Because they can act as both a touchscreen and a standard laptop, Chromebooks are renowned for their adaptability. Disabling the touchscreen, however, can occasionally be useful—for example, when utilising a mouse and keyboard or to avoid unintentional touches. In 2024, it will be simple to disable a Chromebook’s touchscreen. Here is a detailed how-to guide for the task.
KEYPOINT: In the address bar, type ‘chrome://flags/#ash-debug-shortcuts’. Find the ‘Debugging keyboard shortcuts’ highlighted area on the following screen. Press ‘Enable’ to make this option active. Use the shortcuts Search + Shift + T to turn off the touchscreen after restarting the device.
Method 1: Using Chrome Flags
Chrome Flags are experimental features that can be enabled or disabled to alter the behavior of the Chrome browser and Chrome OS. Here’s how to disable the touchscreen using Chrome Flags:
- Open Chrome Browser: Launch the Chrome browser on your Chromebook.
- Access Chrome Flags: Type ‘chrome://flags’ into the address bar and press Enter.
- Search for Touchscreen: Use the search box on the Flags page and type “touchscreen”.
- Disable the Touchscreen Flag: Look for the flag named “Debugging keyboard shortcuts”. Enable this flag by selecting “Enable” from the dropdown menu.
- Restart Your Chromebook: Click the “Restart” button at the bottom of the Flags page to apply the changes.
After restarting, you can use a keyboard shortcut to toggle the touchscreen functionality.
Method 2: Using Keyboard Shortcut
Once the debugging keyboard shortcuts flag is enabled, you can use a specific keyboard shortcut to disable or enable the touchscreen.
- Disable Touchscreen: Press Search + Shift + T to toggle the touchscreen off.
- Enable Touchscreen: Press the same key combination (Search + Shift + T) again to toggle the touchscreen back on.
Method 3: Utilising Chrome OS Preferences
Some recent Chrome OS upgrades can come with direct settings to turn off the touchscreen. To see if this option is accessible, follow these steps:
- Access the Settings: To access the Settings menu, click the gear symbol after selecting the system tray in the lower-right corner.
- Go to Device Settings by navigating: Navigate to the “Device” section of the Settings menu.
- Look for Touchscreen Configurations: Under “Display” or a related category, look for a touchscreen toggle. This is where, if it’s accessible, you can disable the touchscreen.
Method 4: Using Developer Mode (Advanced Users)
For users comfortable with more advanced configurations, Developer Mode offers deeper system controls. Note that enabling Developer Mode will powerwash your device, which erases all local data. Ensure you back up important files before proceeding.
- Enter Developer Mode: Turn off your Chromebook. Hold down the Esc and Refresh keys, then press the Power button. When the recovery screen appears, press ‘Ctrl + D’, then press Enter. Your Chromebook will reboot and enter Developer Mode.
- Access Shell: Once in Developer Mode, press ‘Ctrl + Alt + T’ to open the crosh terminal.
- Disable Touchscreen: Type shell and press Enter to enter the full shell. Then, type xinput disable “touchscreen device name” (replace “touchscreen device name” with the actual name of your touchscreen device, which can be found by typing xinput list).
In summary
Turning down a Chromebook’s touchscreen can increase productivity and decrease inadvertent inputs, making the device more versatile. Using Developer Mode, keyboard shortcuts, Chrome Flags, settings, or other methods, the procedure is flexible and accommodating to varying degrees of technical expertise. Before making any major modifications to your Chromebook, especially while using Developer Mode, always make sure it is backed up. You can adjust your Chromebook experience to better meet your needs by following these steps.
