Samsung Laptop Touchpad Not Working

Mar 06, 2020  If you cannot resolve the issue for your laptop's touchpad after trying the solutions on this page, the touchpad is probably not working due to a less common cause. In this case, we recommend taking the laptop to a computer repair shop for further analysis. The touchpad is an age-old feature, having long since replaced the “pointing stick” (or what I liked to call the “nipple”) as the standardized alternative to mouse control on a laptop. But if your touchpad stops working while you’re on the move, or in any other situation when you don’t have a spare mouse handy, you can end up stranded.

This page covers the most common ways to resolve a non-functioning laptop touchpad. If you cannot resolve the issue for your laptop's touchpad after trying the solutions on this page, the touchpad is probably not working due to a less common cause. In this case, we recommend taking the laptop to a computer repair shop for further analysis.

Operating system not responding

The first thing to check is whether the computer and the operating system is not responding as well. It could be that the computer is frozen, meaning it is not responding to any commands you give it. In this case, the touchpad would also not be working.

To check for this issue, try pressing the Windows key to see if the Start Menu opens.

Fn key combination

Some laptops have an Fn key + function key combo to enable and disable the touchpad. If your laptop has this feature, press the button or keys to turn the touchpad on and off a few times.

External device

Some USB input devices automatically disable the touchpad when connected. As a troubleshooting step, turn off the computer, disconnect all external devices, then start the computer again to ensure one of them has not turned off the touchpad. If this fixes your problem, you can reconnect the USB device to continue troubleshooting or changing settings discussed in the next sections.

Check touchpad settings

We recommend you connect a USB external mouse or use the laptop's TrackPoint (if available) to perform the steps below. If you cannot get an external mouse to function, see: How to navigate Windows using a keyboard.

Look at your mouse/touchpad settings, as they may keep your touchpad from working or disable the touchpad entirely. To access the mouse settings, follow the steps below.

Windows users - Touchpad settings

1. Press the Windows key, type touchpad, and select the Touchpad settings option in the search results.
2. In the Touchpad window, make sure the Touchpad On/Off toggle switch is set to On. If it's Off, change it to be in the On position.

Windows users - Mouse settings

1. Press the Windows key, type Control Panel, and then press Enter.
2. Click the Hardware and Sound option.
3. Under Devices and Printers, click the Mouse option.

If the Control Panel View by option is set to Small icons, click the Mouse Gta vice city properties map locations. option in step 2 above.

4. In the Mouse Properties window that opens, locate your touchpad settings. They are usually under the far right tab next to Hardware (the name of the tab varies from manufacturer to manufacturer).
5. Ensure there is a check in the box next to Enable touchpad.
6. Adjust any other settings to your liking, then click Apply, then OK.
7. Test your touchpad.

If you do not see a touchpad tab in the Mouse Properties window, try the following steps.

1. In the Mouse Properties window, click the Hardware tab.
2. Check for an entry in the Devices list named HID-compliant mouse. If you have a USB mouse connected to your laptop for troubleshooting purposes, you may see two HID-compliant mouse entries. Click on each entry to find the one that does not have USB in the Location property.
3. When you find the HID-compliant mouse entry for the touchpad (the non-USB entry), click the Properties button.
4. In the HID-compliant mouse Properties window, check the Device status to see if it states, 'This device is working properly.' If it states anything else, then there is a problem with the touchpad.
5. If the touchpad device is not working properly, you can try updating the drivers. Click the Change settings button, click the Driver tab, then click the Update Driver button. Click the Search automatically option to allow Windows to look for an updated driver on the computer and on the Internet.

If you do not see a non-USB HID-compliant mouse device on the Hardware tab, the touchpad may have been disabled in the BIOS (see the CMOS setup section below). If the touchpad is not disabled in CMOS, Windows may not be detecting it because it's defective and non-working (see the defective hardware section).

Apple macOS users

1. For macOS X, access the System Preferences in the Apple menu at the top of the desktop screen. For MacBook Pro, click the System Preferences icon at the bottom of the desktop screen.
2. In the System Preferences window, click the Trackpad icon to open the Trackpad settings.
3. Adjust any trackpad settings you prefer to change.
4. Test the trackpad to see if it works.

Checking Device Manager and updating drivers

We recommend you connect a USB external mouse or use the laptop's TrackPoint (if available) to perform the steps below. If you cannot get an external mouse to function, see: How to navigate Windows using a keyboard.

If the touchpad still isn't working, the Windows Device Manager can tell you detailed information about hardware issues and help you update drivers. For example, if there's a yellow exclamation mark or red X next to it, there's a hardware or software issue. To locate the touchpad in Device Manager, follow the steps below.

1. Press the Windows Key and type device manager, then press Enter.
2. Under Your PC, the touchpad is either going to be listed under Mice and other pointing devices, or under Human Interface Devices. If it is listed under Human Interface Devices, it will likely be listed as HID-compliant touchpad, or similar wording. Double-click one of the two to locate the touchpad.
3. Locate your touchpad and right-click the icon and select Update Driver Software.

If you see two entries named HID-compliant mouse, right-click on each and select Properties. In the Properties window, on the General tab, check the Location value. If the Location is 'on I2C HID Device,' that is the touchpad device on your laptop.

4. Click Search automatically for updated driver software and follow the steps (if the drivers are out of date).

Right-clicking the touchpad icon gives you the option to either enable or disable it, depending on the device's status. If disabled, re-enable, and test the touchpad. If it's already enabled, change it to disabled, then re-enable it. Sometimes toggling this setting 'resets' and fixes the touchpad.

If you do not see the touchpad device listed in the Device Manager, it may be disabled in CMOS (see the CMOS setup section below). If the touchpad is not disabled in CMOS, the Windows operating system may not be able to detect it due to it being defective (see the defective hardware section below).

Check CMOS (BIOS) setup

Make sure the touchpad has not been disabled in the CMOS (BIOS) setup. Once in CMOS setup, check the hardware device settings and if the touchpad is disabled, re-enable it and restart the laptop.

Corrupt operating system files

Another possible cause for a malfunctioning touchpad is corrupt operating system files. While you would notice other issues as well due to corrupt system files, this could result in the touchpad not working.

Fixing this requires you to either activate a restore point at a date before the touchpad stopped working, or you may need to perform an operating system repair installation. The repair installation requires you to access a restore partition on the hard drive or use an operating system install disc.

Defective hardware

Finally, if the touchpad still is not working correctly or at all after trying the troubleshooting steps above, it may be defective. Contact the computer manufacturer for further suggestions or take the laptop to a computer repair shop. It could require replacement of the touchpad itself or another hardware component. If the touchpad cannot be fixed, you could connect and use an external mouse as a workaround.

Additional information

• See our touchpad definition for further information and related links.

The touchpad on a laptop is a convenient way to add the functionality of a mouse without the need of an extra peripheral. Most users find themselves in situations where they would like the touchpad on (e.g., no external mouse) or off (e.g., accidentally moving the mouse cursor with their palm while typing). The exact steps may differ slightly, depending on the laptop's manufacturer, so you may need to use some intuition to achieve your desired outcome.

Steps to try first

TouchPad Button: Some laptops have a button near the top of the touchpad that allows you to quickly enable and disable it. You can toggle the touchpad off and on by using that button.

TouchPad Fn keys: Some laptops have an Fn key that, in combination with one of the F1 - F12 function keys, can enable and disable the touchpad. To toggle the touchpad off and on, press both of these keys at the same time.

The icon associated with toggling the touchpad is often indicated by a rectangle with a line under it. It may also have a pointing finger or a circle near or over a rectangle.

How to disable the touchpad in Windows 8 and 10

Using a mouse and keyboard

1. Press the Windows key, type touchpad, and press Enter.
   Or, press Win+I to open Settings, and choose Devices, then Touchpad.
2. In the Touchpad Settings window, click the Touchpad toggle switch to the Off position.

Once the touchpad is disabled, you need an external mouse to navigate in Windows, or you can use your keyboard to navigate in Windows. See: How to navigate Windows using a keyboard.

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Using a keyboard only

1. Press the Windows key, type touchpad, and press Enter.
   Or, press Win+I to open Settings, and use the Tab key, arrow keys, and Enter key to choose Devices, then Touchpad.
2. In the Touchpad Settings window, press the Tab key until the Touchpad toggle switch is selected.
3. Press the Spacebar to change toggle switch to the Off position.

How to disable the touchpad in Windows 7 and earlier

Using a mouse and keyboard

1. Press the Windows key, type Control Panel, and then press Enter.
2. Select Hardware and Sound.
3. Under Devices and Printers, select Mouse.
4. In the Mouse Properties window, select the tab labeled TouchPad, ClickPad, or something similar.
5. On the TouchPad tab, there should be an option for enabling and disabling the TouchPad. It may be a button or a checkbox. Select the Disable option and then OK.

Once the touchpad is disabled, you need an external mouse to navigate in Windows, or you can use your keyboard to navigate in Windows. See: How to navigate Windows using a keyboard.

Using a keyboard only

1. Press the Windows key, type Control Panel, and then press Enter.
2. Use your keyboard to navigate to Hardware and Sound, and then press Enter.
3. Use your keyboard to navigate to Mouse (located under the Devices and Printers section), and then press Enter.
4. Use the keyboard combination Ctrl+Tab to move to the Device Settings, TouchPad, ClickPad, or the similar option tab and press Enter.
5. Use your keyboard to navigate to the checkbox that allows you to enable or disable the touchpad. Press the spacebar to toggle it on or off.
6. Tab down and select Apply, then OK.

How to enable the touchpad in Windows 8 and 10

Using a mouse and keyboard

1. Press the Windows key, type touchpad, and press Enter.
   Or, press Win+I to open Settings, and choose Devices, then Touchpad.
2. In the Touchpad Settings window, click the Touchpad toggle switch to the On position.

Once the touchpad is disabled, you need an external mouse to navigate in Windows, or you can use your keyboard to navigate in Windows. See: How to navigate Windows using a keyboard.

Using a keyboard only

1. Press the Windows key, type touchpad, and press Enter.
   Or, press Win+I to open Settings, and use the Tab key, arrow keys, and Enter key to choose Devices, then Touchpad.
2. In the Touchpad Settings window, press the Tab key until the Touchpad toggle switch is selected.
3. Press the Spacebar to change toggle switch to the On position.

How to enable the touchpad in Windows 7 and earlier

Using a mouse and keyboard

1. Press the Windows key, type Control Panel, and then press Enter.
2. Select Hardware and Sound.
3. Under Devices and Printers, select Mouse.
4. In the Mouse Properties window, select the tab labeled TouchPad, ClickPad, or something similar.
5. On the TouchPad tab, there should be an option for enabling and disabling the TouchPad. It may be a button or a checkbox. Select the Enable option and then OK.

Using the keyboard only

1. Press the Windows key, type Control Panel, and then press Enter.
2. Use your keyboard to navigate to Hardware and Sound, and then press Enter.
3. Use your keyboard to navigate to Mouse (located under the Devices and Printers section), and then press Enter.
4. Use the keyboard combination Ctrl+Tab to move to the Device Settings, TouchPad, ClickPad, or the similar option tab and press Enter.
5. Use your keyboard to navigate to the checkbox that allows you to enable or disable the touchpad. Press the spacebar to toggle it on or off.
6. Tab down and select Apply, then OK.