Windows 11 Touchpad Not Working: Fixes for Clicks, Scrolling and Gestures

If a Windows 11 touchpad stopped responding, first make sure it is switched on under Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Touchpad, then restart cleanly and update or reinstall the touchpad driver in Device Manager. Microsoft says a touchpad that is not working may have a missing or outdated driver, and a simple setting that turned the touchpad off is just as common.

This guide goes through the fixes in order from the least to the most disruptive, with menu paths from Microsoft and Dell support pages checked on 2026-10-31. It covers a dead pointer, a touchpad that clicks but will not scroll, lost gestures, and a cursor that jumps while you type.

Who this is for and what you will have at the end

This is for anyone using a Windows 11 laptop whose built-in touchpad does not move the pointer, will not click or scroll, or has lost multi-finger gestures. At the end you will have checked the settings, drivers and hardware causes in a sensible order, and you will know when to stop and contact the laptop's maker.

If the touchpad is dead and you have no other pointing device, plug in a USB mouse or use the keyboard-only steps below.

Quick map of symptoms

Step 1: Turn the touchpad on in Settings

Dell's guide lists "make sure the touchpad is turned on" as the first quick fix, and Microsoft's Surface page confirms that Touchpad settings include turning the touchpad on or off.

1. Press Windows+I to open Settings, or right-click Start and select Settings.
2. Select Bluetooth & devices, then Touchpad.
3. Slide the Touchpad switch to On.

Keyboard-only method

If you have no working mouse, Dell describes this method:

1. Press the Windows key and Q.
2. Type touchpad settings in the search box.
3. Use the arrow keys to highlight Touchpad settings and press Enter.
4. Make sure the Touchpad On or Off toggle has a box around it. If it does not, press Tab until it does.
5. Press Spacebar to turn the touchpad on.

Dell's article does not mention a function key for toggling the touchpad, and Microsoft's pages do not either. Many laptops do have a touchpad key, so check your laptop's manual, but do not rely on it as the only fix. If the Touchpad page is missing from Settings entirely, Windows is probably not detecting the device, so go to Step 6.

Step 2: Check the mouse setting

In Windows 11, the option Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected is in the drop-down menu next to the Touchpad switch. Click the down arrow to find it. If the box is cleared, Windows turns the touchpad off when it sees a mouse.

Dell warns that with this option cleared, plugging in a wireless mouse dongle can disable the touchpad even if the mouse itself is switched off. Unplug the dongle or select the box. Dell also notes that disabling the touchpad is only advisable if you have an external mouse or a touchscreen.

Step 3: Restart cleanly

Dell's guide gives a specific restart tip. Save your work, restart, and wait until Windows has fully started before you touch the pad, because the touchpad calibrates during startup. Dell's wording is not to touch the touchpad until the computer has fully booted.

Also clean the pad and your fingertips of dirt, grease, liquids or food, as Dell lists. A dirty or damp surface causes erratic movement.

Isolate other devices

Dell suggests unplugging external devices such as USB devices, monitors and docks except power, then reconnecting them one at a time while you test the cursor. If the touchpad works with nothing attached and fails after one particular device, you have found the conflict.

Step 4: Fix clicks, scrolling and gestures

If the pointer moves but taps, scrolling or gestures do not work, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad and review the options. Microsoft lists these default gestures for Windows 11:

Microsoft notes that some of these gestures only work with precision touchpads. To change the three-finger or four-finger actions, expand those sections in the Touchpad window and use the drop-down menus. If a gesture opens search unexpectedly, change the corresponding tap action there.

Dell also says newer touchpads add multi-finger gestures that can cause erratic movement, and you can disable or modify those features in the touchpad driver properties.

Cursor speed

If the pointer is too slow or fast, change the Cursor Speed slider in the Touchpad settings, which Dell lists as a fix for slow movement.

Step 5: Stop the cursor jumping while you type

Dell's guide describes settings for a cursor that moves while you type:

1. In Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad, review the options.
2. Under More touchpad settings > Pointer Options, turn on Hide pointer while typing.
3. Set Taps sensitivity to low.

Some laptops also include palm-detection settings in the vendor's touchpad software, sometimes called Touch Guard or palm check. Dell mentions these names, and sensitivity can be adjusted on newer machines.

Step 6: Update the touchpad driver

Microsoft says a touchpad that is not working may have a missing or outdated driver, and that updating or reinstalling the touchpad drivers might solve the problem.

Update with Windows Update

Microsoft's recommended method is Windows Update. Open Settings > Windows Update and check for updates. Dell adds that when no touchpad driver is listed on its website for Windows 11, Microsoft provides the driver, and that some Dell laptops use a Precision Touchpad driver built into Windows, so no separate download exists.

Update the BIOS and chipset drivers

For erratic movement and button problems, Dell recommends updating the BIOS and chipset drivers to the latest version, and suggests SupportAssist for automatic updates on a Dell. On HP or Lenovo, download the BIOS and chipset updates from that company's support page for your exact model.

Update with Device Manager

1. Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
2. Expand Human Interface Devices or Mice and other pointing devices. Microsoft says the touchpad appears under one of them.
3. Right-click the touchpad entry and select Update driver.
4. Choose to search automatically for drivers.

If Windows says the best driver is already installed, a newer one may still be on the manufacturer's site.

Step 7: Reinstall the touchpad driver

If updating does not help, or no newer driver exists, Microsoft says to reinstall the touchpad in Device Manager, which forces the latest drivers to download from Windows Update.

1. In Device Manager, right-click the touchpad entry under Human Interface Devices or Mice and other pointing devices.
2. Select Uninstall device.
3. Restart the computer. Windows normally reinstalls the driver on its own.

Dell describes the same fix for a cursor that has disappeared. Expand Mice and other pointing devices, uninstall the Dell Touchpad or HID-compliant mouse entry, then restart so Windows reinstalls it. You need administrator rights to uninstall a device in Device Manager. If the problem began after a driver or Windows update, the Driver tab in the device's Properties may offer Roll Back Driver, though it is grayed out if no previous driver exists.

Have your laptop maker's driver downloaded before you uninstall anything, so you can reinstall it if Windows does not.

Step 8: Run the maker's hardware test

Dell's guide uses SupportAssist: open it, go to the three-bar menu, then Support, then Test my hardware, then Get started, and select the HID-compliant touch pad test. HP and Lenovo provide their own diagnostic tools, so look for them on the support page for your model.

If the touchpad fails the test, the cause is hardware. If it works in the test but not in Windows, the cause is software, and a Windows repair or reinstall may follow. Dell lists a restore point, a Windows refresh or a reinstall as the last resort.

Step 9: Rule out a swollen battery

This one is a safety issue. Dell lists these warning signs: a bulging battery bay, gaps in the case, a raised or unresponsive trackpad, wobbling, or a screen that will not close fully. If you see any of them, stop using software fixes. Switch the laptop off, stop charging it, and follow the maker's swollen-battery guidance or contact support.

The related guide Laptop won't turn on: power reset and fixes before you pay for repair covers swollen battery signs in more detail.

Verify the fix

Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad and confirm the switch is on. Test a tap, a two-finger scroll and a three-finger swipe. Restart once more to confirm the touchpad still works after a fresh boot, and after the laptop wakes from sleep. If it fails only after sleep, Dell recommends updating the BIOS and Windows.

When to contact the maker

Contact the laptop's maker or a repair shop if:

• The touchpad fails the maker's hardware test.
• It does not work in the BIOS or startup screens either.
• There is any sign of a swollen battery.
• Reinstalling the driver and restoring Windows make no difference.

Microsoft's page says to contact the device's manufacturer if you are still stuck.

Checklist

• Switch on the touchpad in Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Touchpad.
• Select Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected, or unplug the wireless dongle.
• Restart and keep your hands off the pad until Windows has finished booting.
• Clean the pad and disconnect other devices to find conflicts.
• Review gesture, tap and cursor speed settings.
• Update Windows, the BIOS and chipset drivers.
• Update, then uninstall and reinstall the touchpad in Device Manager.
• Run the maker's hardware test.
• Stop and call the maker if the case is bulging or the pad is raised.

References

• Microsoft Support, Fix touchpad problems in Windows
• Microsoft Support, Touch gestures for Windows
• Microsoft Support, Surface touchpad use and settings
• Dell Support, Fixing Your Laptop Touchpad not Working in Windows
• Dell Support, Disabling or Enabling the Touchpad on a Dell Laptop