Turning off TouchPad

Aloha Mal, I'm Greg, an installation specialist, 10 years Windows MVP, and Volunteer Moderator here to help you.

What is the make/model PC and how did you turn off touchpad before?

Do you want it permanently turned off or just when you connect a USB pointing device/mouse?

To permanently turn it of go into Device Manager > Mouse > Touchpad Device > Driver tab > Disable. Every device has Disable. Be aware that you'll need a mouse (or touchscreen) to get back to that setting at any time.

To turn it off from PC hotkey or when USB mouse is connected requires having the latest software which the Update might have overridden or replaced. Update the touchpad driver from the PC maker's Support Downloads webpage. Then go into Windows Settings > Devices > Touchpad to go over all settings, including Additional Settings where the software will usually add a tab that has more options including USB connection options.

Also, If this was caused by Windows Update(s) then you can check which were installed at Settings>Update & Security>Windows Update under Update History, then uninstall them from the link there, and immediately check for these again and hide with the Hide Updates tool explained here: https://www.howtogeek.com/223864/how-to-uninsta...

You can also System Restore to a point before the Update following this guide: https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-system-r...

If this doesn't work you can use the new Uninstall Updates button in Repair Mode using Option Four here:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5486-uninst...

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and keep me posted. If you will wait to choose if I resolved your problem, I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

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Thanks Greg,

When I go Device Manager my only option is Mice & Other Pointing Devices. When I click there it lists the Touch Pad. After opening Touch Pad the tabs do not have an option to disable. Under Drivers there is an option to uninstall- but i dont want to uninstall. I only want to disable the touch pad when I have a usb mouse plugged in, which is 80% of the time.

Previously there was a box to check to "disable when a mouse is plugged in." That is no longer there.

It is a HP laptop, 15-bs0xx, windows 10.

Hi,

The correct physical double tap in the upper left corner of your HP Laptop Synaptics TouchPad may also help with disabling if you maybe forgot (or didn't know) to try that (for now).

I hope this helps (for now).

_____

Yes, if you had a checkbox to disable touchpad when mouse is plugged in then that is put there by the driver. Either the driver was overwritten, rolled back or corrupted. That's why one of the first things I asked you to do is update to the latest driver from the PC maker's Support Downloads webpage, which is here: http://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers

Even if you have the latest install the latest download over the present one to see if the feature comes back.

If not in Device Manager, uninstall the driver and restart PC to reinstall it.

If not choose Update Driver, then Automatic. If that doesn't help, try Update Driver > Browse > Let Me Pick to try all previous drivers to find the one which provided the box. Once you find it, if another driver installs over it I will show you how to find and block that driver.

If none of those steps help then using the others step I gave determine which Updates were installed since the problem started, uninstall each in Updates History, then if that resolves the problem block the Updates by this method:

https://www.howtogeek.com/223864/how-to-uninsta...

Another way to get back before the drivers is to System Restore to a point before the problem began following this guide: https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-system-r...

Keep me posted on your progress as I will be here to help until the case is resolved.

Hi Aloha

Open Device Manager (accessible by right clicking your Start Button)

Expand the 'Mice and Other Pointing Devices' section

Right click your touchpad, is there a 'disable' option there?

If not, choose Properties

On the resulting dialog, on the drivers tab, is there a disable option there?