Windows 10: Can't disable touchpad while using a mouse anymore

Hi all,

Since updating to Windows 10 version 1903, the option to disable the touchpad while a mouse is connected is gone. On another post in the community, one of the microsoft people said that option and functionality has been straight up removed. You know, because we love it when updates remove functionality that we use! Another post said to look under Ease of Access on the control panel and go to touchpad there, but I don't have anything on that page for the touchpad.


So is there any way I can still do this? I've seen people respond to others with instructions to fully disable the touchpad, but that's a pain in the **** if my bluetooth mouse disconnects (which it does sometimes) or it's batteries die or it dies period. I suppose I still have my touchscreen so I wouldn't be totally locked out of my laptop, but it's still not ideal. I use the touchpad when my mouse fails - and that's the only time. Is there any way to make it still act this way now that they've taken the options away?


Jessica

:)

 

Disable Touchpad and use External mouse

Hi,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

I understand that you want to disable the TouchPad of your laptop and want to use an external USB mouse.

To use an external USB mouse, please connect the USB mouse to any USB port on your laptop and it will be set up automatically.

To disable the touchpad you can try the following steps and check if that helps:

1. Press and hold Windows + X key on the keyboard.
   
2. Select Device manager from the list.
   
3. Expand Mice and other pointing devices.
   
4. Find Synaptics SMBus TouchPad/ELANClickpad touchpad.
   
5. Right click on the driver and select Disable.
   

Hope it helps.

Please reply with the status of the issue, we will be glad to help you further.

Nikhar Khare

Microsoft Community - Moderator

 

I want to disable touchpad on Dell laptop


Hello everyone,
My laptop's touchpad works and I don't want it to, because I prefer a mouse. It's a Dell Inspiron 11 3000 series on windows 10 OS.

What I have tried that hasn't worked:

• start<settings<devices<mouse & touchpad<additional mouse options. This opens a window called Mouse Options which has 5 tabs up top, none of which involve the touchpad. The Hardware tab shows 2 devices: the mouse itself, and the USB. No touchpad there.
• windows key+x<mobility center. No touchpad to be found.
• various function keys. No options for touchpad on/off.
• device manager<mice and other pointing devices. Again, only the mouse and usb show up. It appears the touchpad is working without a driver, which is a little spooky.

Any other suggestions? I could try downloading a third party driver, but that seems like a step in the wrong direction.
Thanks

 

Touchpad can't disabled

Hello Joseph,

If your laptop has a touchpad utility software, you may check if it has an option to disable the touchpad. For instructions please follow these steps:

• Open Control Panel.
• Select View by: Small icons.
• Open Mouse.
• Click on Touchpad tab.
• Under the Touchpad sub-menu, click Disable.
• Click Apply, and OK.

Disclaimer: If you disable the touchpad, you need to use the keyboard or external mouse to navigate.

We'll wait for the result.