Media query to detect if device is touchscreen

Question

What is the safest way, using media queries, to make something happen when not on a touchscreen device? If there is no way, do you suggest using a JavaScript solution such as !window.Touch or Modernizr?

Answer 1

Nowadays CSS Media queries can be used to define style for devices with specific interactive features and it's widely supported as well.

hover for example can be used to test whether the user's primary input mechanism can hover over elements (which would not be true in touch-enabled devices without emulating)

@media (hover: none) {
  a {
    background: yellow;
  }
}

Other interactive tests are: pointer, any-pointer, hover, and any-hover

Previous answer

I would suggest using modernizr and using its media query features.

if (Modernizr.touch){
   // bind to touchstart, touchmove, etc and watch `event.streamId`
} else {
   // bind to normal click, mousemove, etc
}
                

However, using CSS, there are pseudo class like, for example in Firefox. You can use :-moz-system-metric(touch-enabled). But these features are not available for every browser.

For Apple devices, you can simple use:

if(window.TouchEvent) {
   //.....
}

Especially for Ipad:

if(window.Touch) {
    //....
}

But, these do not work on Android.

Modernizr gives feature detection abilities, and detecting features is a good way to code, rather than coding on basis of browsers.

Styling Touch Elements

Modernizer adds classes to the HTML tag for this exact purpose. In this case, touch and no-touch so you can style your touch related aspects by prefixing your selectors with .touch. e.g. .touch .your-container. ^{Credits: Ben Swinburne}

Answer 2

There is actually a property for this in the CSS4 media query draft.

The ‘pointer’ media feature is used to query about the presence and accuracy of a pointing device such as a mouse. If a device has multiple input mechanisms, it is recommended that the UA reports the characteristics of the least capable pointing device of the primary input mechanisms. This media query takes the following values:

‘none’
- The input mechanism of the device does not include a pointing device.

‘coarse’
- The input mechanism of the device includes a pointing device of limited accuracy.

‘fine’
- The input mechanism of the device includes an accurate pointing device.

This would be used as such:

/* Make radio buttons and check boxes larger if we have an inaccurate pointing device */
@media (pointer:coarse) {
    input[type="checkbox"], input[type="radio"] {
        min-width:30px;
        min-height:40px;
        background:transparent;
    }
}

I also found a ticket in the Chromium project related to this.

Browser compatibility can be tested at Quirksmode. These are my results (22 jan 2013):

• Chrome/Win: Works
• Chrome/iOS: Doesn't work
• Safari/iOS6: Doesn't work

Answer 3

The CSS solutions don't appear to be widely available as of mid-2013. Instead...

1. Nicholas Zakas explains that Modernizr applies a no-touch CSS class when the browser doesn’t support touch.

2. Or detect in JavaScript with a simple piece of code, allowing you to implement your own Modernizr-like solution:

   <script>
       document.documentElement.className += 
       (("ontouchstart" in document.documentElement) ? ' touch' : ' no-touch');
   </script>
   

   Then you can write your CSS as:

   .no-touch .myClass {
       ...
   }
   .touch .myClass {
       ...
   }
   

Answer 4

There is actually a media query for that:

@media (hover: none) { … }

Apart from Firefox, it's fairly well supported. Safari and Chrome being the most common browsers on mobile devices, it might suffice untill greater adoption.

Answer 5

Media types do not allow you to detect touch capabilities as part of the standard:

http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-mediaqueries/

So, there is no way to do it consistently via CSS or media queries, you will have to resort to JavaScript.

No need to use Modernizr, you can just use plain JavaScript:

<script type="text/javascript">
    var is_touch_device = 'ontouchstart' in document.documentElement;
    if(is_touch_device) alert("touch is enabled!");
</script>

Answer 6

In 2017, CSS media query from second answer still doesn't work on Firefox. I found a soluton for that: -moz-touch-enabled

---

So, here is cross-browser media query:

@media (-moz-touch-enabled: 1), (pointer:coarse) {
    .something {
        its: working;
    }
}

Answer 7

This will work. If it doesn't let me know

@media (hover: none) and (pointer: coarse) {
    /* Touch screen device style goes here */
}

edit: hover on-demand is not supported anymore

Answer 8

This solution will work until CSS4 is globally supported by all browsers. When that day comes just use CSS4. but until then, this works for current browsers.

browser-util.js

export const isMobile = {
  android: () => navigator.userAgent.match(/Android/i),
  blackberry: () => navigator.userAgent.match(/BlackBerry/i),
  ios: () => navigator.userAgent.match(/iPhone|iPad|iPod/i),
  opera: () => navigator.userAgent.match(/Opera Mini/i),
  windows: () => navigator.userAgent.match(/IEMobile/i),
  any: () => (isMobile.android() || isMobile.blackberry() || 
  isMobile.ios() || isMobile.opera() || isMobile.windows())
};

onload:

old way:

isMobile.any() ? document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0].className += 'is-touch' : null;

newer way:

isMobile.any() ? document.body.classList.add('is-touch') : null;

The above code will add the "is-touch" class to the body tag if the device has a touch screen. Now any location in your web application where you would have css for :hover you can call body:not(.is-touch) the_rest_of_my_css:hover

for example:

button:hover

becomes:

body:not(.is-touch) button:hover

This solution avoids using modernizer as the modernizer lib is a very big library. If all you're trying to do is detect touch screens, This will be best when the size of the final compiled source is a requirement.

Answer 9

adding a class touchscreen to the body using JS or jQuery

  //allowing mobile only css
    var isMobile = ('ontouchstart' in document.documentElement && navigator.userAgent.match(/Mobi/));
    if(isMobile){
        jQuery("body").attr("class",'touchscreen');
    }

Answer 10

I was able to resolve this issue using this

@media (hover:none), (hover:on-demand) { 
Your class or ID{
attributes
}    
}