One of such issues is that the touchpad or trackpad stops working after the users upgrade their operating system. According to the affected users, this issue occurs as soon as they install Windows 11. If you find yourself in a similar situation, we have discussed several troubleshooting methods below that can help you get around this issue.
Before You Troubleshoot…
Before we jump into the software-related troubleshooting methods, we highly recommend wiping down your touchpad to clean it. It may not always happen, but there are times when your laptop’s hardware components fail to function properly just because of the dirt collected on them.
While you are at it, you can also check your keyboard’s touchpad key as you might have accidentally pressed it, disabling the touchpad.
After you are sure that the issue is software-related, proceed with the troubleshooting methods below.
1. Update Your Touchpad’s Driver
If your touchpad stopped working after you upgraded to Windows 11, there is a good chance that the current touchpad driver is not compatible with the latest operating system version.
If this is true in your case, you will see a yellow exclamation mark associated with the touchpad driver in the Device Manager. That is a signal that something is wrong with the driver and that you should update or reinstall it immediately.
Here is how you can update the driver:
Type “Device Manager” into Windows Search and click Open. In the following window, expand the Keyboard section. Locate your keyboard driver (it will most likely have a yellow exclamation mark) and right-click on it. Choose Update driver from the context menu. In the next dialog, click on Browse My Computer for drivers > Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer. Choose the 2C HID Device option and click Next. If you cannot locate this option, you have the choice to either download it online or simply click on whichever driver is available. After the driver is updated, close the Device Manager and check if the problem is fixed.
2. Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
Another way of fixing issues with the hardware components of your system is by running the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter. This utility is specifically designed to scan your system for potential issues that might be causing your hardware to act up.
If any problems are identified, you can apply the fixes that the troubleshooter suggests in a single click. You can use this troubleshooter to fix problems with the keyboard, touchpad, mouse, and other similar components.
Here is what you need to do:
Press Win + R keys together to open Run. Type cmd in the text field of Run and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open Command Prompt with administrative privileges. Click Yes in the UAC prompt. In Command Prompt, type the command mentioned below and hit Enter to execute it. msdt. exe -id DeviceDiagnostic You should now see the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter dialog on your screen. Click on the Next button in it to start the scan. If the troubleshooter identifies any problem, click on Apply this fix to resolve the problem. If no issues are identified, click on the Close the troubleshooter option and jump to the next method below.
3. Enable the Touchpad via Windows 11’s Settings
You might be also facing the issue because the touchpad on your system is configured to automatically disable itself when a mouse is connected. The solution, in this case, is simple — you just need to enable the touchpad via Windows Settings.
Follow these steps to proceed:
Press Win + I to open Windows Settings. Navigate to Bluetooth & devices > Mouse. In the following window, head over to the Related settings section and click on Additional mouse settings. Now, uncheck the box associated with Disable internal pointing device when external USB pointing device is attached and check if that does the trick for you.
Alternatively, you can also try resetting the touchpad settings to their default state and see if that helps.
To proceed here is what you need to do:
In the Bluetooth & devices section of Windows Settings, click on Touchpad. Locate the Reset button in the following window and click on it to revert the settings.
After the settings have been reset to their default state, try using your touchpad or trackpad again.
4. Enable the Microsoft Keyboard Filter Service
All the programs and processes on the Windows operating system are connected to a relevant service that helps them function as they are supposed to. These services can be found in the Windows Services utility.
If any of the related services are not working, the process related to it will also cease to function. In the case under consideration, several users noticed that the issue was being caused because of two services being disabled; Microsoft Keyboard Filter Service and Tablet PC Input Service.
In this method, we will check if these services are working properly and enable them if they are not.
Press Win + R to open Run. Type services. msc in the text field of Run and click Enter. In the Services window, look for Microsoft Keyboard Filter and right-click on it. Choose Properties. If the service is disabled, click on the Start button. Perform the same steps for the Tablet PC Input Service.
Once done, check if you can use your touchpad or trackpad without any problems now.
5. Downgrade to Windows 10
If the methods above have not helped you and your touchpad is still not working, then you can try downgrading to Windows 10 and then upgrading to Windows 11 again. Hopefully, this will fix the issue once and for all.
Use Touchpad Without Any Issues
Hopefully, the troubleshooting methods above will help you use your touchpad/trackpad again without any problems. To prevent any issues like this in the future, you need to make sure of two things; always keep your touchpad clean and keep the drivers updated.
