A welding-type power supply, comprising: power conversion circuitry configured to convert input power to welding-type power; a touch detection circuit configured to output a touch detection signal; and control circuitry configured to: prior to a welding operation, disable the power conversion circuitry to stop outputting the welding-type power to a wire electrode; control the touch detection circuit to output the touch detection signal to the wire electrode via output terminals while the power conversion circuitry is disabled; characterized by the control circuitry being further configured to: monitor a voltage at the output terminals; and in response to detecting that the voltage at the output terminals is less than a threshold, identify the contact between the wire electrode and a workpiece; and in response to identifying contact between the wire electrode and the workpiece: control the power conversion circuitry to output an arc starting current to the wire electrode; control a feed motor of a welding torch to retract the wire electrode; control the feed motor to advance the wire electrode based on a first parameter of the welding operation; and control the power conversion circuitry to output the welding-type power to the wire electrode based on the first parameter or a second parameter of the welding operation. power conversion circuitry configured to convert input power to welding-type power; a touch detection circuit configured to output a touch detection signal; and control circuitry configured to: prior to a welding operation, disable the power conversion circuitry to stop outputting the welding-type power to a wire electrode; control the touch detection circuit to output the touch detection signal to the wire electrode via output terminals while the power conversion circuitry is disabled; characterized by the control circuitry being further configured to: monitor a voltage at the output terminals; and in response to detecting that the voltage at the output terminals is less than a threshold, identify the contact between the wire electrode and a workpiece; and in response to identifying contact between the wire electrode and the workpiece: control the power conversion circuitry to output an arc starting current to the wire electrode; control a feed motor of a welding torch to retract the wire electrode; control the feed motor to advance the wire electrode based on a first parameter of the welding operation; and control the power conversion circuitry to output the welding-type power to the wire electrode based on the first parameter or a second parameter of the welding operation. prior to a welding operation, disable the power conversion circuitry to stop outputting the welding-type power to a wire electrode; control the touch detection circuit to output the touch detection signal to the wire electrode via output terminals while the power conversion circuitry is disabled; characterized by the control circuitry being further configured to: monitor a voltage at the output terminals; and in response to detecting that the voltage at the output terminals is less than a threshold, identify the contact between the wire electrode and a workpiece; and in response to identifying contact between the wire electrode and the workpiece: control the power conversion circuitry to output an arc starting current to the wire electrode; control a feed motor of a welding torch to retract the wire electrode; control the feed motor to advance the wire electrode based on a first parameter of the welding operation; and control the power conversion circuitry to output the welding-type power to the wire electrode based on the first parameter or a second parameter of the welding operation. in response to detecting that the voltage at the output terminals is less than a threshold, identify the contact between the wire electrode and a workpiece; and in response to identifying contact between the wire electrode and the workpiece: control the power conversion circuitry to output an arc starting current to the wire electrode; control a feed motor of a welding torch to retract the wire electrode; control the feed motor to advance the wire electrode based on a first parameter of the welding operation; and control the power conversion circuitry to output the welding-type power to the wire electrode based on the first parameter or a second parameter of the welding operation. control the power conversion circuitry to output an arc starting current to the wire electrode; control a feed motor of a welding torch to retract the wire electrode; control the feed motor to advance the wire electrode based on a first parameter of the welding operation; and control the power conversion circuitry to output the welding-type power to the wire electrode based on the first parameter or a second parameter of the welding operation.