To turn off the touchscreen on a Windows PC, right-click Start, open Device Manager, expand Human Interface Devices, then right-click HID-compliant touch screen and select Disable device. This works on compatible integrated and external touchscreens in Windows 11, including Home and Pro, and Windows 10. You need administrator privileges to make the change. To restore touch later, select Enable device for the same touchscreen.
The short version
- Turn touch off: Select Disable device for HID-compliant touch screen in Device Manager.
- Check additional entries: Repeat the change for additional touchscreen entries when necessary.
- Restore touch: Return to the same device and select Enable device.
- Limit touch instead: Pen, gesture, and OneNote controls can reduce specific touch actions without disabling the entire touchscreen.
| Option | Where it applies | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Device Manager | Compatible Windows 11 and Windows 10 PCs | Disables the selected touchscreen |
| Keyboard or search access | Windows 11 and Windows 10 | Opens the same Device Manager control |
| PnPUtil | Windows 11 and Windows 10 version 2004 onward | Disables the device by its instance ID |
| PowerShell | Windows PCs with the PnpDevice module | Disables the device by its instance ID |
| Dell firmware setting | Dell models with a touchscreen firmware control | Disables touch through firmware |
| Separate USB disconnection | Dell touch monitors with separate video and USB connections | Disconnects the connection required for touch |
| Wacom physical switch | Touch-capable Wacom displays equipped with a switch | Controls touch on that display |
| Wacom Center | Compatible Wacom displays without a physical switch | Disables touch through installed companion software |
| Wacom button assignment | Compatible Wacom devices without a physical switch | Toggles touch with an assigned button |
| Pen touch suppression | Compatible Windows 11 pen-enabled hardware | Ignores touch during pen use |
| Touch gesture settings | Windows 11 touchscreen devices | Disables selected gestures while keeping taps |
| OneNote drawing control | Current OneNote desktop application | Stops finger drawing within OneNote |
| Group Policy | Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise | Blocks touch at computer or user scope |
| Mobile device management | Managed Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise devices | Deploys a touch-blocking policy |
| Device installation policy | Managed Windows editions supporting the policy | Blocks installation and use of devices matching a hardware ID |
| Surface device removal | Supported Surface models except Surface Pro X | Temporarily removes the device for troubleshooting |
Disable the touchscreen in Device Manager
Right-click Start and select Device Manager. Expand Human Interface Devices, then find HID-compliant touch screen. Right-click that entry and select Disable device.
You can also press Windows + X and select Device Manager, or search for Device Manager and press Enter. These open the same control; they do not toggle touch directly. Continue through Human Interface Devices, right-click HID-compliant touch screen, and select Disable device.
If touch remains active and additional HID-compliant touch screen entries are listed, repeat the action for those entries as necessary. Keep the change specific to the touchscreen rather than applying it to the entire HID class.
To turn touch back on, open Device Manager again and expand Human Interface Devices. Right-click the touchscreen you disabled and select Enable device. Repeat for any additional touchscreen entries you disabled.
Use a command to disable the touchscreen
PnPUtil is built into Windows 11 and Windows 10 version 2004 and later. Open Command Prompt using Run as administrator. List connected devices with this command:
pnputil /enum-devices /connectedIdentify the touchscreen's exact device instance ID in the results. If you cannot confidently identify it, use the named touchscreen entry in Device Manager instead. To disable it with PnPUtil, replace INSTANCE_ID in the following command with that exact ID, keeping the quotation marks:
pnputil /disable-device "INSTANCE_ID"Restart the PC if required. To restore the same touchscreen later, run the following command from an administrator Command Prompt, replacing the placeholder with the same exact ID:
pnputil /enable-device "INSTANCE_ID"PowerShell provides another option on Windows PCs with the PnpDevice module, including Windows 11. Open Windows PowerShell as administrator after identifying the touchscreen's exact device instance ID. Replace INSTANCE_ID with that ID in this command:
Disable-PnpDevice -InstanceId 'INSTANCE_ID' -Confirm:$falseThis applies Microsoft's general device-disabling command to your touchscreen, so target that device specifically. To restore touch afterward, open Device Manager, right-click the touchscreen entry, and select Enable device.
Use the firmware setting on supported Dell PCs
Some Dell laptops and 2-in-1 computers expose a touchscreen setting in BIOS or UEFI. Restart the computer and press F2 repeatedly to enter setup. For help reaching that interface, follow the steps to get to BIOS on Windows.
Dell's general path is Advanced > Display > Touchscreen, where you select Disabled, save changes, and exit. The setting location and save controls vary by model, so use your computer's manual for the exact interface. If your model lacks that firmware control, use Device Manager in Windows.
To restore touch, return to the same firmware setting and enable it again. These instructions apply to Dell models that expose the control; the menus depend on your computer.
Disconnect a separate Dell monitor touch cable
Dell says its external touch monitors require a USB connection to the PC for touch input. On a model with separate video and USB upstream connections, disconnecting the separate USB upstream cable should therefore stop touch. Leave the monitor's video and power connections attached.
Disconnecting that USB cable can also disconnect other devices attached to the monitor's USB hub. Removing a shared USB-C video and data cable can also remove the picture, so use this approach only with a separate video connection. For a shared-cable setup, use Device Manager instead, and reconnect a separate USB upstream cable whenever you want touch restored.
Turn off touch on a Wacom pen display
For a touch-capable Wacom pen display equipped with a physical touch switch, move the switch to Off. When Selective touch is configured, touch can remain active on on-screen shortcuts. Choose the fully disabled behavior when you want all touch input suppressed.
On compatible touch-capable Wacom pen displays without a physical switch, use the installed Wacom software. Open Wacom Center and select the display in the Devices sidebar. Open Touch & gestures > Touch setup and choose Disabled. Choosing Selective instead permits touch on on-screen shortcuts.
Compatible Wacom devices without a physical switch also let you assign Touch on/off to a supported ExpressKey, pen button, or tablet button. Press the assigned control to toggle touch. These controls affect the Wacom device, rather than a separate laptop touchscreen.
Keep taps while limiting unwanted touch actions
For touch suppression during pen use, on Windows 11 open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Pen & Windows Ink > Additional pen settings. Select Ignore touch input when I’m using my pen. Availability depends on your hardware and pen implementation, and the setting suppresses touch during pen use. If the setting is missing or you want touch disabled entirely, use Device Manager.
To reduce gestures, on Windows 11 open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touch and turn off Three and four-finger touch gestures. Where available, expand Touch screen edge gestures and turn off the left-edge and right-edge swipe switches. Ordinary touchscreen tapping remains enabled, so use Device Manager if you also want taps blocked.
For finger drawing in the current OneNote desktop application, including OneNote for Microsoft 365 and OneNote 2024, open Draw. Click Draw with Touch to turn it off when active. This stops touch drawing while keeping touch navigation and touchscreen input elsewhere.
Block touch on managed Windows devices
For an administrative policy on Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, Education, or IoT Enterprise, open the Group Policy editor with the following command. If you use Windows 11 Home, use Device Manager instead of this Group Policy procedure.
gpedit.mscNavigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Tablet PC > Touch Input. Open Turn off Tablet PC touch input and set it to Enabled. Apply the change, then sign out and sign back in. The corresponding policy under User Configuration applies at user scope.
If you administer managed Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, Education, or IoT Enterprise devices running Windows 11 21H2 or later, you can also deploy the policy through mobile device management. Enable ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TouchInput/TouchInputOff_2, or the user-scoped ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_TouchInput/TouchInputOff_1, using ADMX-backed SyncML. Sign out after deployment for the change to take effect.
Device installation policy provides a separate option for administratively managed Windows 11 editions supporting Group Policy; Microsoft also covers Windows 10 version 1809 onward. Identify the touchscreen's specific hardware ID. In Group Policy, open Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Installation > Device Installation Restrictions.
Configure Prevent installation of devices that match any of these device IDs with that hardware ID. Select Also apply to matching devices that are already installed, apply the policy, and restart. This applies Microsoft's general device-blocking procedure to your touchscreen, so avoid broad HID-class restrictions.
Use device removal only for Surface troubleshooting
If your goal is simply to keep touch off, choose Disable device. Microsoft uses touchscreen removal as a troubleshooting step on supported Surface models, and hardware scanning or restarting can reinstall the device and restore touch. Do not perform this removal on Surface Pro X, because Microsoft warns that restoring its drivers requires a full system reset.
Uninstalling removes the touchscreen device from Windows. For troubleshooting on a supported Surface model other than Surface Pro X, open Device Manager > Human Interface Devices, right-click HID-compliant touch screen, and select Uninstall device. Select Uninstall, then repeat for another touchscreen entry if present.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling touch in Dell firmware stop it inside BIOS setup?
Not necessarily. The Dell Pro 14 Plus PB14255 manual says touch remains operational inside BIOS setup regardless of its touchscreen setting. Check your model's manual before relying on the firmware setting to control touch outside Windows.
Do the Windows 10 instructions mean Windows 10 still has ordinary support?
Ordinary Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. The documented touchscreen controls also apply to Windows 10, but that does not change its support status.
Should I follow an older tutorial that uses DevCon?
Microsoft recommends PnPUtil instead of DevCon. PnPUtil is already built into the supported Windows versions, so you can use it without downloading a separate tool.
Are the OneNote steps meant for OneNote for Windows 10?
The drawing steps apply to the current OneNote desktop application. OneNote for Windows 10 is a retired application, so distinguish it from OneNote for Microsoft 365 and OneNote 2024.