Is Your Windows 11 Stuck in Tablet Mode? Here’s How to Fix It

Some hybrid Windows 11 devices feature a tablet mode, much like in previous iterations of Microsoft’s operating systems. However, unlike Windows 10 where you can enable and disable this feature from the Settings or Action Center, Windows 11 automatically switches modes. Unfortunately, this means that users have no way to manually enable or disable this feature.

While the automatic change is usually a step up from the manual way, many users often experience their devices stuck in tablet mode even after reverting to laptop mode. If this is also your case, we’re here to help.

How to Enable Tablet Mode in Windows 11

As mentioned, there’s no manual way to enable or disable the tablet mode in Windows 11. Instead, the system is created to be intuitive, automatically switching two modes once you detach the keyboard or flip the device. Simply put, physically converting your laptop to a tablet will enable the feature.

Related: What Will It Be Like Working on a Windows 11 Tablet?

Once you’ve switched to tablet mode, don’t expect your Windows 11 system to change completely. The feature only increases the icon size of your desktop, adds a little more space between the icons, and some other minor changes.

6 Ways to Fix Windows 11 Stuck in Tablet Mode

If your Windows 11 device is stuck in tablet mode, here are some tricks you can try.

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1. Check if the Keyboard Is Correctly Attached

Windows 11’s tablet mode only activates when you detach the keyboard from the system. As such, incorrectly reattaching the keyboard sometimes causes Windows 11 to get stuck in tablet mode. So, before you do any technical troubleshooting steps to your Windows 11 system, check whether the keyboard is firmly connected to the tablet.

Most of the time, this is the cause of the issue. However, if the keyboard is correctly attached and your system is still stuck in tablet mode, it’s time to try something else.

2. Rotate the Screen

If your Windows 11 laptop has a flip screen instead of a detachable keyboard, revert it to its original position to disable the tablet mode. Make sure that your screen is flipped; otherwise, the system would not understand that you have reverted to laptop mode. If the screen is flipped around and your system is still stuck in tablet mode, go to the next troubleshooting step.

3. Restart Your Computer

In some cases, a simple reboot can revert your system to its original mode. Here’s how to restart Windows 11:

Launch the Start menu by clicking the Start button in the Taskbar.
Next, click the Power button and select Restart from the options.
After your system has rebooted, check if the issue persists.

If the problem is caused by a bug in Windows 11 or a background process, restarting your computer should fix it. Most of the time, rebooting a Windows system eliminates any weirdness going on. However, if your laptop is still stuck in tablet mode, go to the next fix.

4. Update Windows 11

Running an outdated version of Windows can cause issues with your computer. It may even harm your computer’s overall performance. If your system isn’t updated to the latest Windows 11 version yet, this could be the reason why your laptop is stuck in tablet mode. Follow the steps below to update your system:

Open the Settings by pressing Win + I.
From the Settings page, click Windows update found on the left-side panel.
Next, click Check for updates so that Windows can scan if there are newer versions available.
If there are any updates available, download and install them.

Every Windows update comes with many patches and fixes from previously known bugs. It also comes with security enhancements that can improve your computer’s performance.

Related: Why Is the Latest Windows Update Not Showing on My PC?

5. Run an SFC scan

The System File Checker (SFC) scan is a Windows built-in troubleshooting program that can help repair corrupted files in your computer. In some cases, your laptop being stuck in tablet mode is due to corrupt files. Here’s how to run an SFC scan:

Open Command Prompt as admin by using Windows search. To do this, press Win + R and type CMD. Next, right-click on the Command Prompt result and click Run as administrator.
On the Command Prompt, type sfc /scannow and press Enter. This will run the scan.
Once the scan is completed, restart your laptop and check whether your Windows 11 device is still stuck in tablet mode.

Note: The SFC scan may take a while to complete depending on the number of files to be scanned in your system.

6. Revert Your System to a Previous Restore Point

If all else fails, restoring your system is an effective way to fix many errors in your computer, especially when solving a system failure. While a system restore may affect your configured settings or remove any recently installed apps, it won’t delete or modify any files on your computer. It essentially just takes your system back to a state when the error didn’t exist yet. Follow the steps below to restore your system:

Press Win + S to open Search. Then, type Create a restore point. Click the first result.
From the System Properties window, click System Restore.
Depending on your choice, you can proceed with the Recommended restore or choose a different restore point. If you want to do it manually, choose from your list to start the process. Otherwise, continue with the recommended restore.
Then, review the restore settings and click Finish to start the process. After the procedure is finished, your system should no longer be stuck in tablet mode.

Note: Make sure to save any open files before doing a system restore. If you don’t, you might lose the data since the computer will start during the process.

Windows automatically creates a restore point (using the right settings) before major changes. This allows you to find a restore point easily and resolve the Windows 11 stuck in tablet mode issue.

Stuck in Tablet Mode No More

These are all the fixes you can do when your Windows 11 device is stuck in tablet mode. If you’ve tried all of them and your laptop is still in tablet mode, your last option is to reset the computer to its factory settings, which is a sure fix in almost all issues regarding the operating system. However, it will delete all your apps and files.

If you’re not too happy with the new tablet mode in Windows 11, you can roll back to Windows 10 so you can manually switch modes once again.