Fixing a Laptop Touchpad that Stopped Working: Ultimate Guide

Source: Suraj Computers If your laptop touchpad stops working, it can be frustrating to deal with. However, it's usually a simple issue that can be resolved by following some basic troubleshooting steps. This article will walk you through some of these steps, including checking if your whole computer is frozen, reviewing your keyboard's touchpad key, removing any external mice, reviewing touchpad settings in Windows, and diving into mice in the Device Manager.

Check Your Keyboard's Touchpad Key

One of the most common reasons for a laptop touchpad not working is that you've accidentally disabled it with a key combination. On most laptops, you can toggle the touchpad on and off with the Fn key and a function key that has a square trackpad-looking icon, often with an X next to it. If you've accidentally hit this key combination, your touchpad might not be broken, but rather turned off. Try pressing the key combination again to see if it turns back on.

Is Your Whole Computer Frozen?

Before you panic and try to troubleshoot your touchpad, it's important to ensure that your whole computer is not frozen. This can be determined by pressing the Windows key to open the Start Menu and then trying Ctrl + Alt + Delete to open the Security screen on a Windows laptop. On a Mac, you can press Cmd + Space to open Spotlight. If neither of these work, your computer could be locked up. Wait for a few minutes to see if it resolves itself, and if it doesn't, you'll need to press and hold the physical Power button to power it down.   Source: PC World

Remove Any External Mice to Activate the Touchpad

Another common reason why your laptop touchpad might not be working is that it's been disabled when an external mouse has been connected to the laptop. This can be fixed by disconnecting any USB mice or Bluetooth mice and rebooting your laptop. If your touchpad works after you reboot, you've found the issue. Also Read: Add Logitech Wireless Keyboard with Multi-touch Touchpad to Enhance Your Comfort

Review Touchpad Settings in Windows

If none of the above steps work, you should review your laptop's touchpad settings in Windows. On Windows 10, you can access this by heading to Settings > Devices > Touchpad, and on Windows 11, it's under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad. Here, ensure that the Touchpad slider is enabled and the box below it, Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected, is checked if you want to keep your touchpad active. You can also review other touchpad settings here to ensure your mouse behaves the way you want it to.

Dig Into Mice in the Device Manager

If your laptop touchpad is still not working, you can troubleshoot deeper by accessing the Device Manager. This can be done by pressing Win + X or right-clicking on the Start button and selecting Device Manager. Once there, expand the Mice and other pointing devices category and look for your touchpad. If you've connected a mouse, you'll see multiple entries. If you find your mouse, right-click and choose Disable device and then Enable device again. If this doesn't work, try updating the driver by right-clicking the entry and selecting Update driver.