Why the touchpad does not work on a laptop: search for reasons. How to set up a touchpad on a laptop

The touchpad of a laptop (also known as a touchpad) is a big advantage of this device. It allows you to do without additional equipment taking up space in the bag, and also solves the issue of free USB ports. However, quite often you can encounter a situation where this element unexpectedly stopped working.

Next, we will consider several reasons why the touchpad does not work on a Lenovo laptop (the brand is taken as an example).

Mechanical shutdown

The first reason for the inoperability of this element may be a trip using a key specially allocated for this function. It is worth noting that many modern models of mobile computers lack such a detail. So this option is not suitable for everyone.

Thus, the cause of a malfunction of the touch panel on a Lenovo laptop may be a physical shutdown by the user.

How to fix it?

It is corrected easily and obviously. Just re-activate the key located next to the part (the corresponding images should be located on it) and check the operation of the touchpad. If the method does not work, then proceed to the next option.

Attention! There are also touch options for this key. And if the question arose of how to turn on the touch panel on a Lenovo laptop, pay attention to its edges. There should be a small dot or a light indicator. To activate a panel, double-click on it.

Combination shutdown

A set of hot keys and special combinations in the Windows operating system can greatly facilitate the work with a computer. But sometimes they lead to the question of why the touchpad does not work on a laptop? Sometimes a situation may happen that instead of decreasing or increasing the volume, the user, using the simultaneous pressing of the keys Fn and F1 - F9, could disable the touchpad.





Solution to the problem

It should be borne in mind that for different laptop models there are unique combinations that activate this panel:

  • ASUS: Fn + F9 or F7.
  • Toshiba: Fn + F5.
  • DELL: Fn + F5.
  • Samsung: Fn + F5 or F6.
  • ACER: Fn + F7.
  • Lenovo: Fn + F8 or F5.
  • Sony Vaio: Fn + F1.

Now, if the touchpad does not work on a Lenovo laptop or any other model, just use one of these combinations.

If this also did not lead to the resumption of the work of the part, you can go to another option.

Work with the toolbar

Sometimes, due to unsuccessful updates, it may happen that the touch panel is automatically turned off. You can fix this situation through the toolbar. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

  • Using the search bar, find “Toolbar”.
Taskbar Search




  • After opening a new window, proceed to the section under the name "Equipment and Sound".
  • From there, run the “Mouse” subsection, it can be found in the first paragraph “Devices and Printers”.
Mouse section in the control panel




  • A subroutine containing mouse settings will start. You need a tab called “Device Settings”. It may also be under the name ELAN. Here you must click the "Enable" button.
Notebook touchpad setup




  • Save the changes, close the window and check the result.

If the question of why the touchpad does not work on a laptop is still not resolved, you should carefully study the next item.





Disconnect in Bios

If none of the above options helped, then you can refer to the parameters and settings of the BIOS software. To do this, repeat the following algorithm:

  • Restart the computer and before starting the operating system, press the special key that launches the BIOS.
  • Go to the Advanced section and find the Internal Pointing Device function there. Directly opposite her, you can check and change her status.

Now let's move on to the next answer to the question why the touchpad does not work on a laptop.

Faults caused by drivers

device Manager




It is worth noting that reinstalling or updating device drivers quite often helps to solve a fairly large number of problems associated with the operation of the equipment. In this case, the following options could serve as the cause of the malfunction:

  • device drivers were very outdated, which led to this situation;
  • driver updates were not performed correctly, resulting in an installation error;
  • new drivers led to the deterioration of the touchpad or the complete cessation of its functioning.

How to solve the current problem?

There are several options for solving this situation. They are given below:

  • Take advantage of a special program for the touchpad of a laptop. Usually they are pre-installed by the developer.
  • Download the necessary software from the manufacturer’s website.
  • Download drivers using the device manager. This is the most common option. We will use it.

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

Driver Update via Device Manager




  • in the search bar write the phrase "Device Manager";
  • after opening the window, find in the list the subsection with the name “Mice and other pointing devices”;
  • in the list that opens, right-click on the line “HID - compatible mouse”;
  • from the context menu, activate the section under the name "Update device drivers";
  • After starting the procedure, select a search location and wait for the operation to complete.

Hybrid Device Problem Solution

Hybrid laptop




In the event that your laptop is a transformer tablet, you can try disabling the touch screen input service. This is done as follows:

  • using a combination of Win + R open the window of the program "Run";
  • in the search bar, enter services.msc;
  • after opening the list box, find one of two lines: TabletInputService or Tablet PC Input Service;
Sensor Settings for Hybrid Notebook




  • right-click on it and select the disable function.

This procedure will stop the screen as a sensor and start the touchpad.

Last option

This is the most unpleasant answer to the question why the touchpad does not work on a laptop. In the event that none of the methods presented earlier helped, then most likely this part of your laptop turned out to be faulty. And the only reasonable solution in such a situation is to contact a specialized service or take the opportunity of warranty repair. This is possible if the computer warranty has not yet expired.

Now consider a few interesting options on how to set up the touchpad on a laptop.

Various useful settings

Next, several fairly important functions will be noted that will help you facilitate the work on a laptop. To do this, go to the device manager and run the subsection named "Mouse." Next, open the window through the line with the name of the touchpad and run the settings function. Among them:

  • Activate the ChiralMotion function. It allows you to scroll pages not only in standard ways, but also in circular motions.
  • You can configure the multitouch function, which is supported by many modern laptop models.
  • The user can also adjust the sensitivity of the mouse.
  • Correcting touch criteria and palm pressure control will be helpful.
  • It is possible to activate the touchpad lock function when printing.
  • You can adjust the speed of the cursor on the screen.




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