Overview #
If your laptop’s touchpad suddenly stops responding or behaves erratically—cursor freezing, scrolling not working, or gestures ignored—it’s usually caused by driver conflicts, disabled touchpad settings, or firmware control issues.
This guide will help you restore normal touchpad operation on both Windows and macOS by checking detection, drivers, and input configurations.
What you’ll learn
- How to confirm whether the touchpad is detected and enabled
- How to reinstall or roll back touchpad drivers
- How to re-enable gestures and precision features
- How to reset system firmware if the touchpad remains inactive
Estimated time: 15–25 minutes
Skill level: Beginner to Intermediate
Terms and Definitions #
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Precision Touchpad | Windows touchpad standard supporting gestures like pinch zoom and two-finger scroll |
| HID (Human Interface Device) | Hardware category for input devices such as keyboards and touchpads |
| Palm Rejection | System feature that ignores accidental touches from the palm |
| Driver | Software that allows the operating system to communicate with the touchpad hardware |
| SMC / EC | Controllers that handle hardware states like keyboard backlight, power, and touchpad logic |
Steps #
Step 1 — Check for a Function Key or Touchpad Switch #
- Look for a touchpad toggle key (often F5, F6, F7, or F9) marked with a small touchpad icon.
- Press Fn + [Key] to toggle touchpad on/off.
- Some laptops (HP, Lenovo, Dell) have a small LED or corner double-tap zone that disables the touchpad—double-tap again to re-enable it.
If the cursor still doesn’t move, continue below.
Step 2 — Confirm Touchpad Detection #
Windows PowerShell
Get-PnpDevice -Class HIDClass | Where-Object {$_.FriendlyName -like "*Touchpad*"} | Select-Object FriendlyName, Status
If the touchpad is listed but Status shows Disabled, re-enable it:
Enable-PnpDevice -InstanceId "device_instance_id_here" -Confirm:$false
macOS Terminal
ioreg -p IOService -n AppleMultitouchTrackpad
If no output appears, macOS isn’t detecting the trackpad hardware. Try resetting SMC in Step 8.
Step 3 — Verify Touchpad Settings #
Windows
- Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Touchpad.
- Ensure the main Touchpad toggle is turned On.
- Under Gestures & Interaction, confirm scrolling and tap-to-click are enabled.
macOS
- Open System Settings → Trackpad.
- Ensure “Tap to click” and “Scroll & Zoom” are turned on.
- Test by adjusting sensitivity or clicking with two fingers.
If settings look correct but the device still doesn’t respond, continue to drivers.
Step 4 — Reinstall or Roll Back Touchpad Drivers #
Windows
- Open Device Manager → Mice and other pointing devices.
- Right-click your touchpad driver (often Synaptics, ELAN, or HID-compliant).
- If the problem began after an update, choose Properties → Driver → Roll Back Driver.
- Otherwise, select Uninstall device and restart to reinstall automatically.
PowerShell
Get-PnpDevice -Class HIDClass | Disable-PnpDevice -Confirm:$false
Get-PnpDevice -Class HIDClass | Enable-PnpDevice -Confirm:$false
Resets HID devices without rebooting.
macOS
macOS touchpad drivers are built-in. If unresponsive after restart, reset NVRAM and SMC (see Step 8).
Step 5 — Check for External Mouse Override #
When a USB mouse or Bluetooth mouse is connected, some systems disable the touchpad automatically.
Windows
- Open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Touchpad.
- Turn off “Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected” → then turn it back on again to refresh the setting.
macOS
defaults read NSGlobalDomain com.apple.mouse.ignoreTrackpadIfMousePresent
If the value is 1, macOS disables the touchpad when a mouse is connected.
Re-enable it:
defaults write NSGlobalDomain com.apple.mouse.ignoreTrackpadIfMousePresent -bool false
Disconnect all external mice and test again.
Step 6 — Check for Power Management Interference #
Windows
Get-NetAdapterPowerManagement
If the touchpad or USB controllers are set to save power, they may temporarily disable input devices.
Disable selective suspend:
- Go to Control Panel → Power Options → Change plan settings → Advanced settings.
- Under USB settings → USB selective suspend, set to Disabled.
macOS
Trackpads rarely power down, but resets in Step 8 can clear inconsistent sleep states.
Step 7 — Update BIOS / Firmware and Chipset Drivers #
Windows PowerShell
Get-WmiObject Win32_BIOS | Select-Object SMBIOSBIOSVersion, ReleaseDate
Visit your laptop manufacturer’s support page for BIOS or touchpad firmware updates.
Chipset updates can fix I/O controller conflicts that disable HID inputs.
macOS
softwareupdate -l
softwareupdate -i -a
Applies latest firmware and driver packages through system updates.
Step 8 — Reset System Controllers #
Windows (EC reset)
- Shut down the laptop.
- Disconnect charger and battery (if removable).
- Hold the Power button for 15 seconds.
- Reconnect and boot.
macOS (SMC reset)
- Shut down.
- Hold Shift + Control + Option + Power for 10 seconds.
- Release, then power on.
These steps reinitialize embedded controller logic that manages touchpad power and communication.
Step 9 — Test in Safe Mode or BIOS #
If your touchpad doesn’t work in BIOS setup or Safe Mode, the issue is hardware-level.
Windows
- Boot into BIOS/UEFI by pressing F2, F10, or Del at startup.
If the touchpad doesn’t respond here, it’s a hardware fault.
macOS
- Boot into Safe Mode by holding Shift during startup.
If the touchpad works here, a third-party app or extension is likely interfering.
Verification #
| Check | Command | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|
| Device detection | Get-PnpDevice -Class HIDClass | Touchpad listed and enabled |
| OS settings | System Settings / Preferences | Touchpad toggled ON |
| Gestures | Test in system UI | Scroll and click function normally |
| BIOS test | Manual | Cursor moves within BIOS (hardware confirmed) |
Conclusion #
When a laptop touchpad stops working, it’s usually caused by disabled settings, outdated drivers, or firmware conflicts.
By confirming detection, adjusting settings, reinstalling drivers, and resetting embedded controllers, most touchpad problems can be resolved quickly.
If your touchpad fails even in BIOS, the hardware itself—such as the ribbon cable or touch controller—may need repair or replacement.
