If your Surface Pro touch screen is not working, it could be because there is an issue with software/processes, your operating system is out of date, there is a problem with the touch screen driver, the calibration is off, or your screen is damaged.
While you can use a mouse and keyboard to navigate your Surface Pro, many people prefer to use the touch screen capabilities. Unfortunately, there may come a time when your touch screen isn’t working like it should, or may not even work at all.
Without any further ado, this article is going to take a closer look at some of the reasons your touch screen will be experiencing issues, and what you can do to fix them.
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Key Takeaways
- If your touch screen isn’t working as it should, it is generally because there is an issue with the software or processes, your OS is outdated, there is an issue with the touch screen drivers, the screen isn’t calibrated correctly, or the screen is damaged.
- There are plenty of fixes that you can try to get your screen working again such as restarting your Surface Pro, updating your device, reinstalling or updating drivers, recalibrating the touch screen, or repairing any damage that may be present.
- If you are unable to find out the issue behind your touch screen issues, and no solution will work, it is a good idea to take your device in for an inspection and repairs, to see if an expert is able to fix it and get it back in working order.
1. An Issue With Software or Background Processes
The issue of a touch screen not working, as well as other issues with computers/technology, often come from some sort of software or background process problem. There are an endless amount of conflicts that could be causing difficulties like a touch screen not working.
Software and the various processes that are going on within your device don’t always play nice with one another, and they could be behind a host of issues like freezing, a slow computer, and yes, issues with the touch screen.
If you think this might be your problem, try restarting your Surface Pro. If your touch screen isn’t working at all, you will need to force a restart by using buttons, as you may not be able to navigate on the screen at all.
If you are the owner of a Surface Pro 4 or older, the process includes holding the power and volume up button at the same time for around 15 seconds, until the screen turns off. Then, wait a few seconds and then press and hold the power button once again to turn it back on.
On the other hand, if you have a Surface Pro 5 or newer, simply hold the power button down until the device shuts down and restarts, which is a process that will normally take around 20 seconds.
By doing this, you are allowing the device to have a clean slate and can start fresh to see if this reset corrected the issue. This solution is quick, simple, and often has good results, so is one of the first things you should consider doing if you are experiencing screen-related issues.
2. Your Windows Operating System is Out of Date
Another thing that could be responsible for your Surface Pro touch screen not working is that your operating system is out of date. In some cases, there could be a bug in your OS that is preventing the touch screen from working how it should.
Microsoft often sends out updates to patch and fix these sorts of bugs, but if you haven’t updated your OS in a while, you could have missed it. This issue won’t go away on your own until you make an update if it truly does have something to do with your operating system.
To check if you have an update, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and then check for an update. If you have the update, simply install it and then restart your device and see if it has fixed your problem.
3. There is an Issue With Your Touch Screen Driver
Oftentimes, it is the touch screen drivers that could be responsible for your struggles. While your device will often make automatic updates to the drivers when needed, this won’t always be the case and there are times it will fail.
If you think your issue could be related to your drivers, the solution here is to manually update the driver. To do this, you need to first open the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows logo key and R.
In the box, type devmgmt.msc and then open the Device Manager. Next, search through the hardware until you find Human Interface Devices, and then expand to get a larger collection of options.
From this list, right-click on HID-compliant touch-screen and then update the driver. If your drivers are already up to date, then you know this isn’t the cause of your issue. In addition to updating these drivers, you could also consider reinstalling them, as well.
4. Your Touch Screen Has Calibration Issues
In order for your touch screen to work perfectly, it needs to be calibrated from time to time. This ensures that your touches on the screen are accurate and consistent. If the issue you are facing is that the device isn’t registering where you are touching correctly, calibrating will help.
To calibrate your device, simply open up the Search function, and search for Calibrate. In the Tablet PC Settings page, simply click the Calibrate option and follow the steps on the screen. It will involve you touching certain points on the screen to ensure everything is accurate.
Once you have completed all that they have asked you to do, restart your device and see if this was able to fix the problem.
5. The Touch Screen is Damaged
Last but not least, there is also the chance that damage to your screen is what is causing the issues. This damage could have occurred when you dropped your device, when the device got bumped in your bag, or there could even be damage that occurred back in the factory.
This could be something like a scratch or crack, but screen damage isn’t always incredibly visible or obvious to the naked eye. Also, there could be some internal damage behind the screen that could be holding it back from working how it should.
If you think that your screen or device might be damaged, you should take it to an expert to have it inspected and potentially fixed. In some cases, you may need to replace the device if the damage either cannot be fixed, or will cost almost as much as a new device itself.
Final Thoughts
Whether the screen isn’t working at all, or certain areas of it are being problematic, using a touch screen that is experiencing issues can be incredibly frustrating. We hope that these reasons and solutions have been able to help you identify and fix your unique problem.
Have you discovered other ways to fix your Surface Pro touch screen when it’s not working as it should? If so, we’d love to hear more about them in a comment below!
