How do I disable the touchscreen on my Chromebook?

Hi, good question—this one trips up a lot of Chromebook users because Google never added a toggle in the normal settings. But you can do it through the Chrome browser’s debug shortcuts.

Here’s how:

Open Chrome and type chrome://flags/#ash-debug-shortcuts in the address bar.

Enable “Debugging keyboard shortcuts.”

Restart your Chromebook to apply changes.

Now press Search + Shift + T (sometimes it’s Ctrl + Shift + T) to disable the touchscreen.

Use the same combo again to re-enable it.

This only affects the touchscreen, not the trackpad, so your keyboard and touchpad still work normally.

I used this when my nephew kept poking the screen during Zoom calls—it saved my sanity. Just know that if you powerwash (reset) your Chromebook, you’ll need to enable the flag again. It’s not risky, just a hidden feature most people never discover.

Chromebooks hide this behind a flag. Go to chrome://flags, enable “Debugging keyboard shortcuts,” restart, then press Search + Shift + T. That disables the touchscreen. Do it again to re-enable. I use it when my screen glitches from fingerprints—it stops ghost touches. The touchpad and keyboard aren’t affected, only the touch layer. No need for developer mode, and you can undo it anytime. Super handy if you mostly use your Chromebook like a laptop instead of a tablet.

Touchscreen off? Go into Chrome flags, turn on “Debugging keyboard shortcuts,” and restart. Then use the key combo Search + Shift + T. It’s a simple toggle, so you can switch between touch and non-touch mode whenever needed. The touchpad remains unaffected.

The only way is through debug shortcuts. Chrome settings alone won’t help. Once enabled, you can toggle the touchscreen with Search + Shift + T. It’s reversible, quick, and doesn’t mess with the touchpad. Great workaround until Google adds a proper setting (if they ever do).