Touchpad settings/drivers disappeared and Touchpad does not work

Question

Hello,

My windows 11 laptop is up-to-date on updates and security checks. My touchpad has stopped working. The shortcut (Fn+F6 or F6) to activate it will not work, and read "Touchpad disabled". There is no sign of the touchpad in settings. I have read all previous articles but the settings listed are not listed in my settings. On Device Manager, the touchpad does not appear under Mice and Pointers or anywhere else.

What I've tried:

-Restarting the PC

-Windows update

-Fn + F6 shortcut as well as other combinations

-Checking settings under each tab

-Updating the driver from the laptop manufacturer

-Checking for mouse drivers from Device Manager

What's strange is that the touchpad does not show up anywhere on my PC. How can I restore it? Thank you for your time.

Answer 1

It seems like your touchpad issue may be related to a driver problem or a hardware issue. Since the touchpad is not appearing in Device Manager or settings, here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem:

1. Check BIOS Settings: Sometimes, the touchpad can be disabled in the BIOS. Restart your laptop and enter the BIOS setup (usually by pressing F2, F10, or Del during startup). Look for touchpad settings and ensure it is enabled.
2. Use Device Manager to Scan for Hardware Changes: Even if the touchpad does not appear, you can try to refresh the hardware list. Open Device Manager, click on the "Action" menu, and select "Scan for hardware changes". This may help in detecting the touchpad.
3. Uninstall and Reinstall Drivers: If the touchpad was previously recognized, try uninstalling any mouse or touchpad drivers from Device Manager. Restart your laptop, and Windows should automatically reinstall the drivers.
4. Check for Windows Updates: Ensure that you have the latest updates installed, as they may include fixes for hardware issues.
5. External Mouse: If you have an external mouse, connect it to your laptop to navigate and perform the above steps more easily.
6. Physical Connection: If none of the above works, there might be a physical issue with the touchpad. In this case, contacting your laptop manufacturer for support or service may be necessary.

If the issue persists after trying these steps, it may require professional assistance to diagnose and fix the problem.

Answer 2

Hi, I'm Bernard, a fellow Windows user. I'm happy to help!

I understand the issue you have. There is nothing to worry about. I am here to assist. Based on your inputs, it seems that there is an incompatibility with the Touchpad driver. Moreover, kindly follow the steps below for us to sort out the issue:

Roll back the Touchpad driver:

-Press the Windows key + X

-Go to Device Manager

-Expand the Mice and other pointing devices

-Look for your touchpad driver

-Right-click and click Update Driver

-Select Browse my computer for drivers

-Click Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer

-Choose an old driver or another driver name, then select it and hit next until it installs.

-Restart the PC and check.

Note: If the issue persists, please download and install a Touchpad driver from your manufacturer's website.