To turn off the touchscreen on a Chromebook, enable the Debugging keyboard shortcuts flag at chrome://flags/#ash-debug-shortcuts, restart, then press Search + Shift + T. The Search key is labelled the Everything button on newer Chromebook keyboards. The same shortcut turns the touchscreen back on. Search + Shift + P does the same for the touchpad.
Before you start
- Applies to: Any Chromebook running ChromeOS with a touchscreen or touchpad.
- You need: A restart. The flag does not take effect until the Chromebook reboots.
- Time: About 2 minutes.
- Note: On a managed Chromebook (school or work), your administrator may have chrome://flags blocked.
A note on flags: chrome://flags holds experimental features that Google can change or remove without warning. Debugging keyboard shortcuts has been available for years and is safe to toggle, but do not change flags you do not recognise while you are in there.
Why do I need a flag just to turn off the touchscreen?
ChromeOS has no touchscreen switch in Settings. The only built-in way to disable it is a debugging shortcut, and that shortcut is off until you enable the flag that exposes it. That is why every method starts the same way.
How do I enable the Debugging keyboard shortcuts flag?
- Open a new tab and go to chrome://flags/#ash-debug-shortcuts. This jumps straight to the right flag. You can also open chrome://flags and search for Debugging keyboard shortcuts.
- Open the drop-down next to Debugging keyboard shortcuts and select Enabled.
- Click Restart to reboot your Chromebook and apply the change.
How do I turn the touchscreen off and on?
Once the Chromebook has restarted, press Search + Shift + T. The Search key is the magnifying-glass or circle key where Caps Lock sits on other keyboards, labelled the Everything button on newer models.
Press the same combination again to turn the touchscreen back on. There is no confirmation message, so tap the screen to check.
How do I turn the touchpad off and on?
The same flag unlocks a second shortcut. Press Search + Shift + P to disable the touchpad, and press it again to bring it back.
This is the one people reach for most often: if you are working with an external mouse, switching the touchpad off stops your palm triggering accidental clicks and cursor jumps.
Why is the shortcut not working?
- Check you restarted. The flag does nothing until the Chromebook reboots. Restarting the browser is not enough.
- Check the flag is still Enabled. Go back to chrome://flags/#ash-debug-shortcuts and confirm it did not revert. A powerwash or a major ChromeOS update can reset flags.
- Check you are pressing the Search key, not Ctrl or Alt. It is the key in the Caps Lock position.
- Check whether the device is managed. If chrome://flags is blocked or the page shows an administrator notice, you cannot enable this yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Which keys turn off the Chromebook touchscreen?
Search + Shift + T, after you have enabled the Debugging keyboard shortcuts flag and restarted. The same shortcut turns it back on.
Is there a way to disable the touchscreen without a flag?
No. ChromeOS does not offer a touchscreen toggle in Settings, so the debugging shortcut is the only built-in option.
Does the setting survive a restart?
The flag stays enabled across restarts, but the touchscreen itself is re-enabled when the Chromebook reboots. Press the shortcut again after a restart if you want it off.
Is enabling this flag risky?
Debugging keyboard shortcuts only exposes shortcuts that toggle hardware like the touchscreen, touchpad, and Wi-Fi. It makes no permanent change and can be set back to Default at any time.
Why is the Search key called something else on my Chromebook?
Google renamed it. Older keyboards show a magnifying glass and call it Search, newer ones show a circle and call it the Everything button or the Launcher key. It is the same key in the same place.
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