Windows 10: What is the purpose of removing my ability to turn off the touchpad?

I work on a lap top that has a touch pad below the keyboard. Since I bought the laptop that touch pad has been turned off via a simple option in the device manager menu. After the New Year's update the option to turn off the touch pad was removed. Why on earth would this be part of an update? It's slowing my work down by like 40% because the mouse keeps jumping around and clicking on things and changing screens on me as I type.


I realize I could probably restore to an earlier version of windows on my computer, but if MS thought their update was so important they pushed it out, then perhaps there is something I need in that update. So why on earth should it be necessary for me to restore to an earlier version? Why would they remove the ability to turn off the damn touch pad in the first place???

:)

 

turn off touchpad

Thanks for trying I downloaded driver for touchpad, followed the steps you listed but it did not solve the problem - When I get to the last tab for the software, there is no checkbox for "disable touchpad if mouse is attached." I can completely disable the
touchpad by system, and you, advised against this so at least I had the warning not to completely disable touchpad. I have tried the other options suggested but to no avail. Frustrating!

 

Turning off the touchpad

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community. Let me assist you.

Provide us with the below details for better clarity on the issue.

• 
  Are you using an Administrator or a standard account?
  
• 
  What is the make and model of your computer?
  

I would suggest you to try these steps to see if it resolves the issue.

• 
  Click on Start icon.
  
• 
  Go to Settings.
  
• 
  Select “Devices.”
  
• 
  Click on “Mouse & touchpad”.
  
• 
  Select “Related settings”.
  
• 
  Open the "Smart Gesture" icon.
  
• 
  Click on the "Mouse Detection" tab.
  
• 
  Put a check mark in the "Disable Touchpad when mouse is plugged in" square box.
  

You may also use the switch on the keyboard to disable the touchpad.

Hope this information is helpful. Please do let us know if you need further assistance, we’ll be glad to assist you.

 

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