The short answer
Look along the F1 to F12 row for a key with a crossed-out touchpad icon and press it, usually with the Fn key held. That switches the touchpad off and on, and it is the single most common cause. Windows also disables the touchpad automatically when a mouse is connected, which is a setting you can change.
A touchpad that stops responding feels like hardware failure, but genuine touchpad hardware failures are rare. There are three or four switches, physical and software, that turn it off, and most people meet one by accident.
Work through these in order
Press the touchpad toggle key
Look for an icon of a touchpad with a line through it on the function row, commonly F5, F6, F7 or F9. Press it, and if nothing happens, press it while holding Fn. Some laptops instead use a small indented button or a double-tap in the top-left corner of the touchpad itself.
Check the Windows touchpad setting
Settings, Bluetooth and devices, Touchpad. Make sure the toggle is on. Expand the section and look for “Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected” — this is off by default on many machines, which is why the touchpad dies whenever a mouse is plugged in.
Unplug any USB mouse and restart
This combines both checks above. If the touchpad returns once the mouse is out, you have found the cause and the setting above is the permanent fix.
Reinstall the driver
Device Manager, expand Mice and other pointing devices and also Human Interface Devices. Right-click the touchpad entry — often Synaptics, ELAN or Precision Touchpad — and choose Uninstall device, then restart. Windows reinstalls it. If that does not help, get the driver from the laptop maker’s support page for your exact model.
Check the BIOS
Restart and enter BIOS setup, usually F2 or Delete. Look under Advanced or Internal Pointing Device and confirm the touchpad is enabled. A BIOS update or a reset to defaults occasionally disables it.
Test in safe mode
If the touchpad works in safe mode, something in Windows is responsible — usually a driver conflict or a utility from the manufacturer. If it does not work in safe mode either, the fault is more likely hardware.
That is a different fault. Check the touchpad settings for tap-to-click, which is sometimes disabled, and clean the pad surface. On laptops with a physical click mechanism, a swollen battery underneath can press against the touchpad and prevent it clicking — worth checking if the laptop also rocks on a flat table.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my touchpad stop working when I plug in a mouse?
Because Windows is set to disable it automatically. Turn on “Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected” in the touchpad settings.
My touchpad is erratic rather than dead. What causes that?
Usually a dirty or damp surface, or a driver problem. Clean it with a barely damp cloth and dry it. If the cursor jumps while typing, raise the palm rejection sensitivity in the touchpad settings.
How do I use Windows without a mouse to fix this?
Tab moves between controls, arrow keys navigate, Space and Enter activate, and the Windows key opens the Start menu. You can also enable Mouse Keys in accessibility settings to move the pointer with the number pad.
Is a touchpad replacement expensive?
The part is usually inexpensive, but on many laptops it sits under the battery and keyboard, so labour dominates the cost. Confirm it is genuinely hardware before paying for the repair.
Press the toggle key and unplug the mouse. Those two checks account for most dead touchpads.
