How to Fix a Laptop Touchpad Not Working properly windows 10

Did you notice Laptop Touchpad not working properly After recent Windows update? A non-responsive touchpad on your laptop can be frustrating, especially if you rely on it for everyday tasks. Whether your touchpad is completely unresponsive or only certain features aren’t working as expected, there are several steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve the issue. This article explores various methods to get your touchpad working again.

Why the Touchpad May Not Be Working

There are various reason that causes laptop Touchpad not working properly, Outdated or Corrupted Drivers, Newly installed Software Conflicts, the touchpad may be physically damaged.

• Accidentally Disabled Touchpad: The touchpad may have been disabled accidentally, either through a keyboard shortcut or in the settings.
• Outdated or Corrupted Drivers: Touchpad drivers may become outdated or corrupted, leading to functionality issues.
• Software Conflicts: Newly installed software or updates can sometimes cause conflicts with touchpad functionality.
• Hardware Issues: In some cases, the touchpad may be physically damaged, or there could be a connection issue within the laptop.

Ensure the Touchpad Is Enabled

If the touchpad completely not working, make sure it’s not disabled from Function keys. Some of the laptops come with Fn keys that enable/disable the touchpad. Try Fn + F5, Fn + F6 or something else entirely.

Many laptops have a function key (e.g., Fn + F5, Fn + F7) to toggle the touchpad on or off. Look for an icon that resembles a touchpad on your function keys and try pressing it along with the Fn key.

• Go to Settings > Devices > Touchpad (in Windows 10) or Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad (in Windows 11).
• Ensure the toggle switch under “Touchpad” is turned on.

Modify Touchpad Settings

• Press Windows + I to open Settings
• Devices and click on Mouse and Touchpad
• Scroll down, here under Related Settings, click on Additional mouse options

• Here under mouse properties, Go to the Touchpad tab (usually named the brand + touchpad model, such as Dell Touchpad.)
• Click on that touchpad to select it, and then click the Enable button.

• Now click the Pointers Options tab. On Select a pointer speed section, toggle the slider around to find a speed that works for you. Then hit Apply and OK to save the change.
• Buttons tab, then toggle the slider under Double-click speed section to select the speed that works for you. Then hit Apply and OK to save the change.

Now check the laptop touchpad is working properly

Update or Reinstall Touchpad Drivers

Outdated or corrupted drivers can cause your touchpad to stop working. Updating or reinstalling the drivers might resolve the issue.

• Right-click on the Start menu and select Device Manager.
• Expand the Mice and other pointing devices category.
• Right-click on your touchpad device (often labeled as “Synaptics” or “ELAN”) and select Update driver.
• Choose Search automatically for drivers and follow the prompts.

To Reinstall Drivers:

• In Device Manager, right-click on the touchpad device and select Uninstall device.
• Restart your laptop. Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver automatically.

Check Touchpad Settings in the BIOS/UEFI

The touchpad may be disabled in the BIOS/UEFI settings. To check:

• Restart your laptop and press the appropriate key (e.g., F2, Del, Esc) during startup to enter the BIOS/UEFI.
• Look for a section related to internal devices or touchpad settings.
• Ensure that the touchpad is enabled.
• Save any changes and exit the BIOS/UEFI.

Check for Software Conflicts

Some software or updates may conflict with the touchpad functionality:

• Try uninstalling any recently installed software or updates.
• If your laptop recently updated, consider rolling back to a previous version.

Perform a System Restore

If the touchpad stopped working after a recent update or software installation, a system restore might fix the problem:

• Search for Create a restore point in the Start menu and select it.
• Click on System Restore and follow the prompts to choose a restore point from a date when the touchpad was working.

Use an External Mouse

If the touchpad still isn’t working, you might need to use an external mouse temporarily:

• Connect a USB or Bluetooth mouse to navigate while you troubleshoot the touchpad issue further.
• If the external mouse works, it indicates a problem specifically with the touchpad.