check your PowerShell Version.

This scriptable method is ideal for automation and remote support. It is useful for IT administrators who are concerned with repetitive tasks and policy-based management.

1. Open an elevated PowerShell. Press Windows key + R, type “powershell,” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
2. Copy and paste the appropriate command before hitting Enter:

To disable the touch screen device:

Get-PnpDevice -FriendlyName “HID-compliant touch screen” | Disable-PnpDevice -Confirm:$false

To enable the touch screen device:

Get-PnpDevice -FriendlyName “HID-compliant touch screen” | Enable-PnpDevice -Confirm:$false

These precise commands will directly search for the plug-and-play device with the exact friendly name “HID-compliant touch screen” and disable/enable it. Slight mismatches (such as different casing or spacing) will not trigger the command’s effect. If needed, replace this section of the command with the exact friendly name of the touch-screen device you want to turn on or turn off.

Method 3: Disable or enable via PowerShell (for multi-touch or multiple HID devices)

This scriptable method is ideal for remote support and bulk changes across multiple managed devices. It is best for technicians deploying to classrooms, labs, shared workspaces, and enterprises with varied hardware.

1. Open an elevated PowerShell. Press Windows key + R, type “powershell,” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
2. Copy and paste the appropriate command before hitting Enter:

To disable touch-screen devices:

Get-PnpDevice | Where-Object { $_.FriendlyName -like “*touch screen*” } | Disable-PnpDevice -Confirm:$false

To enable touch-screen devices:

Get-PnpDevice | Where-Object { $_.FriendlyName -like “*touch screen*” } | Enable-PnpDevice -Confirm:$false

Compared to the commands in Method 2, these commands are more flexible. They will find all plug-and-play devices with “touch screen” in their friendly name, regardless of the letter case, spacing, or placement, and then turn them on/off. However, this flexibility makes these commands more prone to errors, especially in production environments. To ensure you only turn on/off your desired devices, it’s essential to validate first with this command:

Get-PnpDevice | Where-Object { $_.FriendlyName -like “*touch screen*” }

This will show you a list of all devices that use the term “touch screen” in their friendly name. By running this command first, you can verify all the devices that will be affected and help you decide if you should proceed with enabling/disabling all of them.

Note: This PowerShell method works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11, as long as you’re using PowerShell version 5.1 or newer. While the commands are the same, UI elements may differ slightly. Always review the device list before making bulk changes.

Alternative: Disable or enable via Group Policy and MDM

There is currently no native Group Policy setting to toggle touchscreen functionality directly. However, IT professionals can:

• Use PowerShell or custom scripts with Group Policy logon scripts.
• Use Intune with PowerShell scripts to remotely enable/disable the touch screen.
• Apply Device Installation Restrictions via GPO to prevent the installation of any new touch-screen drivers. Here’s a sample GPO path you may refer to:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Installation > Device Installation Restrictions

Why manage touch-screen functionality?

Although the touch screen functionality offers many benefits, it may not always suit certain environments, specifically in kiosk setups and shared-use systems. As the feature cannot be permanently removed, IT administrators may only choose to disable or enable this function for various reasons:

• To avoid unintended input in presentation or kiosk mode: Touch input could disrupt the intended display or workflow in some public-facing kiosks, such as public information screens and digital signage, and during presentations. Disabling the touch screen can ensure uninterrupted operations on those devices.
• To reduce distractions for accessibility-focused devices: Touch screen functionality may pose accessibility challenges to some users with physical disabilities. Turning off the feature should help them focus on their tasks instead of on making precise touch movements.
• To prevent children or users from interacting via touch in restricted setups: Enabled touch input opens many ways to execute unintended or unauthorized actions, especially in parental control scenarios and educational environments like exam labs.
• To manage hardware behavior consistently across managed endpoints: In enterprise IT environments, consistency is crucial to ensure uniform behavior for easier management and troubleshooting.

Additional considerations when enabling or disabling touchscreen functionality

Turning touch screen functionality on or off is technically straightforward, but there are still a few important operational and environmental factors to consider. Remembering the following points will ensure the change is effective, appropriate for the intended use case, and does not introduce unintended consequences.

• Reboot: A reboot is typically not required when enabling/disabling the touch screen feature via Device Manager or PowerShell. However, it is best to validate the device’s status post-action and reboot only if functionality doesn’t change as expected.
• Multi-user devices: The settings apply globally, so any change will affect all users on the system. Make sure to align the setting with everyone’s needs and consider role-based access solutions if selective control is required.
• Security impact: Disabling this feature will not protect the system against malware, exploits, and network attacks, but it can prevent physical misuse, such as accidental input or on-screen content tampering.
• Kiosk or exam systems: In controlled input environments like kiosks or exam settings, turning off the touch functionality will ensure users cannot interact outside the intended interface. However, for secure deployment, it is best to combine this action with lockdown strategies, such as using AppLocker or enforcing Start layout restrictions.

Managing touch screen functionality wisely

Disabling or enabling the touch screen in Windows allows IT professionals to control device interaction more precisely in shared, kiosk, or security-sensitive environments. Whether the goal is to reduce distractions, prevent unauthorized interaction, or standardize hardware settings across a fleet of devices, administrators can confidently integrate touch screen control using the available tools, from Device Manager and PowerShell to policy-based scripting.

With properly configured touchscreen settings, you can improve usability and make Windows devices easier to manage in personal and enterprise systems.