Trackpad Not Working on Windows? Here’s How to Fix It

Is your trackpad suddenly unresponsive on your Windows laptop? It’s a frustrating problem, but thankfully, it’s often solvable with a few troubleshooting steps. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the most common causes and fixes to get your trackpad working again.

Common Causes of a Non-Functional Trackpad

Before diving into solutions, understanding potential causes is key:

  • Accidental Disablement: Many laptops have a key combination to disable the trackpad. You might have pressed it accidentally.
  • Driver Issues: Outdated, corrupted, or incompatible drivers are a frequent culprit.
  • Hardware Problems: While less common, physical damage to the trackpad or its connection can cause failure.
  • Software Conflicts: Newly installed software or updates can sometimes interfere with trackpad functionality.
  • Incorrect Settings: Trackpad settings might be inadvertently changed, disabling or misconfiguring it.
  • Battery Issues: On some laptops, power-saving settings can disable the trackpad to conserve battery. Low battery levels can sometimes cause erratic behavior.

Troubleshooting Steps: Getting Your Trackpad Back Online

Follow these steps in order, testing your trackpad after each one:

1. Check for Accidental Disablement

  • Look for a dedicated key: Many laptops have a function key (usually with a trackpad icon) that toggles the trackpad on and off. Look for keys like F6, F7, or F9. Press the Fn key along with this function key to toggle the trackpad. Also, check the keyboard physically for a trackpad disable key.
  • Check external mouse connection: Some laptops automatically disable the trackpad when an external mouse is connected. Disconnect any USB or Bluetooth mice and see if the trackpad starts working.

2. Restart Your Computer

  • A simple restart can often resolve temporary software glitches that might be affecting the trackpad.

3. Update or Roll Back Your Trackpad Driver

  • Open Device Manager: Press the Windows key + X and select “Device Manager”.
  • Expand “Mice and other pointing devices”.
  • Right-click on your trackpad device (it might be named something like “Synaptics Trackpad” or “Elan Input Device”).
  • Select “Update driver”.
  • Choose “Search automatically for drivers”. Windows will search for and install the latest driver.
  • If that doesn’t work, try “Roll Back Driver”: If the trackpad stopped working after a recent driver update, right-click on the trackpad device in Device Manager, select “Properties”, go to the “Driver” tab, and click “Roll Back Driver”. This will revert to the previous driver version.

4. Reinstall the Trackpad Driver

  • Open Device Manager (as described above).
  • Right-click on your trackpad device.
  • Select “Uninstall device”.
  • Restart your computer. Windows will usually automatically reinstall the driver after restarting. If not, go back to Device Manager and select “Action” -> “Scan for hardware changes”.

5. Check and Adjust Trackpad Settings

  • Open Settings: Press the Windows key + I.
  • Go to “Devices” -> “Touchpad”.
  • Ensure the touchpad is turned on. The toggle should be set to “On”.
  • Adjust sensitivity settings: Experiment with the touchpad sensitivity settings to see if that improves responsiveness.
  • Check additional settings: Click on “Additional settings” (this will open the Mouse Properties window). Look for any settings related to palm rejection or sensitivity. Adjust these settings to your preference.

6. Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter

  • Open Settings: Press the Windows key + I.
  • Go to “Update & Security” -> “Troubleshoot”.
  • Select “Hardware and Devices” and click “Run the troubleshooter”. Follow the on-screen instructions.

7. Check for Conflicting Software

  • Recently installed software or updates can sometimes interfere with trackpad functionality. Try uninstalling any recently installed programs to see if that resolves the issue.

8. Update Windows

  • Open Settings: Press the Windows key + I.
  • Go to “Update & Security” -> “Windows Update”.
  • Click “Check for updates”. Install any available updates. Sometimes, Windows updates include fixes for hardware compatibility issues.

9. Check Power Management Settings

  • Open Device Manager (as described above).
  • Expand “Mice and other pointing devices”.
  • Right-click on your trackpad device and select “Properties”.
  • Go to the “Power Management” tab.
  • Uncheck the box that says “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”. This can prevent Windows from disabling the trackpad when it thinks it’s not in use.

10. Last Resort: System Restore

  • If none of the above steps work, you can try performing a system restore to a point before the trackpad stopped working. This will revert your system to a previous state.

  • Search for “Create a restore point” in the Windows search bar.

  • Click on “System Restore”.

  • Follow the on-screen instructions to choose a restore point.

When to Seek Professional Help

If you’ve tried all of these troubleshooting steps and your trackpad still isn’t working, it’s likely a hardware issue. In this case, it’s best to contact a qualified computer technician for repair or replacement.