How do you disable finger input in Windows 8?

Anonymous
2012-10-29T13:08:11+00:00

From what I understand, disabling finger input in earlier builds of Windows 8 was as simple as it was in Windows 7. But with the release of Windows 8 last week, this is no longer the case, and that solution no longer exists. Was it moved to a more obscure location or removed entirely? To be clear, I (and many others) am looking to disable finger input while still maintaining stylus functionality.

Hopefully, if it is as impossible as it seems, a fix will be on the way within the week. The lack of this feature has nearly converted my tablet to nothing more than a neat toy. I have to strap cardboard to my hand so that resting it on the screen doesn't make my cursor flip out while I'm trying to work in Flash!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Search, touch, and mouse

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Anonymous
2012-10-30T08:29:14+00:00
  1. Yes, exactly. In Windows 7, the option is in plain sight in the Pen and Touch settings. In Windows 8 the option is no longer there.
  2. Yes, I'm looking to disable finger input while still being able to use the stylus for input. Most of the options I found only disable the touch screen entirely.
  3. It's a Samsung 7 Series Slate PC, model number XE700T1A-A01US.

Thanks for your assistance in advance! I was actually able to find a working solution with some extra digging, which unfolded in a thread over here. Although, this causes some major faults like being unable to use input at all on screens like the login screen (for some reason, no stylus support there). So of course, a much more elegant and direct route to the option would be just incredible for the artists like myself looking for this feature.

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-10-30T08:13:06+00:00

    Hello kevinxnelms,

    Thank you for asking the Question!

    Sorry to know that you face issues with Finger input. As I get it right you do not find the option to disable finger input.

    I need to ask you a few questions in order to assist you in a better way.

    1. Are you referring to the option of Use your finger as an Input device when you refer to the earlier method of resolving the issue?
    2. Are you saying that finger touch should not work but stylus should?
    3. What is the make and model of the computer?

    Reply with answers in order to assist you in a better way.

    Have  a Nice day!

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-11-13T06:14:58+00:00
    1. Yes, exactly. In Windows 7, the option is in plain sight in the Pen and Touch settings. In Windows 8 the option is no longer there.
    2. Yes, I'm looking to disable finger input while still being able to use the stylus for input. Most of the options I found only disable the touch screen entirely.
    3. It's a Samsung 7 Series Slate PC, model number XE700T1A-A01US.

    Thanks for your assistance in advance! I was actually able to find a working solution with some extra digging, which unfolded in a thread over here. Although, this causes some major faults like being unable to use input at all on screens like the login screen (for some reason, no stylus support there). So of course, a much more elegant and direct route to the option would be just incredible for the artists like myself looking for this feature.

    same problem here, i need to turn off finger but be able to use the pen... in windows 7 was so easy to find...

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-11-19T21:21:38+00:00

    I use an Asus eeSlate 121 EP and have exactly the same problem with Windows 8.

    I need to turn off finger input and have stylus input only for programs like Manga Studio, Z-Brush and Artrage. I work as a professional Illustrator and use the eeSlate to work out of office on location under extreme time pressure mostly.

    As much as I would like to have Windows 8 running on the tablet PC, I had to switch back to Windows 7 because I found no working solution and the automatic pen detection is not reliable enough-- there will be moments when the pen is too far away from screen because of a pause in workflow and the back of the hand still rests on the tablet and--whoossh-- lines appear out of nowhere in the art applications (and if I do not notice them fast enough to  press UNDO this can be seriously sabotaging my work, so I need to be able to disable the possibility of this happening)

    Microsoft: please make the option to turn off finger input completely when a stylus is installed available again. It is important for professionals in the art field. I have read that the feature was there in the Win 8 preview, so it should be no big deal to re-implement it.

    Or has the "turn off finger input" switch been re- installed again with one of the recent updates? (I have no longer access to a working Windows 8 since my Windows 8 is waiting on an USB Stick to be re-activated when there is a solution available again-- that was not what I had in mind when I bought the update, I wanted to have better support for touch devices and pens, not worse).

    Greetings,

    Oliver

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-11-19T21:27:23+00:00

    Exactly my wish, too:

    Please install an easy switch to deactivate finger input in favor of stylus input in Win 8.

    Like in Win 7, where it can be disabled for one User-account while another user account has finger touch enabled and where it is easy to switch fingers back on again if needed or wanted.

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