A malfunctioning touchpad can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you rely on your laptop daily. Before you resort to an external mouse, try these six simple troubleshooting steps. You might be surprised to find that a quick clean or a simple setting adjustment is all you need.
Clean Your Touchpad: It’s Probably Dirtier Than You Think
Fingertips leave behind oil, dirt, and all sorts of residue that can interfere with your touchpad’s performance. Cleaning it regularly can prevent issues and restore responsiveness.
Dampen a soft cloth with water or isopropyl alcohol (if needed). Gently wipe the entire touchpad using circular motions, paying close attention to the edges and buttons. Avoid using excessive water, as it can damage the electronics.
Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
Check Your Laptop’s Function Key
Most laptops have a function key (F1 through F12) that can toggle the touchpad on and off. It’s easy to accidentally disable it. Look for a key with a touchpad icon (usually a rectangle with a line underneath). Press the Fn key (usually located at the bottom left of the keyboard) along with the designated function key to enable or disable the touchpad.
Update or Reinstall Your Touchpad Drivers
Outdated or corrupted drivers can cause touchpad malfunctions. Visit your laptop manufacturer’s website and navigate to the support section. Find your specific laptop model and download the latest touchpad driver for your operating system.
For example, Dell’s support page makes it easy to find and download drivers automatically. Their FAQ page even provides video tutorials for driver installation.
Restart Your Laptop
Sometimes, the issue isn’t the touchpad itself, but rather a frozen system. If your laptop is unresponsive, force a shutdown by holding down the power button. Wait a few minutes before turning it back on. A simple reboot often resolves temporary software glitches. If the problem persists, contact your manufacturer’s customer support.
HP Omnibook Ultra 14 keyboard
Disconnect External Devices
External mice can sometimes automatically disable the touchpad. Shut down your laptop, unplug all external peripherals, and then restart. If your touchpad works again, you can reconnect your external devices.
Adjust Your Touchpad Settings
Your touchpad might be disabled within your operating system’s settings.
For Windows 10:
- Search for “Touchpad Settings” in the Windows search bar.
- Select “Touchpad Settings.”
- Toggle the touchpad to the “On” position.
For Windows 11:
- Press the Windows key + I.
- Select “Bluetooth & devices” on the left.
- Select “Touchpad.”
- Toggle the touchpad to the “On” position.
By trying these simple solutions, you can often resolve touchpad problems quickly and easily, avoiding the need for an external mouse or professional repair.
