How to Enable or Disable Magnifier Bars on Touchscreen in Windows 11

You enable or disable Magnifier bars on touchscreens in Windows 11 through the Magnifier settings. Magnifier itself is a screen magnification utility that helps users with low vision by making parts of their screen larger.

These bars, specifically the docking bars that appear when Magnifier is in docked mode on a touchscreen, can be toggled on or off. For many users in Windows 11 version 22H2 and later, these bars might be hidden by default to provide a cleaner interface on touch devices.

If you prefer having these on-screen controls to navigate your magnified view, you can easily reactivate them. Conversely, if you find them distracting on your touchscreen, you can disable them in just a few clicks.

Learn more about making items larger with Magnifier in  Windows Use Magnifier to make things on the screen easier to see | Microsoft Support.

Option One: Use Settings

1. Open Settings. You can press the Windows key + I at the same time.
2. On the left side, click or tap on Accessibility. Then, on the right side, click or tap on Magnifier. See the screenshot below.
3. Click or tap on Magnifier to open its settings.
4. Look under the Appearance section. You will see an option called Show touch bars when using a touchscreen device. Turn this option on or off depending on what you want. By default, it is off. See the screenshot below.
5. You can now close the Settings window.

Option Two: Use the Registry Editor (Advanced)

Why do this? The Registry Editor lets you change hidden settings in Windows. It’s powerful but can cause problems if used incorrectly. Be careful!

What happens when done? Changing these settings directly affects how Magnifier behaves on your touchscreen.

Note: Modifying the registry incorrectly can cause serious issues. It’s best to use the Settings app if you’re not comfortable with the registry. This section is for advanced users.

You will need administrator rights for this method.

To Turn On Show Touch Bars:

1. Open Registry Editor. You can search for “regedit” in the Windows search bar.
2. Navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\TabletPC\Magnifier
3. Right-click on an empty space in the right pane.
4. Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
5. Name the new value FullscreenTouchPanels.
6. Double-click on FullscreenTouchPanels.
7. Set the Value data to 1.
8. Click OK.

To Turn Off Show Touch Bars (Default):

1. Open Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\TabletPC\Magnifier
3. Double-click on FullscreenTouchPanels.
4. Set the Value data to 0.
5. Click OK.

After making changes in the Registry Editor, you might need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Summary

You can easily control whether touch bars appear in Magnifier on your touchscreen in Windows 11. Use the Settings app for a simple way to turn this feature on or off. For advanced users, the Registry Editor offers another method, but proceed with caution.