How do you disable finger input in Windows 8?

Anonymous

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!

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Anonymous

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.
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.
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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Anonymous

2013-10-22T12:03:34+00:00

I just read your post and it got my mind going. I think you're on to something here, and I have somewhat of a theory of why this feature was removed from the control panel.

I have an ATIV 700T and A 500T and am fully aware and annoyed by this problem. It seems it was addressed for recent versions of One-Note (I use 2007). Just yesterday l had a chat with someone who owned a Surface Pro and bought it with all the gimmicks including the latest Office and you cannot use your hand as an input device on One Note there unless you manually activate the feature.

I guess the marketing strategy here is to get people investing on new versions/subscriptions of Office as opposed to giving all users a general solution in the control panel. Inefficiency is a profitable thing sometimes.

But even if this is true, Microsoft is the only company willing to offer digitizer technology on devices with full operating systems. Guessing by the many times my ATIV has been compared to iPads/Android tablets or even MacBook Airs, I'm thinking that at least 95% of the population on Earth can't even wrap their heads around what this thread is about. That's a tiny market, so I'll stay thankful at this company for having these options available to us at all... for now.

In the meantime, here's a link to a solution I found that has worked for me. It gives the option to enable/disable touch without restarting your computer. It's still not perfect (you won't have the touch option to scroll and have to target the scroll bar with your pen instead which is annoying), and it needs you to hunt on device manager for the proper command for your device on initial setup, but it seems to be the best fix out there at the time.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-hardware/how-do-i-disable-touch-when-using-wacom/6fcd772e-d48a-4203-b754-6a3a11887baf

Hope this helps anyone.
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Anonymous

2013-11-28T21:28:05+00:00

You can disable your Touch device in Device Manager to achieve your purpose

Click the + next to Human Interface Devices

Right click HID-compliant devices and Tap Disable on each item listed in the menu

Tap Yes when you see this message: “Disabling this device will cause it to stop functioning. Do you really want to disable it?”

Once disabled, you will need a keyboard or mouse to control your tablet or touch device

The option to disable touch input has been removed from Control Panel

--- FYI "Bing It On"

sorry english is not my native language, i went to that directory and found 3 HID refrences, wich ones i disable?

will this disable the palm touch but still leting me work with a stylus?

and is it reversible?
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Anonymous

2014-01-22T14:17:39+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.

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?

Are you saying that finger touch should not work but stylus should?

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!
Dear Microsoft Representative Jessica P:

Kevinxnelms answered all your questions nearly 3 months ago, and you have yet to get back to him. The make and model of his computer is irrelevant as it applies to all, including your very own darling: the Surface Pro 2, which I'm starting to become the regretting owner of! The stylus is rendered nearly completely useless due to all the other touch related shenanigans. Appalling! Fix it, please.
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