01202 775566 Book SOS REMOTE SUPPORT

// TOUCHPAD STOPPED WORKING?

Laptop touchpad not working?

The pointer won’t move, has disappeared, or the touchpad ignores taps. Most often it has simply been switched off, by a key, a setting or a mouse being plugged in. Here’s how to get it back, quickest checks first, with a mouse or the keyboard if the touchpad is dead. Rated 4.9 on Google.

Call 01202 775566 Start with the quick checks
  • ● Often just switched off
  • ● Windows 11 and 10
  • ● No mouse needed

By the 365 Techies team · Reviewed 12 October 2026

/01 — QUICK CHECKS

Check it isn’t just switched off

  1. The touchpad key: many laptops have a key with a touchpad picture, often one of the F keys used with Fn. Press it once and try the touchpad.
  2. A light in the corner: on some laptops, double-tapping the top-left corner of the touchpad switches it on and off, and a tiny light shows when it’s off.
  3. Restart the laptop. Use Restart, not Shut down. A touchpad that stopped after the laptop woke from sleep often comes back.
  4. Clean, dry fingers and a clean touchpad. Damp fingers, hand cream or a dirty pad can make it jump or ignore you.

// FIX IT WITH ME · STEP BY STEP

Get the touchpad working, step by step

The steps from this guide, one at a time, in the order that fixes the most cases fastest. Tell it what happened and it shows the next step. Nothing here leaves your device.Last reviewed 12 October 2026

Checking which Windows you have…STEP 1 OF 6
  1. 01Press the touchpad key

    Look for a key with a touchpad picture, often with Fn, and press it once.

    Does the touchpad work now?

Rather have it done for you? Remote help from £20, or in person across Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole, Ringwood and the New Forest, with no call-out fee.

At a glance

Switched off by a keyLook for a key with a touchpad picture (often with Fn) and press it once.
Switched off in SettingsSettings, Bluetooth & devices, Touchpad: turn it on.
A mouse plugged inSome laptops turn the touchpad off when a mouse is connected; there’s a setting to keep it on.
Pointer vanishedPress Ctrl to find it, or plug in any USB mouse.
DriverReinstall it from Device Manager, or install optional updates in Windows Update.
Raised or bulging touchpadStop using the laptop and unplug it: a swollen battery can push the touchpad up.

// NEED THIS FIXED RIGHT NOW?

Skip the DIY — call 01202 775566 and we can be looking at your screen within minutes. You watch everything we do, and most problems on this page are fixed in one short remote session. (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm.)

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/02 — NO POINTER?

No pointer? Get around without one

  • Plug in any USB mouse while you try the fixes: almost every mouse works straight away.
  • Or use the keyboard: press Windows + I to open Settings, type touchpad in its search box and press Enter. Tab moves between options and Space switches them on or off.
  • Pointer there but you can’t see it? Make it bigger (Settings, Accessibility, Mouse pointer and touch), or switch on Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key in Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Mouse, Additional mouse settings, Pointer Options.

/03 — THE SETTINGS

Turn the touchpad on in Settings

  1. Open Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Touchpad.
  2. Make sure the Touchpad switch is on.
  3. Open the Touchpad options and tick Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected, if you want both to work.
  4. Check Taps: if tapping does nothing but clicking works, “Tap with a single finger to single-click” may be switched off.

On Windows 10 it’s Settings, Devices, Touchpad. Some laptops also have the maker’s own touchpad settings, which can override Windows’.

/04 — THE DRIVER

Update or reinstall the touchpad driver

  1. Install updates: Settings, Windows Update, Check for updates, then Advanced options, Optional updates, and install any touchpad or “HID” driver offered.
  2. Reinstall it: right-click Start, choose Device Manager, open Human Interface Devices or Mice and other pointing devices, right-click the touchpad (often called I2C HID Device, Precision Touchpad, Synaptics or ELAN), choose Uninstall device, then restart. Windows puts it back by itself.
  3. The laptop maker’s driver: Dell, HP, Lenovo and the others have driver downloads for each model on their support websites.

/05 — WHEN IT’S THE HARDWARE

When it’s the touchpad itself

  • The touchpad is raised, won’t click, or the case bulges: stop using the laptop and unplug it. A swollen battery can push the touchpad up from underneath, and it needs replacing safely: see swollen laptop battery.
  • Something was spilled on it, or it works only in one area: the touchpad or its cable may be damaged.
  • A USB mouse works but the touchpad never does, even after the driver fixes: the touchpad needs repairing. We can replace it, with the price agreed first.

Want to check the mouse buttons and keys too? Our free keyboard and mouse test lights up every key and button that works.

/06 — WHEN TO CALL US

When to call us

Still not right? Ring 01202 775566 or text 07520 615332, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5. With your permission we connect to your Windows PC and sort it while you watch: usually the same day, remote help from £20, and no fix, no fee. If the touchpad itself is faulty, we collect the laptop free across Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and Dorset, tell you the price before any work, repair it and bring it back.

// KEEP GOING

keyboard and mouse testhow to turn off Sticky Keysswollen laptop batterylaptop repair

FAMILY-RUN SINCE 1995 · ★ 4.9 ON GOOGLE · 200+ COMPUTERS UNDER OUR CARE · NO FIX, NO FEE · SAME-DAY REMOTE SUPPORT

// GOOD QUESTIONS

Frequently asked

Why has my laptop touchpad stopped working?

Usually it has been switched off with a key, in Settings, or by plugging in a mouse. A restart or a driver reinstall fixes most of the rest. If none of that works, the touchpad may be faulty.

How do I turn the touchpad back on without a mouse?

Press the touchpad key if your laptop has one. Or press Windows and I together, type touchpad, press Enter, then use Tab to reach the switch and Space to turn it on.

Why does the touchpad stop when I plug in a mouse?

Some laptops switch it off automatically. Tick Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected in Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Touchpad.

My mouse pointer has disappeared. What do I do?

Press the touchpad key or plug in a USB mouse to see if the pointer comes back. If it’s there but hard to see, make it bigger in Settings, Accessibility, Mouse pointer and touch.

Is a raised touchpad dangerous?

It can be: a swollen battery can push the touchpad up. Stop using the laptop, unplug it, and have the battery replaced safely.

Can you fix a touchpad?

Yes. We sort settings and drivers remotely, and if the touchpad is faulty we collect the laptop locally, tell you the price before any work, and repair it.

// Still stuck?

Touchpad still not working?

We sort settings and drivers remotely while you watch, and replace faulty touchpads, with the price agreed first. Call 01202 775566 or text 07520 615332.

We’ll fix it with you

  • Checking the problem is free
  • Fixes from £20, agreed before we start
  • We phone first, and you watch every step
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