Permanently disable Touchscreen in Windows 10 [Solution inside!]

Anonymous
2018-03-07T07:45:34+00:00

In this forum there are a dozen threads that ask the same question: How can I permanently disable a defective touchscreen in a Windows 10 device so that I can continue using the device without being disturbed by the faulty signals from the touchscreen.

Unfortunately in none of those threads (at least not those I've found) the question is answered properly. Instead the helpers fantasize about the device manager (which doesn't work since Windows just reenables the disabled device at the latest when rebooting) and claim that there is no other solution in Windows.

Luckily there actually IS a solution which I'll explain now:

  1. Open regedit
  2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Wisp\Touch
  3. Create a new DWORD (32 bit) with the name TouchGate
  4. Doubleclik on the newly ceated DWORD and make sure it has the value 0

(0 = touch disabled, 1 = touch enabled)

After rebooting the touch functionality should be disabled permanently and therefore your problem solved.

(I could not give this solution to the already existing threads because unfortunately they have been closed with no correct answer... hope someone in the future finds this ...)

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-12-18T15:00:41+00:00

    That did not do anything with this New Windows 10 version. Windows insists on reinstalling drivers for hardware it finds, disabled or not. It's VERY annoying, Microsoft!!!

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-02-11T20:41:44+00:00

    I tried this. When I opened RegEdit this key was already there. I changed the value from 1 to 0 and rebooted the machine. I then opened Device Manager and when to Human Interface Devices and found the Touchscreen device ACTIVE! I was able to deactivate it but it's still just momentary. Once the user reboots, Windows seems to "find" the Touchscreen and re-activate it!

    This is JUST WRONG, Microsoft!!! You really need to fix this ASAP. Users cannot use their computers when the touchscreen is defective and there is no way to permanently deactivate it because of your policy to reactivate found hardware!

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-07-10T22:02:31+00:00

    Hi,

    Thanks for this Registry setting.  It worked even after Microsoft updates.  

    Much appreciated.

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-09-24T17:05:04+00:00

    I cannot put into words how much I appreciate your assistance in helping me FINALLY get rid of the damn bubbles on my neighbor's HP laptop. It appears to have started with a Microsoft update, and like everyone else I tried numerous fixes, but to no avail. The real nightmare, is that my neighbor's husband, a retired doctor, is hospitalized with severe cognitive impairment, so I felt terrible that I couldn't help her out in some small way, by fixing the laptop.

    At first, it looked like it was the mouse, but eventually it was narrowed down to some sort of conflict between the mouse and the touchscreen. I disabled and then removed removed the touchscreen, but the problem persisted, even though the touchscreen didn't show up in the list of Human Interface items. So, the touchscreen disabling wasn't even available.

    I only mention this, in case something similar happens to someone else. After your reg-edit fix was applied everything is running perfectly. However, all of a sudden, the HID compliant touchscreen is once more listed in the Human Interface area of device manager. But, of course the reg-edit change overrides this and the mouse responds without issue.

    Now my dear neighbor has one small positive to help lift her spirits.

    Thank you again.

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  5. Anonymous
    2018-08-28T16:24:17+00:00

    Hi, 

    Suggest using Robert's suggestion given earlier to disable under this registry.  I think when you go under recovery mode it might not be applying for the user you are logging after reboot. 

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Wisp\Touch

    Thank you Shay!!!!!!

    This worked well (and the touch screen stayed off through reboot!!).

    Here's what I used for the touchgate.reg file contents - per your last post:

         Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

         [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Wisp\Touch]

         "TouchGate"=dword:00000000

    The only thing I forgot to do was to make a backup copy of the registry before I modified it (so if I want to turn on the touch screen I can back out of this change).

    Can you tell me the proper way to reverse this change?

    Do I need to make another touchgate.reg file using notepad with the dword changed to 1?  Or, is there an easier way (like to just directly edit the registry, or delete the new existing touchgate.reg file I just made?  Please advise.

    If I need to make another touchgate.reg file (maybe using a different name?), what should I use to replace the dword setting shown above as "00000000"? (maybe I should use 00000001 ?)

     Please advise.

    Best regards,

    Mike

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