How to Get My Trackpad to Work Again on Windows 8

How to disable or enable the touchpad on a laptop

Updated: 10/11/2021 by Calculator Promise

The touchpad on a laptop is a convenient way to add the functionality of a mouse without needing an actress peripheral. When the touchpad is enabled or unlocked, the touchpad has the same functionality as an external mouse. When the touchpad is disabled or locked, the touchpad doesn't work, preventing the mouse cursor's accidental movement with your palm while typing. When disabled, the need for an external mouse is required.

The verbal steps to enable or disable the touchpad may differ slightly, depending on the laptop's manufacturer, and then you may need to apply some intuition to achieve your desired consequence.

Steps to endeavour get-go

TouchPad Button: Some laptops accept a button most the superlative of the touchpad that allows you lot to quickly enable and disable the touchpad. You can toggle the touchpad off and on with that button.

TouchPad Fn keys: Some laptops have an Fn primal that, in combination with one of the F1 - F12 part keys, can enable and disable the touchpad. To toggle the touchpad off and on, press both of these shortcut keys at the same time.

Tip

The icon associated with toggling the touchpad is often indicated by a rectangle with a line under information technology. Information technology may also have a pointing finger or a circumvolve virtually or over a rectangle.

How to disable the touchpad in Windows eight and 10

Using a mouse and keyboard

1. Press the Windows central, type touchpad, and press Enter.

   Or, press Windows key+I to open up Settings and choose Devices, then Touchpad.

2. In the Touchpad Settings window, click the Touchpad toggle switch to the Off position.

Using a keyboard only

1. Press the Windows fundamental, type touchpad, and printing Enter.

   Or, press Windows key+I to open up Settings and use the Tab, arrow keys, and Enter to choose Devices, and so Touchpad.

2. In the Touchpad settings window, printing Tab until the Touchpad toggle switch is selected.
3. Printing the spacebar to alter the toggle switch to the Off position.

How to disable the touchpad in Windows seven and earlier

Using a mouse and keyboard

1. Press the Windows primal, type Control Console, and then press Enter.
2. Select Hardware and Sound.
3. Nether Devices and Printers, select Mouse.
4. In the Mouse Properties window, select the tab labeled TouchPad, ClickPad, Device Settings, or something similar.
5. There should exist an choice for enabling and disabling the TouchPad. It may be a button or a checkbox. Select the Disable option and click OK.

Note

If there are several devices listed in the Device Settings tab, yous need to select the touchpad in the device list and so click the Disable button.

Using a keyboard only

1. Press the Windows key, type Command Panel, and press Enter.
2. Apply your keyboard to navigate to Hardware and Sound, and press Enter.
3. Use your keyboard to navigate to Mouse (located under the Devices and Printers section) and printing Enter.
4. Use the keyboard combination Ctrl+Tab to move to the TouchPad, ClickPad, Device Settings, or similar tab, and press Enter.
5. Employ your keyboard to navigate to the checkbox that allows you to enable or disable the touchpad. Press the spacebar to toggle to the off position.

Notation

If using the Device Settings tab, press Tab until the Synaptics Touchpad or similar touchpad device name is highlighted. If multiple devices are listed, yous may demand to press the upwardly or downwardly arrow to select the touchpad device in the list. Printing Tab once more until the Disable button is selected, then press Enter.

6. Tab down and select Apply, so OK.

How to disable the touchpad in macOS

With macOS, you cannot disable the MacBook trackpad until an external mouse is plugged in or continued via Bluetooth. One time you lot have a mouse connected, follow the instructions below.

1. In the menu bar, click the Apple icon.
2. Select System Preferences in the Apple menu.

3. Scroll downwardly to select the Pointer Control panel.
4. Cheque the box for the Ignore congenital-in trackpad when mouse or wireless trackpad is present option.

Note

When your external mouse is unplugged or otherwise disconnected, the trackpad is automatically enabled once again.

How to disable the touchpad on a Chromebook

Disable touchpad tap-to-click functionality

The tap-to-click functionality for a Chromebook touchpad tin can be turned off while however allowing y'all to use the touchpad to motility the mouse cursor. The steps below show y'all how to disable tap-to-click.

1. Using the touchpad or a mouse, click the bottom-right corner of the Chromebook screen, where the time and battery icon are located.
2. In the window that pops upwards, click the gear icon , ordinarily located near the top-right or bottom-left corner, to access the Chromebook settings.
3. In the Settings window, in the left navigation menu, click the Device option.
4. Scroll down to the Touchpad section. To the correct of the Enable tap-to-click option, click the toggle to the off position.

Disable all touchpad functionality

To completely disable the Chromebook touchpad, follow the steps below.

1. Open the Chrome browser.
2. In the address bar at the top of the browser window, blazon chrome://flags/#ash-debug-shortcuts and press Enter.
3. A list of Chrome Os settings is displayed. The top setting should be Debugging keyboard shortcuts and highlighted in yellow. To the right of that setting, click the drop-down bill of fare and select Enabled.
4. Click the Restart button that appears in the bottom-right corner of the Chrome browser window.
5. After the Chromebook restarts, printing the Search key+Shift+P keyboard shortcut to disable the touchpad.

Note

In one case the touchpad is disabled, you need an external mouse to navigate on the Chromebook.

How to enable the touchpad in Windows 8 and 10

Using a mouse and keyboard

1. Press the Windows central, type touchpad, and press Enter.

   Or, printing Windows key+I to open Settings and cull Devices, then Touchpad.

2. In the Touchpad settings window, click the Touchpad toggle switch to the On position.

Using a keyboard merely

1. Press the Windows primal, type touchpad, and press Enter.

   Or, press Windows key+I to open up Settings and apply the Tab key, arrow keys, and Enter key to choose Devices, and so Touchpad.

2. In the Touchpad Settings window, press Tab until the Touchpad toggle switch is selected.
3. Printing the spacebar to change the toggle switch to the On position.

How to enable the touchpad in Windows 7 and earlier

Using a mouse and keyboard

1. Printing the Windows key, type Control Panel, and printing Enter.
2. Select Hardware and Audio.
3. Under Devices and Printers, select Mouse.
4. In the Mouse Properties window, select the tab labeled TouchPad, ClickPad, Device Settings, or something like.
5. There should be an selection for enabling and disabling the TouchPad. It may be a button or a checkbox. Select the Enable option and click OK.

Note

If there are multiple devices listed in the Device Settings tab, you lot need to select the touchpad in the device listing then click the Enable button.

Using the keyboard only

1. Press the Windows key, type Control Panel, and press Enter.
2. Use your keyboard to navigate to Hardware and Sound, and press Enter.
3. Use your keyboard to navigate to Mouse (located under the Devices and Printers section) and press Enter.
4. Use the keyboard combination Ctrl+Tab to move to the TouchPad, ClickPad, Device Settings, or the similar option tab, and press Enter.
5. Apply your keyboard to navigate to the checkbox that allows yous to enable or disable the touchpad. Press the spacebar to toggle it on or off.

Note

If using the Device Settings tab, press Tab until the Synaptics Touchpad or similar touchpad device name is highlighted. If multiple devices are listed, y'all may need to press the up or down arrow to select the touchpad device in the list. Press Tab again until the Enable push button is selected, then printing Enter.

6. Tab downward and select Apply, then OK.

How to enable the touchpad in macOS

In macOS, the touchpad cannot be disabled entirely, just it can be temporarily disabled if a mouse is connected. If you take a mouse continued, disconnect the mouse and verify the touchpad is enabled and working once more.

If you lot want the touchpad enabled fifty-fifty when a mouse is connected, follow the instructions below.

1. In the menu bar, click the Apple icon.
2. Select System Preferences in the Apple tree carte.

3. Scroll down to select the Pointer Control panel.
4. Uncheck the box for the Ignore built-in trackpad when mouse or wireless trackpad is present selection.

Annotation

When your external mouse is unplugged or otherwise disconnected, the trackpad is automatically enabled over again.

How to enable the touchpad on a Chromebook

Enable touchpad tap-to-click functionality

If the tap-to-click functionality for the Chromebook touchpad is disabled, follow the steps below to turn it back on.

1. Using a mouse, click the lesser-right corner of the Chromebook screen, where the time and battery icon are located.
2. In the window that pops upwards, click the gear icon , ordinarily located near the top-right or bottom-left corner, to access the Chromebook settings.
3. In the Settings window, in the left navigation menu, click the Device selection.
4. Scroll down to the Touchpad section. To the right of the Enable tap-to-click option, click the toggle to the on position.

Enable all touchpad functionality

To enable the touchpad, press the Search primal+Shift+P keyboard shortcut.

If pressing the keyboard shortcut does not enable the touchpad, the advanced keyboard shortcuts are likely disabled. To enable those shortcuts, follow the steps beneath.

1. Open the Chrome browser.
2. In the address bar at the top of the browser window, blazon chrome://flags/#ash-debug-shortcuts and press Enter.
3. A list of Chrome Os settings is displayed. The top setting should be Debugging keyboard shortcuts and highlighted in xanthous. To the correct of that setting, click the drop-downwardly carte and select Enabled.
4. Click the Restart push that appears in the lesser-right corner of the Chrome browser window to restart the Chromebook.

Later on the Chromebook restarts, try pressing the Search fundamental+Shift+P keyboard shortcut again. If the touchpad nevertheless is not enabled and working, the touchpad may be defective and need to be replaced.

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Source: https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001699.htm

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