Fix Windows 11 Touchpad Not Working (2026 Guide)

A responsive touchpad is essential for using a laptop without a mouse. When Windows 11 touchpad stops working—the cursor freezes, clicks do not register, or the touchpad disappears from Settings—you lose control of your PC right when you need it most.

This guide covers 9 proven solutions to fix touchpad issues in Windows 11.

PAGE CONTENT

• Common Windows 11 Touchpad Problems
• Fix 1: Turn the Touchpad Back On with the Function Key
• Fix 2: Check Touchpad Settings in Windows 11
• Fix 3: Re-enable the Touchpad in Device Manager
• Fix 4: Update the Touchpad Driver
• Fix 5: Roll Back the Driver After a Windows Update
• Fix 6: Disconnect External Mice and USB Devices
• Fix 7: Adjust Power Management for the Touchpad
• Fix 8: Check BIOS or UEFI Settings
• Fix 9: Test the Touchpad Hardware
• FAQs About Windows 11 Touchpad Issues
• Back Up and Restore Windows with Qiling Disk Master

Common Windows 11 Touchpad Problems

Users report different touchpad issues in Windows 11:

• The cursor does not move at all
• The cursor moves but clicks and taps do not register
• Two-finger scrolling and pinch gestures stop working
• The touchpad is missing from Settings
• The touchpad stopped working after a Windows update
• "No touchpad found" or "Your PC has no touchpad" message
• The touchpad turns off whenever a mouse is connected
• The cursor jumps or drifts on its own

Fix 1: Turn the Touchpad Back On with the Function Key

Many laptops have a function key that disables the touchpad. It is easy to press it by accident while typing, and the touchpad then stays off until you press it again.

Step 1. Look at the function row (F1 to F12) for a key with a small touchpad icon, often a rectangle with two lines.

Step 2. Press that key once. On some laptops you must hold Fn while pressing it.

Step 3. Wait a few seconds and try moving the cursor.

Step 4. If the touchpad still does not respond, press the key again to toggle it back on and test once more.

Step 5. Check whether a small touchpad-disabled indicator light on the keyboard or chassis turned off.

Fix 2: Check Touchpad Settings in Windows 11

If the touchpad was disabled in Settings, Windows will not respond to it at all. This is the second most common cause.

Step 1. Connect a USB mouse or use the keyboard, then press Win + I to open Settings.

Step 2. Go to "Bluetooth & devices" > "Touchpad".

Step 3. Make sure the "Touchpad" toggle at the top is turned on.

Step 4. Turn on "Tap with a single finger to single-click" and other gestures you rely on.

Step 5. Expand "Taps", "Scroll & zoom", and "Three-finger gestures" and confirm they are enabled.

Step 6. If you see a "Sensitivity" drop-down, set it to "Medium sensitivity" and test again.

Fix 3: Re-enable the Touchpad in Device Manager

A disabled or hidden touchpad will not appear in Settings. Device Manager shows the real state of the hardware.

Step 1. Press Win + X and select "Device Manager".

Step 2. Expand "Mice and other pointing devices".

Step 3. Look for entries such as "I2C HID Device", "Precision Touchpad", "Synaptics", "ELAN", or "ALPS".

Step 4. If an entry has a down arrow icon, right-click it and select "Enable device".

Step 5. If an entry has a yellow exclamation mark, right-click it and select "Uninstall device", then restart your PC.

Step 6. Click "View" > "Show hidden devices" to reveal a hidden touchpad, then repeat step 4.

Fix 4: Update the Touchpad Driver

Outdated, incompatible, or generic drivers are a leading cause of a touchpad that stops working after an upgrade to Windows 11.

Update Through Windows

Step 1. Open Device Manager and expand "Mice and other pointing devices".

Step 2. Right-click your touchpad entry and select "Update driver".

Step 3. Choose "Search automatically for drivers" and follow the prompts.

Step 4. Restart your PC and test the touchpad.

Install the Manufacturer Driver

Step 1. Go to the support website of your laptop brand, such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, Acer, or MSI.

Step 2. Enter your exact model number and open the driver download page.

Step 3. Download the latest touchpad, chipset, and Serial IO driver for Windows 11.

Step 4. Install the chipset driver first, restart, then install the touchpad driver.

Step 5. Restart again and test the touchpad.

Fix 5: Roll Back the Driver After a Windows Update

If the touchpad worked before a Windows update and stopped right after, the new driver is likely the cause. Rolling back restores the previous working driver.

Step 1. Open Device Manager and expand "Mice and other pointing devices".

Step 2. Right-click your touchpad entry and select "Properties".

Step 3. Open the "Driver" tab.

Step 4. If "Roll Back Driver" is available, click it and follow the prompts.

Step 5. Restart your PC and test the touchpad.

Step 6. If the button is greyed out, uninstall the update instead: go to Settings > "Windows Update" > "Update history" > "Uninstall updates".

Fix 6: Disconnect External Mice and USB Devices

Some laptops automatically disable the touchpad when an external mouse is connected, and faulty USB devices can also disturb the touchpad.

Step 1. Unplug every USB device, including mice, keyboards, hubs, and docks.

Step 2. In Settings, go to "Bluetooth & devices" > "Touchpad".

Step 3. Turn off "Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected" if it is available.

Step 4. Test the touchpad with nothing else connected.

Step 5. Reconnect your devices one at a time to find out which one triggers the problem.

Fix 7: Adjust Power Management for the Touchpad

Windows can switch off the touchpad to save power, and on some laptops it never switches back on.

Step 1. Open Device Manager and expand "Mice and other pointing devices".

Step 2. Right-click your touchpad entry and select "Properties".

Step 3. Open the "Power Management" tab if it is available.

Step 4. Clear the check box "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power".

Step 5. Click "OK", then set your power mode to "Balanced" under Settings > "System" > "Power & battery".

Step 6. Restart your PC and test the touchpad.

Fix 8: Check BIOS or UEFI Settings

If the touchpad is disabled at the hardware level, no Windows setting can turn it back on.

Step 1. Restart your PC and press the BIOS key repeatedly, usually F2, F10, Del, or Esc, as shown on the boot screen.

Step 2. Look for a section named "Advanced", "Internal Pointing Device", or "Peripherals".

Step 3. Set the touchpad option to "Enabled".

Step 4. If you cannot find the option, press F9 to load setup defaults.

Step 5. Save and exit with F10, then test the touchpad in Windows.

Fix 9: Test the Touchpad Hardware

If every software fix fails, confirm whether the touchpad itself has failed before replacing the laptop.

Step 1. Boot into the BIOS or UEFI interface and try moving the cursor there. If it works in BIOS but not in Windows, the problem is software.

Step 2. Connect a USB mouse and confirm that Windows itself is responsive.

Step 3. Boot from a Linux live USB and test the touchpad. If it fails there too, the hardware is faulty.

Step 4. Inspect the touchpad surface for swelling, cracks, or a loose palmrest, which often indicates a swollen battery pressing on the touchpad.

Step 5. If the hardware has failed, contact your laptop manufacturer for a repair or use an external mouse in the meantime.

FAQs About Windows 11 Touchpad Issues

Why is my touchpad not working in Windows 11?

The most common causes are an accidental function-key press that disabled the touchpad, the touchpad being turned off in Settings, or an outdated driver. Press the touchpad function key first, then check Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad.

How do I turn my touchpad back on?

Press the touchpad function key on your keyboard, holding Fn if needed. Then open Settings > "Bluetooth & devices" > "Touchpad" and make sure the toggle is on. If it is still missing, enable the device in Device Manager.

Why did my touchpad stop working after a Windows update?

A Windows update can install a generic or incompatible touchpad driver. Open Device Manager, right-click the touchpad, open Properties > Driver, and click "Roll Back Driver". If that option is unavailable, uninstall the recent update from Windows Update > Update history.

Why is my touchpad missing from Settings?

If the Touchpad page does not appear, Windows has not detected the hardware. Open Device Manager, expand "Mice and other pointing devices", and check for a disabled or error-marked device. Update the chipset and touchpad drivers from your laptop manufacturer's website.

Can a swollen battery cause touchpad problems?

Yes. A swollen battery pushes up against the underside of the touchpad, which causes phantom clicks, unresponsive areas, or a touchpad that will not click at all. If the palmrest or touchpad surface feels raised, stop using the laptop and have the battery inspected.

Back Up and Restore Windows with Qiling Disk Master

Before you roll back a touchpad driver, change power-saving settings, or reinstall Windows, create a full system backup. A driver change is the usual fix for a dead touchpad, and if it makes things worse or Windows will not start, a system image lets you go back in minutes. Qiling Disk Master handles both the backup and the restore.

• Free Download
• Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

Part 1: Create a Full System Backup

Step 1. Install and open Qiling Disk Master. On the home screen, open "Backup and Recovery" and choose "System Backup". This option automatically includes Windows and the hidden boot partitions, so you do not have to select them one by one.

Step 2. Check the source. The disk where Windows is installed and its system partitions are already ticked for you. If you only need your personal documents, run a separate "File Backup" task instead.

Step 3. Click the destination box and choose where the image should be saved. Use an external HDD or SSD, a NAS, or any drive other than the one you are about to repair, and make sure it has enough free space.

Step 4. Review the task summary and click "Proceed". Wait until the progress bar reaches 100%. Do not unplug the drive or turn off the PC while the backup is running.

Part 2: Restore Windows from the Backup

Step 1. Open Qiling Disk Master again, go to "Backup and Recovery", and select the recovery option. Your backup images are listed, so pick the one you created before the repair.

Step 2. Choose the target disk or partition. Normally you restore to the original system disk. If the drive was replaced, select the new disk instead, and the restore rebuilds Windows together with its boot partitions.

Step 3. Preview the restore plan, click "Proceed", and confirm the warning. The PC restarts to finish the job, and Windows comes back exactly as it was on the day the image was created.

Conclusion

Windows 11 touchpad not working is usually caused by a disabled touchpad toggle, a driver problem, or power-saving settings. Start with the function key and the Touchpad settings page, then move on to Device Manager and driver updates. If nothing helps, test the touchpad in BIOS and with a Linux live USB to confirm whether the hardware has failed.

For more Windows 11 troubleshooting, see our guides on Camera Not Working, Bluetooth Not Working, and Function Keys Not Working.

Related Articles

• Fix Windows 11 Camera Not Working (2026 Guide)
• Fix Windows 11 Bluetooth Not Working (2026 Guide)
• Fix Windows 11 Freezing Randomly (2026 Guide)
• Function Keys Not Working on Windows? Here's How to Fix Them
  If your touchpad function key does nothing, the problem may be the function row itself. Learn how to restore Fn keys, toggle Fn Lock, and update the keyboard driver.
• How to Fix Windows 11 Slow Startup
  A failing touchpad driver can also slow down startup and login. Learn how to cut boot time by disabling startup apps, trimming services, and enabling Fast Startup.
• 3 Ways | How to Reinstall Windows 10 Without CD
  If touchpad problems persist after every fix, a clean reinstall may be the fastest route. Learn 3 ways to reinstall Windows without a CD or DVD drive.