Can you imagine sitting down to using your laptop for something important only for the Touchpad to decide not to work anymore? I’ve been here once, and to say that it is the most irritating and frustrating thing I’ve ever encountered with my computer would be an understatement.
What made the whole experience even worse was the fact I didn’t have my wireless mouse with me. I had to leave my home and drive all the way to the store just to get a new mouse. Note that I wasn’t tech-savvy back then, so the tips I am going to share with you today were alien to me at the time.
I hope you never have to go through this (unless you are, and that’s what brought you here), but things sometimes are bound to happen. So, if your computer’s Touchpad decides to jam on you, here are five straightforward tips and tricks you can employ and try fixing the situation.
Fix #1: Confirm That Your Laptop’s Operating System is Responding
If you have been following my guides for a while, then you know that I like to start my guides on a light note and then head on to the more complicated stuff. As such, the first thing you’ll need to do here is check to see whether or not the operating system and your computer are responding as usual.
Sometimes, the issue could be that your computer has frozen, implying that it’s not responding to any of your commands. In this case, the Touchpad won’t be working as well.
So, to check and eliminate this issue as the possible cause, try pressing the Windows Key on your computer and see if the Start Menu comes up. If it doesn’t, the computer is frozen, and you’ll need to turn it off and on again. Press and hold the power button for ten seconds to shut down.
If, however, the start menu comes up, then your computer’s operating system hanging isn’t the issue, and you need to check out some of the other possible solutions below.
Fix #2: Corrupt Operating System Files
A second possible issue causing your Touchpad to malfunction is corrupted operating system files. Generally, such an issue would cause a whole lot of other issues on your computer and not just a malfunctioning touchpad – but there is no denying that a faulting touchpad could be the first sign.
With that in mind, fixing such an issue requires you to either perform an OS repair installation or activate a restore point that’s at a date before the issues on your computer started. Note that these two fixes will need you to have an operating system install disc or access to a restore partition on the laptop’s hard drive.
Fix #3: Check BIOS Set-Up
Ensure that your computer’s Touchpad has not been disabled in the BIOS setup. To confirm, open the BIOS setup, find the hardware device settings option, and check whether the Touchpad is enabled or disabled. If it’s disabled, re-enable it and restart your laptop.
Fix #4: An External Device Could be Causing The Issue
I’ve come across cases where a USB input device automatically disabled a computer’s Touchpad whenever it was connected. So, as a troubleshooting step, in this case, I suggest that you disconnect all external devices, turn off your computer, and turn it on again.
If this trick fixes the issue, I suggest that you reconnect the USB devices once again just to confirm that it was responsible for causing the issue.
Fix #5: Try the Fn key combination
The last, but by no means least, way to fix a faulty touchpad on your computer is just as straightforward as the first one we shared.
Some computers retail with a Function key + Fn key combo that allows users to disable and enable the Touchpad. If our computer retailed with this function, press the keys to turn the Touchpad off and on a couple of times.
Conclusion
If you have tried all the possible solutions above and the Touchpad is still not working as you would like, then chances are it’s defective. At this point, you have two choices. Either contact your laptop’s computer manufacturer for further advice on what to do or take the computer to a reputable repair shop, such as Plextor Americas.
Your computer might need a replacement of the Touchpad or some other hardware within it that’s causing the Touchpad to malfunction. That said, as you wait to fix the issue, you could connect your computer to your external mouse and let it act as a workaround.
