Why is my Acer Chromebook 315’s touchscreen not working?

Why is my Acer Chromebook 315’s touchscreen not working?
I’m really frustrated with my Acer Chromebook 315 because the touchscreen just stopped working suddenly. I depend on the touchscreen feature a lot for my daily tasks like browsing, taking notes, and navigating through apps. It’s really puzzling because it was functioning perfectly fine before without any issues. I haven’t dropped it or caused any physical damage. I’m not sure if it’s a software glitch or a hardware malfunction. Restarting the device and updating the OS did not help either. I’m looking for any insights about what might be causing this issue and would appreciate any advice on how to diagnose the problem.
7 Answers

You might want to run a hardware diagnostic to check the touchscreen functionality. Here’s how you can do it:
- Press Esc + Refresh + Power to reboot into recovery mode.
- Press Ctrl + D to enter Developer mode and then press Enter (note that this will erase all local data and settings).
- Once in Developer mode, press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the Crosh command prompt.
- Type ‘menu’ and press Enter.
- Select the option for the touchscreen diagnostic test to identify any hardware issues. If the test passes and the touchscreen is still not working, the next step would likely be professional repair.

I encountered the same issue with my Acer Chromebook 315, and a Powerwash resolved it for me. This process will reset your Chromebook to its factory settings. Remember, this will erase all data stored locally, so ensure you have backups of your important files.
Here’s how you do it:
1. Click your user photo in the bottom-right corner.
2. Go to ‘Settings’.
3. Scroll down and click ‘Advanced’.
4. Under ‘Reset Settings’, select ‘Powerwash’.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

Check if your Chromebook has pending updates. Outdated software can sometimes cause touchscreen issues. Here’s how you can ensure your OS is up-to-date:
- Click on your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
- Go to ‘Settings’.
- Scroll down to ‘About Chrome OS’.
- Click on ‘Check for updates’. If updates are available, install them and see if the touchscreen starts working.

In my case, cleaning the screen was all it took. Dust and grime can interfere with touchscreen functionality. Here’s what worked for me:
- Turn off and unplug your Chromebook.
- Use a microfiber cloth slightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol.
- Gently wipe down the screen and the edges.
- Make sure the screen is dry before turning it back on.

If your touchscreen issue persists after trying the other suggestions, contacting Acer support might be your best bet. I once had to reach out to their support center when I faced a similar problem. They were able to diagnose a hardware failure that I couldn’t have fixed on my own. Be prepared to provide your device’s serial number and follow their troubleshooting steps.