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The Dell Inspiron 13 7000 series is a popular choice for users who value portability and performance. One of its key features is often its touchscreen, which enhances user interaction and productivity. However, sometimes you might find that the touchscreen isn’t working. This can be frustrating, but thankfully, it’s usually a simple fix. This comprehensive guide will walk you through various troubleshooting steps to ensure your Dell Inspiron 13 7000’s touchscreen is functioning optimally.
Checking Basic Touchscreen Functionality
Before diving into more complex solutions, let’s verify that the touchscreen is indeed the issue and not just a temporary glitch.
Performing A Visual Inspection
Begin by carefully inspecting the screen surface. Look for any visible damage, such as cracks, scratches, or debris. Even a small obstruction can sometimes interfere with the touchscreen’s sensitivity. Clean the screen gently with a microfiber cloth designed for electronic displays. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive materials, as these can damage the screen’s coating. Make sure your fingers are clean and dry when testing the touchscreen.
Testing Touch Responsiveness
Open a simple application, such as Paint or a web browser, and try to interact with the screen. Can you draw lines in Paint with your finger? Can you scroll through a webpage? Try tapping on different areas of the screen to see if it registers your touch accurately. If the touchscreen only responds in certain areas or not at all, it indicates a potential problem. Restarting your laptop can often resolve temporary software conflicts that might be causing the issue.
Ensuring The Touchscreen Is Enabled In Windows
Sometimes, the touchscreen might be disabled in Windows settings. Let’s check and enable it.
Accessing Device Manager
The Device Manager is a crucial tool for managing hardware components on your Windows computer. To access it, right-click on the Start button (the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of your screen) and select “Device Manager” from the menu. Alternatively, you can search for “Device Manager” in the Windows search bar.
Locating The Human Interface Devices (HID) Section
In the Device Manager window, look for the “Human Interface Devices” section and expand it by clicking on the arrow next to it. This section lists all the input devices connected to your computer, including the touchscreen.
Identifying The Touchscreen Device
Within the “Human Interface Devices” section, you should see a device labeled “HID-compliant touch screen”. The exact name might vary slightly depending on your Dell Inspiron 13 7000 model and Windows version.
Enabling The Touchscreen
If you see a grayed-out icon next to the “HID-compliant touch screen” device, it means the touchscreen is disabled. To enable it, right-click on the device and select “Enable device”. If the device is already enabled, you’ll see an option to “Disable device”. In this case, leave it as is. If the touchscreen was disabled, enabling it should restore its functionality.
Troubleshooting Driver Issues
Outdated, corrupted, or incompatible drivers can often cause touchscreen problems.
Updating The Touchscreen Driver
In the Device Manager, right-click on the “HID-compliant touch screen” device and select “Update driver”. Windows will present you with two options: “Search automatically for drivers” and “Browse my computer for drivers”.
Choosing “Search automatically for drivers” allows Windows to search online for the latest driver for your touchscreen. This is the recommended option if you’re not sure where to find the driver.
If you’ve already downloaded the driver from the Dell support website, you can choose “Browse my computer for drivers” and navigate to the location where you saved the driver file.
Follow the on-screen instructions to install the updated driver. After the installation is complete, restart your computer to apply the changes.
Uninstalling And Reinstalling The Touchscreen Driver
If updating the driver doesn’t solve the problem, try uninstalling and reinstalling it. In the Device Manager, right-click on the “HID-compliant touch screen” device and select “Uninstall device”. A warning message will appear; confirm that you want to uninstall the device.
After uninstalling the driver, restart your computer. Windows will automatically detect the missing touchscreen device and attempt to reinstall the driver. If Windows doesn’t reinstall the driver automatically, you can manually install it from the Dell support website.
Downloading Drivers From Dell Support Website
Go to the Dell support website (www.dell.com/support). Enter your Dell Inspiron 13 7000’s service tag or manually select your model from the product list. Navigate to the “Drivers & Downloads” section. Filter the drivers by category and select “Input Devices”. Download the latest touchscreen driver for your operating system. Run the downloaded file to install the driver. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
Checking Power Management Settings
Sometimes, power management settings can interfere with the touchscreen’s functionality. Windows might be turning off the touchscreen to save power.
Accessing Power Options
Right-click on the Start button and select “Power Options”. Alternatively, you can search for “Power Options” in the Windows search bar.
Changing Power Plan Settings
In the Power Options window, select the power plan you’re currently using (e.g., “Balanced” or “Power saver”). Click on “Change plan settings” next to the selected power plan. Then, click on “Change advanced power settings”.
USB Selective Suspend Setting
In the “Advanced settings” window, expand the “USB settings” section. Look for the “USB selective suspend setting” option. This setting allows Windows to turn off USB devices, including the touchscreen, to save power.
Set the “USB selective suspend setting” to “Disabled” for both “On battery” and “Plugged in”. This will prevent Windows from turning off the touchscreen.
Applying The Changes
Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Calibrating The Touchscreen
If the touchscreen is responding, but the touch input is inaccurate, you might need to calibrate it.
Accessing Tablet PC Settings
Search for “Calibrate the screen for pen or touch input” in the Windows search bar and open it. This will open the Tablet PC Settings window.
Performing Calibration
In the Tablet PC Settings window, click on the “Calibrate” button. A white screen with a crosshair will appear. Follow the on-screen instructions and tap the crosshair in each of the corners of the screen.
After you’ve tapped all the crosshairs, you’ll be prompted to save the calibration data. Click “Yes” to save the data.
Resetting Calibration Data
If the calibration is still inaccurate after performing the calibration process, you can try resetting the calibration data to the default settings. In the Tablet PC Settings window, click on the “Reset” button. This will revert the calibration settings to their original values.
Rolling Back Windows Updates
Sometimes, a recent Windows update can cause compatibility issues with the touchscreen. If the touchscreen stopped working after a recent update, you can try rolling back the update.
Accessing Update History
Right-click on the Start button and select “Settings”. In the Settings window, click on “Update & Security”. Click on “View update history”.
Uninstalling Updates
In the “View update history” window, click on “Uninstall updates”. This will open the “Uninstall an update” window in the Control Panel.
Selecting And Uninstalling The Problematic Update
Identify the most recent update that was installed before the touchscreen stopped working. Select the update and click on the “Uninstall” button. Follow the on-screen instructions to uninstall the update. Restart your computer after uninstalling the update.
Performing A System Restore
If rolling back updates doesn’t work, you can try performing a system restore to revert your computer to a previous state when the touchscreen was working correctly.
Accessing System Restore
Search for “Create a restore point” in the Windows search bar and open it. In the System Properties window, click on the “System Restore” button.
Choosing A Restore Point
Follow the on-screen instructions and select a restore point that was created before the touchscreen stopped working. If you don’t see any restore points, it means System Restore is not enabled on your computer. In this case, you’ll need to enable System Restore and create a restore point before you can use this feature.
Completing The System Restore
Confirm your selection and click “Finish” to start the system restore process. The process may take some time, and your computer will restart several times. Make sure to save any important data before starting the system restore process, as any changes made to your computer after the selected restore point will be lost.
Hardware Diagnostics
If none of the above solutions work, there might be a hardware problem with the touchscreen. Dell provides built-in diagnostic tools that can help you identify hardware issues.
Running Dell Pre-Boot Diagnostics
Restart your computer. As soon as the Dell logo appears, start pressing the F12 key repeatedly until the Boot Menu appears. In the Boot Menu, select “Diagnostics” and press Enter. The Dell Pre-Boot Diagnostics will start running.
Analyzing The Results
The diagnostics tool will test various hardware components on your computer, including the touchscreen. If any errors are detected, the tool will display an error code. Note down the error code and contact Dell support for further assistance.
Contacting Dell Support
If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps and the touchscreen is still not working, it’s time to contact Dell support. Provide them with the model number of your Dell Inspiron 13 7000, the operating system you’re using, and a detailed description of the problem. Also, provide them with any error codes you encountered during the hardware diagnostics.
Dell support can provide you with further assistance, such as arranging for a repair or replacement of the touchscreen.
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Why Is My Touchscreen Not Working On My Dell Inspiron 13 7000?
Several reasons could explain why your Dell Inspiron 13 7000 touchscreen isn’t functioning. First, ensure the touchscreen hasn’t been accidentally disabled in the Device Manager. Driver issues, operating system glitches, or even physical damage to the screen can also prevent it from working. It’s important to systematically check each potential cause to identify the root of the problem.
Another common reason for a non-responsive touchscreen is outdated or corrupted drivers. The touchscreen requires specific drivers to communicate properly with the operating system. If these drivers are outdated or damaged, the touchscreen may not function correctly. Additionally, sometimes a simple system restart can resolve temporary software conflicts that might be affecting the touchscreen’s functionality.
How Do I Enable The Touchscreen In Device Manager?
To enable the touchscreen in Device Manager, first, right-click on the Start button and select “Device Manager” from the menu. In the Device Manager window, expand the “Human Interface Devices” category. Look for an entry resembling “HID-compliant touch screen” or something similarly named, indicating a touchscreen device.
If the touchscreen is disabled, you’ll see a small downward-pointing arrow icon next to the device name. Right-click on the touchscreen device and select “Enable device” from the context menu. If the option to enable isn’t available, the device is already enabled. After enabling, restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.
What If The Touchscreen Device Is Missing From Device Manager?
If you cannot find the touchscreen device listed under “Human Interface Devices” in Device Manager, it could indicate a more significant problem. The device may be completely disabled, the drivers might be corrupted, or there could be a hardware issue. Ensure that “Show hidden devices” is enabled by clicking “View” in the Device Manager menu bar and checking the box next to it.
If enabling “Show hidden devices” doesn’t reveal the touchscreen device, try scanning for hardware changes. In Device Manager, click “Action” in the menu bar and select “Scan for hardware changes.” This might prompt Windows to detect and reinstall the touchscreen driver. If the problem persists, consider reinstalling the chipset drivers from the Dell support website.
How Do I Update The Touchscreen Driver On My Dell Inspiron 13 7000?
Updating the touchscreen driver can often resolve issues related to a non-responsive touchscreen. To update the driver, open Device Manager, expand “Human Interface Devices,” and right-click on the touchscreen device. Then, select “Update driver” from the context menu.
Choose the option to “Search automatically for drivers.” Windows will then attempt to find and install the latest driver available online. If this doesn’t work, visit the Dell support website, enter your laptop’s service tag or model number, and download the latest touchscreen driver manually. After downloading the driver, run the installer or update the driver through Device Manager by browsing to the downloaded file.
Can A Recent Windows Update Disable My Touchscreen?
Yes, it is possible for a recent Windows update to cause issues with your touchscreen. Windows updates can sometimes introduce compatibility problems with existing hardware drivers. This might inadvertently disable or corrupt the touchscreen driver, leading to the touchscreen ceasing to function.
If you suspect that a recent Windows update is the cause, consider rolling back the update. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery and look for the option to “Go back to the previous version of Windows 10” (or similar, depending on your version). This will revert your system to the state it was in before the update, potentially restoring touchscreen functionality.
Is There A BIOS Setting That Controls The Touchscreen?
In general, there is no specific BIOS setting to directly enable or disable the touchscreen on a Dell Inspiron 13 7000. The touchscreen functionality is primarily controlled by the operating system and associated drivers. BIOS typically manages more fundamental hardware components and settings.
However, ensuring your BIOS is up to date is always a good practice. An outdated BIOS can sometimes cause unexpected compatibility issues with various hardware components. Visit the Dell support website and check for the latest BIOS update for your model. Follow the instructions provided by Dell carefully when updating the BIOS.
What If None Of These Steps Work?
If none of the troubleshooting steps mentioned above resolve the issue, it may indicate a hardware problem with the touchscreen itself. This could be due to physical damage, a faulty connection, or other internal issues requiring professional repair. At this point, contact Dell support or a qualified computer technician.
Before contacting support, gather information about your laptop’s model number, service tag, and a detailed description of the problem. This will help the support team diagnose the issue more efficiently. Be prepared to provide details about the troubleshooting steps you’ve already taken.