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Clevertouch & interactive screens
How to use them, connect laptops and cast, plus fixes for touch, pens, input and sound. 64 guides in 6 sections.
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.
Download the Clevertouch & interactive screens handbook (PDF)
Getting started
Quick-start routine for new teachers: start of lesson and end of dayA short routine makes an interactive screen feel simple.Turning a Clevertouch screen on and off properlySwitching an interactive screen on and off the right way protects the screen, saves energy and avoids the odd start-up problems that come from pulling the plug.A tour of the screen: home screen, side toolbar and source menuClevertouch screens look slightly different depending on the model and software version, but most share the same basic layout.Locking and unlocking the screen, and using touch lockLocking a screen can stop pupils changing things, stop accidental touches during a video, and keep private material private.Brightness, eye-care mode, language, date and time on a Clevertouch screenA few simple settings make the screen more comfortable to look at and help sign-in and calendars work properly.Clevertouch screens: frequently asked questions for new staffStarting at a new school or office can be a lot to take in.
Using the whiteboard & lessons
Using the built-in whiteboard on a Clevertouch screenMost Clevertouch screens come with a built-in whiteboard so you can write, draw and teach without a laptop.Saving and sharing whiteboard files on a Clevertouch screenAnything you write on the whiteboard can be lost when the screen is restarted or someone else uses it.Using the built-in web browser on a Clevertouch screen safelyMany interactive screens include a web browser so you can show a website without a laptop.Android apps and the app store on a Clevertouch screenMany Clevertouch screens run a version of Android inside, which lets you open built-in apps.Split screen, screenshots and annotating on an interactive screenInteractive screens often let you show two things side by side, capture what is on the screen, or write over the top of other content.Writing, erasing and choosing pen colours on an interactive screenWriting on an interactive screen feels much like using a marker pen.Touch gestures on an interactive screen: moving, zooming and erasingInteractive screens understand more than a single tap.Lynx Whiteboard: pages, shapes and textLynx Whiteboard is the whiteboard software found on many Clevertouch screens.Lynx Whiteboard: handwriting to text, backgrounds, images and templatesOnce you can write and draw in the whiteboard, a few extra features make lessons look more polished.Infinite canvas and recording a lesson on an interactive screenSome interactive screens let you work on a canvas that keeps growing, and some can record what happens on the screen.Spotlight, screen shade, ruler and protractor toolsMany interactive screens include teaching tools that help you focus attention or measure things.Importing a PowerPoint or PDF and annotating over itMany teachers already have slides and worksheets.Opening Google Slides or Microsoft Office on an interactive screenYou can often use Google Slides, Word, PowerPoint and similar tools directly on the screen, or you can use them on your laptop and show them on the screen.Using a Clevertouch screen with Google Classroom or Teams for EducationInteractive screens work well with the online tools many schools already use.Two people writing at once and group activities on an interactive screenMany interactive screens can recognise more than one touch at the same time, so two or more people can write together.Saving a lesson to USB, Google Drive or OneDrive and opening it at homeA lesson you create on the screen is only useful if you can get it back later.
Connecting laptops & casting
How to change the input source on a Clevertouch screenAn interactive screen can show different things: its own built-in system, a laptop, or a computer module fitted inside.Clevertouch screen says no signal"No signal" simply means the screen is not receiving a picture from the input it is looking at.Connecting 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.Screen mirroring and casting to a Clevertouch screenYou can often show a phone, tablet or laptop on an interactive screen without leads.Using Clevershare step by step on Windows and MacClevershare is Clevertouch's wireless sharing tool.Using Clevershare on Chromebook, iPad, iPhone and AndroidClevershare and similar wireless methods can often be used from tablets and phones as well as computers.Sharing your screen wirelessly with students, including AirPlay and ChromecastWireless sharing lets pupils show their work on the big screen from their seats.Starting a meeting in two minutes on an interactive screenAn interactive screen is a handy meeting tool, but only if it is ready when people walk in.Presenting from a laptop and annotating over your slides in a meetingYou can present from your laptop and still use the touch screen to highlight, circle and write notes over your slides.Touch 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.Touch works on the panel but not on the laptopThe panel's own apps respond to touch, but when you connect your laptop the screen shows your laptop and touch does nothing.HDMI keeps dropping, or says No signal after a laptop wakes upYou connect your laptop, the picture appears, then it disappears or flashes.Clevershare codes not working, or the connection keeps droppingYou enter a code to share your screen, but it is rejected, or the connection starts and then drops.
Troubleshooting
Clevertouch screen will not turn onWhen an interactive screen stays dark, the cause is usually something simple like a switched-off socket or a loose lead.Touch 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.Pens and erasers not writing on an interactive screenPens that do not write, or a finger that draws when you wanted the pen, are common in busy classrooms.Ghost touches and random touches on an interactive screenGhost touches are when the screen behaves as if someone is touching it when nobody is.Clevertouch screen frozen or running slowlyA screen that responds late, freezes, or jumps can make a lesson stressful.Troubleshooting checklist before you call support for an interactive screenSupport can help much faster if you tell them the right details.Picture too large, cut off or too small on an interactive screenIf the edges of your desktop, slides or taskbar are missing, or if there are black borders around the picture, the screen is probably scaling the signal wrongly.Blurry text or flickering picture on an interactive screenText that looks soft, fuzzy or too small, or a picture that shimmers and flickers, is annoying on a big screen.One corner not responding, or pen works but finger does notWhen part of the screen ignores you, or one kind of touch works and another does not, the cause is usually something blocking the touch sensors or a setting, not a broken screen.Lag when writing on an interactive screenIf the ink trails behind your pen, or the screen takes a moment to react to a touch, it makes writing frustrating.Clevertouch screen goes to standby by itselfIf your interactive screen goes dark or switches off when you did not touch it, there is usually a setting or a connection causing it.Apps crashing or freezing on an interactive screenWhen an app closes by itself, freezes or will not open, it is nearly always fixable without any tools.
Network, updates & admin
Connecting a Clevertouch screen to Wi-Fi or a wired networkThe built-in apps, web browser, cloud saving and wireless sharing all need the screen to be on a network.Updating Clevertouch software and firmware safelyUpdates can fix problems and add features, but a bad update can leave a screen unusable in front of a class.Factory reset warning: what you lose on a Clevertouch screenA factory reset returns a screen to how it was when it was new.Cleaning an interactive screen safelyFingerprints, chalk dust and pen marks build up fast.Moving, transporting and mounting an interactive screen safelyInteractive screens are large, heavy and easy to damage.USB sticks not detected, and storage full on the panelTwo problems often go together.Wi-Fi login on a school network: when to ask ITConnecting a Clevertouch screen to a school or office network is not always as simple as joining Wi-Fi at home.End-of-term shutdown and summer holiday checklist for interactive screensA little care before the holidays protects the screen, saves energy and means a smooth start in September.Health and safety basics for interactive screensInteractive screens are large, heavy and connected to power and data cables.
Audio, cameras & classroom kit
No sound or low volume on a Clevertouch screenIf the picture is fine but there is no sound, the cause is usually muted volume, the wrong sound output, or a lead problem.Using a visualiser or document camera with an interactive screenA visualiser, also called a document camera, lets you show a book, a worksheet or an experiment on the big screen.Classroom audio: soundbars, speakers and microphonesGood sound matters as much as a good picture.Connecting a wireless presenter to an interactive screen or laptopA wireless presenter, sometimes called a clicker, lets you move slides forward without standing at the laptop.Using Microsoft Teams or Zoom on an interactive panelInteractive screens are often used for meetings and remote lessons.OPS computer module problems on a Clevertouch screenSome interactive screens have a small Windows computer slotted into the back, often called an OPS module.Clevertouch remote control not workingThe remote is easy to lose and its batteries run flat.Using the microphone and camera with Teams or Zoom on a Clevertouch screenSome interactive screens have a built-in camera and microphone, and others do not.
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