Your touchpad is probably disabled, not broken

HP laptops running Windows 10 have a touchpad that can be turned off without being damaged. Most of the time, if your touchpad stopped working, someone disabled it — either accidentally through a keyboard shortcut, or intentionally through Windows settings. The fix takes less than five minutes and does not require a technician.

This guide walks you through the three places where your touchpad might be switched off, in the order you should check them. Start with the easiest method first.

Key Takeaways

  • Your HP touchpad may be disabled by a keyboard shortcut (usually Fn + F6 or Fn + F9, depending on your model), which you can toggle back on immediately.
  • Windows 10 settings can disable the touchpad, and you can re-enable it through the Devices menu in Settings without restarting your laptop.
  • If your touchpad driver is missing or outdated, Windows will not recognize the hardware even if it is physically working.
  • You can test whether your touchpad is actually disabled or if the problem is something else by checking the light indicator next to the keyboard.

Check the keyboard shortcut first

HP laptops have a dedicated key or key combination that turns the touchpad on and off instantly. On most HP models, this is Fn + F6 or Fn + F9 — look at your keyboard to find the key with a touchpad icon on it. Press that combination once. If a light next to your keyboard turns on, or if the touchpad suddenly responds, you have found the problem.

If nothing happens after pressing the shortcut, move to the next step. Do not assume the keyboard shortcut is broken — it may simply not be the right one for your specific HP model, or the touchpad may be disabled in Windows itself.

Re-enable the touchpad in Windows 10 Settings

Open the Windows Start menu and type Settings. Click the Settings app (it looks like a gear icon). Once Settings opens, click Devices in the left sidebar.

In the Devices menu, click Touchpad on the left side. You will see a toggle switch at the top that says "Touchpad" with a switch next to it. If that switch is in the Off position (grayed out or to the left), click it to turn it back on. Wait a few seconds — your touchpad should start working immediately without restarting.

If the toggle is already in the On position, your touchpad is enabled in Windows, which means the problem is elsewhere. Move to the next step.

Update or reinstall the touchpad driver

If the touchpad is enabled in Windows but still does not work, the driver — the software that lets Windows talk to your touchpad hardware — may be missing or broken. Open the Start menu and type Device Manager. Click the Device Manager app to open it.

Look for a section called Mice and other pointing devices and click the arrow next to it to expand the list. You should see something like "HP Touchpad" or "Synaptics Touchpad" or "ELAN Touchpad" listed there. If you see a yellow warning triangle or exclamation mark next to it, the driver has a problem.

Right-click on your touchpad in the list and select Update driver. Windows will search for the latest driver online and install it automatically. If that does not work, right-click again and select Uninstall device, then restart your laptop. Windows will reinstall the driver automatically when it boots back up.

Check for a physical disable button or switch

Some older HP laptop models have a small physical button or switch near the touchpad that disables it. Look at the area around your touchpad — if you see a small button or slider, try pressing or moving it. This is rare on newer models, but worth checking if nothing else has worked.

You can also look for a small light indicator next to your keyboard or near the touchpad. If that light is off or red, it usually means the touchpad is disabled. Pressing the keyboard shortcut (Fn + F6 or Fn + F9) should turn that light on.

Restart your laptop if the driver was updated

If you updated or reinstalled the driver in Device Manager, restart your laptop to make sure the new driver loads completely. Click the Start menu, click the power icon, and select Restart. Wait for your laptop to boot back up — this usually takes one to three minutes.

Once your laptop is back on, test your touchpad by moving your finger across it. If it still does not work after a restart, the hardware itself may be damaged, and you would need to contact HP support or take your laptop to a repair shop.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my touchpad is actually disabled or if it is broken?

Look for a light indicator next to your keyboard — if it is off or red, the touchpad is disabled in software. If the light is on and the touchpad still does not work, the hardware may be damaged. You can also try the keyboard shortcut (Fn + F6 or Fn + F9) to see if a light turns on.

What if I do not see my touchpad in Device Manager?

If your touchpad does not appear in the "Mice and other pointing devices" section, the driver may be completely missing. Restart your laptop — Windows will often reinstall missing drivers automatically on startup. If it still does not appear after a restart, contact HP support with your laptop model number.

Can I use an external mouse while I fix the touchpad?

Yes. Plug in a USB mouse or connect a wireless mouse, and you can use your laptop normally while you work through these steps. An external mouse will work even if your touchpad is disabled.

Will updating the driver erase my files?

No. Updating or reinstalling a driver only affects the software that controls that specific piece of hardware. Your files, programs, and settings will not be touched.

What if the touchpad works sometimes but not always?

This usually means the driver is unstable or outdated. Update the driver through Device Manager as described above. If the problem continues after updating, uninstall the driver and restart your laptop to let Windows reinstall it fresh.