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Fix Touch Not Working on a SMART Board
Quick Reference QR-SM-002 · SMART Board · Rev 1.0 · Oct 2026
The picture is fine but touch doesn't work, works only on some inputs, or lands in the wrong spot. Check these in order: most touch problems are a cable on the wrong port.
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How touch reaches a computer: the picture and the touch travel separately on HDMI. Each HDMI input has its own USB Type-B port, and touch only works for the computer whose USB cable is in the port that matches the input on screen. On USB-C, one cable carries picture, sound and touch.
1️⃣ Check the touch cable is in the port that matches the input
Find the input the computer is using, then check its USB cable is in the paired port. Both models pair the ports the same way on the side and bottom panel:
| Input on screen | Video cable | Touch cable goes in |
|---|---|---|
| HDMI 1 | Side and bottom panel, HDMI 2.1 In | The USB 3.2 Type-B next to it (side and bottom panel) |
| HDMI 2 | Side and bottom panel, HDMI 2.1 In | The USB 3.2 Type-B next to it (side and bottom panel) |
| HDMI 4 or VGA | Side and bottom panel, HDMI 2.1 In or VGA In | The shared USB Type-B for HDMI 4 and VGA. If both have a computer, touch goes only to the one plugged into that USB port. |
| HDMI 3 | Front panel: MX "HDMI In", RX convenience panel "HDMI 2.0 in" | The USB Type-B on the same front panel |
| USB-C (any) | USB Type-C | The same USB-C cable: no separate touch cable |
- To see which input is on: tap Input on the Home screen, or press Input on the front panel or the remote.
- MX (V5): the computer's input thumbnail says Touch enabled when its USB touch link is up. No "Touch enabled" means a cable problem.
- Use one USB cable between the computer and the display.
2️⃣ On USB-C, use a data cable
- Some USB-C cables only carry power. Touch needs a cable that supports at least USB 3.2 Gen 1 data.
- Use the cable that came with the board when you can: both models ship a 6 ft (1.8 m) USB 3.2 Gen 1 USB-C cable.
- USB-C charging: RX gives 65 W on its USB-C input; MX (V5) gives 65 W on the back USB-C and 27 W on the front.
3️⃣ Take out docks, hubs and extenders
- Remove any docking station, port replicator, USB hub or extender between the computer and the board, and plug the board's cable straight into the computer.
- Check the cable isn't too long for its type:
| Cable | Longest SMART supports |
|---|---|
| USB 2.0 Type-A to Type-B (the supplied touch cable is 16 ft 5 in, 5 m) | 16 ft (5 m) |
| USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A to Type-B | 10 ft (3 m) |
| USB 3.2 Gen 1 USB-C | 6 ft 7 in (2 m) |
| USB 2.0 on USB-C | 13 ft (4 m) |
- Longer runs need an active USB extender (SMART lists its USB-XT active cable and CAT5-XT-1100). SMART doesn't support other brands' extenders, and a hub used with an extender must be self-powered.
- "Too many USB hubs" or "cannot start (code 10)" in Windows means too many hubs in the chain: the board has hubs inside it that count toward the limit, so remove any extra hub.
4️⃣ Check the computer sees the board
| Computer | Check |
|---|---|
| Windows | Open Device Manager: there should be no red X or yellow ! on the USB devices. |
| Mac | Open System Report: no error messages in the USB section. |
5️⃣ Install or restart SMART Product Drivers
- Make sure SMART Product Drivers is installed and running on the computer (current for Windows 10 and 11: Product Drivers 12.30 SP1 with SMART Ink 5.22 SP1, Aug 2026; Windows on ARM isn't supported).
- Click the SMART Board icon in the Windows notification area (or the Mac menu bar) › SMART Settings. An X on the icon means the computer isn't connected to the board.
- If SMART Settings doesn't say the SMART Board is connected and working: About Software and product support › Tools › Diagnostics, then Service › Start from the top menu. This restarts SMART Service so touch can start working again.
- Still not connected? In SMART Settings, click Connection Wizard and follow the steps.
6️⃣ Touch lands in the wrong spot? Orient the board
- Click the SMART Board icon › Orient.
- Tap the center of each red target and lift, holding the pen straight at the screen, until all targets are done.
- If the orientation screen opens on the wrong display, press the Space bar on the computer.
7️⃣ Touch is patchy or jumpy? Clean the touch sensors
- Turn off the computer, then the display.
- The touch sensors sit all around the edge, between the screen and the frame. Wipe that strip gently with a clean, lint-free cloth. If dirt stays, use 50% isopropyl alcohol on the cloth. Don't press hard and don't use compressed air.
- Keep lamps, spotlights and direct sunlight off the screen: the touch sensors are infrared and bright light confuses them. Touch with the pad of the finger, not a fingernail.
Field tips and tricks
- Ask first: does touch fail on every input, only one input, or only with one computer? Every input (even the board's home screen) points to the board; one input points to that port or cable; one computer points to the computer, its dock or its drivers.
- Test the board by itself: if touch works on the board's own home screen, the touch frame is fine and the problem is in the computer path.
- Bring known-good cables: a short USB-A to B and a USB-C cable you know carries data. Swapping a cable is the fastest way to rule it out.
- Follow the input: write down which input the laptop is on before you unplug anything, then trace that input's touch cable to its paired port.
- HDMI 4 and VGA share one touch port: if both have a computer, only one gets touch.
- Docks and hubs: plug straight into the laptop. If that fixes it, the dock is the problem, not the board.
- Wall plates: a USB run through a wall plate or extender counts toward cable length. Test with a cable straight from the laptop to the board.
- Windows sounds: plug the touch cable in and listen for the USB connect sound; no sound means the computer doesn't see the board at all.
- Look for the X: an X on the SMART Board icon means the computer isn't connected, even if the picture is fine.
- Patchy touch in one area usually means dirt or something blocking the sensors along that edge, or bright light hitting the screen.
- Touch in the wrong spot is an orientation problem, not a cable problem: orient (step 6).
- Change one thing at a time and test after each, so you know what actually fixed it.
- Write it down: in the ticket or worksheet, note the input, the cable you used, whether a dock was involved and what fixed it. The next visit starts there.
Still not working?
- Lock icon on both sides of the screen? Touch is locked. Tap the lock icon, or turn off Touch lock under Display settings › Lock and remote control (using the remote or a USB mouse).
- Just woke up? Touch takes a few seconds after the board wakes or turns on.
- Restart both: hold the board's Power button for 10 seconds, and restart the computer.
- Split the problem: try another computer with the supplied cables on a different input. Works there? It's the first computer or its cable.
- No touch on any input, even the board's own home screen? Update the board's firmware, then call VSC.
- Hardware problem? Call VSC: many RX and MX (V5) boards are covered by a SMART Assure warranty.
📚 Sources & credits
- Compiled by Brad Roy, VSC Director of Operations, from SMART Technologies support documentation (October 2026).
- SMART Board RX and MX: "Connector diagrams", "Connecting room computers and guest laptops", "Troubleshooting", "Orienting the display" (support.smarttech.com, 2026). SMART "USB cables and connectors". SMART Product Drivers 12 / Ink 5 "Using the connection wizard" and Windows download page (Aug 2026). "Cleaning and maintaining hardware".
- SMART Board RX series specifications, KB 171916 (Aug 27, 2026). SMART Board MX (V5) series specifications, KB 171889 (Oct 7, 2026). Basic classroom troubleshooting for your SMART Board display, KB 171720 (May 16, 2024).