How to enable touch screen on Chromebook?

Chromebooks are quickly becoming popular due to their affordability, simplicity, and portability. However, one common issue that users may face is the touch screen not working.

It can be frustrating for those who rely on touch screen technology for convenience or accessibility purposes.

Fortunately, there are ways you can follow to fix your Chromebook’s touch screen and get it back up and running. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of enabling touch screen on your Chromebook.

3 ways to enable touch screen on Chromebook:

To turn on touch screen on your Chromebook, you can use settings menu, keyboard shortcuts or developer mode.

Here is the details of each method.

Method 1: Using keyboard shortcuts [Fastest Way]

Step 1: To enable touch screen on your Chromebook, Press and hold the “Search” key located on the left side of your Chromebook keyboard.

Step 2: Now, press “shift” + “t” key simultaneously. That will show touchscreen settings window.

Step 3: Activate the toggle switch. Now your touch screen is enabled and you can use it.

Method 2: Enabling touch screen using settings menu

Step 1: To turn on touch screen on your Chromebook, go to “Settings” menu.

Step 2: Now, scroll down to the “Device” section and click on “Touchscreen Settings.”

Step 3: Then, you have to toggle the “Enable Touchscreen” switch to the “On” position.

Method 3: Turning on touch screen using Developer Mode

You can also enable touch screen on your Chromebook using developer mode. To do this, first you have to enter into the developer mode.

Step 1:

Step 2:

Then press the “power” button. Now, your Chromebook will get restarting.

Step 3:

While restarting, press “Ctrl” + “D” keys simultaneously.

Now your Chromebook will enter into the developer mode and start performing some self-checks.

Step 4:

When it comes backup, you should press “Ctrl + D” keys simultaneously again to bypass the self-checks. There, you can enable or disable the touchscreen.

How to use touch screen on the Chromebook?

Using a touch screen on your Chromebook can be an extremely efficient and intuitive way to use the device.

Here are some tips and tricks to get the most out of your Chromebook’s touchscreen capabilities.

1. Get familiar with the gestures:

To use your touch screen most effectively, it helps to learn a few of the basic gestures that are supported by your Chromebook.

The most common include tap, long press, double tap, swipe up and down, swipe left and right, pinch in and out, rotate left and right.

2. Make text edits with ease:

Touchscreens make it much easier to edit documents and webpages on your Chromebook – tap and hold over the text you want to select.

Then drag the little grabber at either end of the selection box around until you’ve highlighted the desired text on your Chromebook. You can then copy/cut and paste, and delete with ease.

3. Navigate faster:

With a touchscreen, you don’t need to use the mouse or trackpad for navigating around your Chromebook – you can just tap on items to select them, swipe left and right to scroll through pages, and pinch in and out to zoom.

4. Access the app drawer:

The shortcut for accessing the apps drawer is normally a long press of the Launcher button.

With a touchscreen Chromebook, this process is much faster – just swipe up from the Launcher button to open the app drawer.

5. Enjoy games and entertainment:

The touch screen makes it much easier to enjoy apps, games, and videos on your Chromebook.

You can tap and swipe through menus with ease, pinch to zoom in and out of webpages quickly, or rotate images with a swipe. The interactive experience makes for an enjoyable user experience.

How to turn off touch screen on Chromebook?: shortcut

After you have finished using your touchscreeen, you should disable it to avoid accidental clicks.

To turn off the touchscreen on your Chromebook, press and hold the “search” + “shift” keys simultaneously. Then press the “T” key.

Why is the touch screen not working on my Chromebook?

Your touch screen will not work properly on your Chromebook if:

• It is disabled in the settings menu.
• There is dust on the screen.
• It is damaged physically.
• Chrome is outdated.
• Touchscreen driver is corrupted or outdated.

How do I reset the touchscreen on my Chromebook?

If you are still facing issues regarding touch screen, you should try reset it. Here are two common methods to reset touch screen on a Chromebook.

1- Power wash

The most common way to reset the touch screen is a power wash. It will reset your Chromebook and erase all the data and settings. 

1. To powerwash, go to the settings menu and click on the “Powerwash” button under the “Device” section. 
2. Now, confirm your action and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

2- Restart your Chromebook

If the touch screen is still not working, you can restart your Chromebook. 

Step 1: Hold the power button for 10 seconds to restart your Chromebook until it is turned off.

Step 2: After the device is shut down, press the power button to turn it back on. 

How to calibrate touch screen on Chromebook?

To calibrate the touchscreen on your Chromebook, go to settings menu and click on “Device” option. Then click on “Touchscreen”.

Now, click on the “Calibrate” button to start the process. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

How do I change my Chromebook keyboard to touchscreen?

You can’t change your Chromebook keyboard to touchscreen keyboard however you can use on-screen keyboard instead.

To do this, press and hold the “Ctrl + Alt” key. 

Then press “K”. Now, you will be able to use your touch screen as a virtual keyboard.

How do I fix it when my Chromebook touchpad isn’t working?

If the touchpad is not working properly on your Chromebook, you should clean it to remove the dust it contains.

If it is still not working, you can try to update the Chrome OS or reset your device.

How do I clean the touchscreen on my Chromebook?

To clean the touchscreen, turn off your Chromebook and use a lint-free cloth.

Never use harsh chemicals to clean your Chromebook screen, as they can damage the screen.

Conclusion

In this blog post, we have discussed three simple ways to enable touch screen on a Chromebook. You can try each and see which one works best for you.

We have also discussed some common reasons that cause a touchscreen from working properly and trouble shooting tips to fix them.

If you have any further queries, ask them in the comments below!

FAQs

Can I use Chromebook as a touch screen?

No, Chromebooks are not designed to be used as a touch screen. The Chromebook operating system is designed to be more efficient when using a keyboard and trackpad for navigation.

How do I get my unresponsive touch screen to work?

If your Chromebook screen is glitching and unresponsive, you can check if your operating system is updated. If not, update it.

What causes touch screen to freeze?

A frozen touchscreen can be caused by a number of factors, such as outdated software or faulty hardware.

What buttons to press when screen freezes?

If your Chromebook screen freezes, you can shut down the device by pressing and holding down the power button for 10 seconds until the screen turns off.

How do I set my touch screen to wake up?

You can set your touchscreen to wake up by opening the Settings menu. From there, you should be able to select a setting that will enable the touchscreen to turn on when you tap it or move the cursor across the screen.

Do touch screens wear out?

Yes, over time the wear and tear of regular use can cause a touchscreen to become less responsive.

Can I repair my unresponsive touch screen?

If the issue is due to a software problem, such as an outdated operating system, you can try updating your Chrome OS or reinstalling Chrome OS.

What kind of touch screen do Chromebooks use?

Most Chromebooks use a capacitive touchscreen technology.

Can you make any Chromebook touchscreen?

Most Chromebooks have a touchscreen as a standard feature, so usually no additional steps are required to activate it.