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Clevertouch & interactive screensMedium2 min read

Touch works on the panel but not on the laptop

Please note: this is independent guidance. Vision Tech is not affiliated with Clevertouch. Menus and features differ between models and software versions, so check your screen's own manual or on-screen help, and speak to your school IT team or supplier before changing admin-locked settings, updating firmware or doing a factory reset.

The panel's own apps respond to touch, but when you connect your laptop the screen shows your laptop and touch does nothing. The usual reason is that the laptop is not receiving the touch signal, because touch travels by a different cable from the picture.

Why it happens

HDMI carries the picture and sound. Touch information is normally sent back to the laptop over a USB cable. Without that cable, the laptop shows on the screen but cannot be touched.

USB touch cable checklist

  1. Find the USB cable from the panel, usually labelled as touch or for a computer. Plug it into your laptop.
  2. Check you are using the correct USB port on the panel for the input you chose. Many screens pair each HDMI input with a certain USB socket, so look at the markings or ask IT.
  3. Push both ends in firmly. A loose plug is a common cause.
  4. Try another USB port on your laptop, preferably directly, not through a dock or hub.
  5. Wait about ten seconds. Your laptop may be installing the touch device.
  6. Check that the right input is selected on the panel.
  7. Restart your laptop with the cable connected.

Laptop settings to check

  • On Windows, check that touch is not disabled. Many laptops allow you to switch it on and off.
  • Some managed laptops block new USB devices. If so, ask IT.
  • On a Mac, touch may behave like a mouse when connected, and some features may be limited.

Try these tests

  • Use a different USB cable, if it is allowed and safe.
  • Try another laptop. If that works, the problem is the first laptop.
  • Try the built-in apps on the panel to prove the touch hardware is fine.

USB-C connections

Some laptops connect with a single USB-C cable that carries both picture and touch. Check that your laptop and cable support this, because not all USB-C cables or ports carry video.

When to get more help

Ask IT if the cable is missing, the laptop will not recognise touch, or it works in some rooms and not others. Tell them the laptop, the ports used and which tests you tried.

Did this help? If you are still stuck, email Vision Tech and tell us what you can see on the screen. Menus and button names can differ slightly between versions and makes. If something does not match, stop and ask rather than guess.

Related guides

Clevertouch & interactive screensAdvancedTouch is in the wrong place after plugging in a laptopIf you touch one spot and the pointer appears somewhere else, or touch controls your laptop's own screen instead of the panel, the computer has mixed up which display the touch belongs to.Clevertouch & interactive screensMediumTouch is not working or is in the wrong place on a Clevertouch screenIf the screen shows a picture but does not respond to your finger, or draws somewhere other than where you touch, there are a few common causes.Clevertouch & interactive screensEasyConnecting a laptop to a Clevertouch screen with HDMI and USBThe usual way to show your laptop on an interactive screen is an HDMI lead for the picture and sound, plus a USB lead so you can use touch on the laptop.