Strengthened glass articles having laser etched features, electronic devices, and methods of fabricating etched features in strengthened glass articles are disclosed. In one embodiment, a strengthened glass article includes a first strengthened surface layer and a second strengthened surface layer under a compressive stress and extending from a first surface and a second surface, respectively, of the strengthened glass article to a depth of layer, and a central region between the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer that is under tensile stress. The strengthened glass article further includes at least one etched feature formed by laser ablation within the first surface or the second surface having a depth that is less than the depth of layer and a surface roughness that is greater than a surface roughness of the first surface or second surface outside of the at least one etched feature.