Laptop touchpad problems are a common occurrence, not just on HP laptops but on other laptop brands as well. Therefore, it’s important not to blame your HP Pavilion laptop right away. Touchpad issues can be caused by user-related faults as well as hardware and software problems. Hence, it’s difficult to determine the exact cause of the problem.
Regardless of the cause, we are here to help you solve this touchpad problem that could disrupt your daily routine. In this article, we will explain why your HP Pavilion touchpad is not working and provide practical solutions to fix the problem. By the end of this article, you will have found a solution to your laptop’s touchpad issue.
HP Pavilion Touchpad Not Working: Likely Causes
There are several factors that can cause your HP Pavilion touchpad to stop working. As we have mentioned before, these causes can be divided into hardware, software, and user-related issues. Here are the potential reasons for this problem on your laptop:
- The touchpad may be disabled by key combinations.
- Outdated touchpad drivers may have been installed.
- Unresolved hardware issues could be causing the problem.
- The touchpad settings may be incorrect.
- Malicious software may be affecting the touchpad.
HP Pavilion Touchpad Not Working: How To Fix
We care about your user experience and have compiled simple troubleshooting methods to help fix your touchpad that is not working. If you do not have a touchscreen laptop, you will need an external mouse as a troubleshooting tool for some of the methods. Follow the steps diligently to ensure that it fixes your laptop touchpad.
1. Unlock your Touchpad
Most laptops have functions or keyboard combinations that can disable or enable the touchpad. Sometimes the touchpad may have been disabled by mistake while operating your laptop. For HP laptops, the lock button on the touchpad is used to enable or disable it.
If your touchpad is locked, you can enable it using several methods. The simplest way is to use the key combination method. Search for the Fn and F3 keys on your keyboard. The Fn key is usually located beside the control key at the bottom left corner. Once you find these keys, press them simultaneously to unlock your touchpad.
If your touchpad still isn’t working, inspect the touchpad. There is usually a circle button (touchpad light) at the top-left corner. If you double-tap it by mistake, the touchpad will lock. If the circle button is the cause of the problem, you will see an orange or red light on the touchpad. Double-tap the circle button to unlock your touchpad. If the light is turned off, your touchpad is unlocked, and you can start using it again.
Alternatively, you can unlock your laptop touchpad through the touchpad settings as follows:
- Click on the Windows + X keys on your laptop keyboard
- Go to Settings and click on the Devices option in the Settings tab
- Choose Mouse and Touchpad
- Select the Additional Mouse option and enable the Touchpad
- Reboot the laptop and check whether the touchpad problem is resolved.
2. Update your Touchpad Driver
If your touchpad driver is outdated, update it immediately, as it could be the reason why your laptop touchpad is not working. Furthermore, a corrupted driver can have the same effect, hindering the functionality of your touchpad.
You can update the touchpad driver through the official website of your manufacturer. Follow these simple installation steps:
- Go to the HP official website
- Search for the latest driver for your touchpad. Ensure the touchpad is compatible with your HP laptop
- Follow the on-screen prompts to download and install the laptop driver
- Once the installation process is done, try to use the laptop and check if the touchpad is now working fine.
If you have the latest driver version on your laptop, perhaps the driver is corrupted. Uninstalling and reinstalling the driver will fix this problem.
Follow these simple steps:
- Press the Windows + R keys to start the Run dialog
- Type Control into the prompt and press Enter
- Click on the Control Panel and navigate to the Device Manager window
- Increase the mouse and other devices
- Right-click on the Touchpad Option and click on Uninstall
- Press Yes to confirm the choice
- Let the uninstallation process run. Afterward, restart the laptop to save all the changes.
Windows should automatically reinstall the default driver, fixing the touchpad problem. If Windows doesn’t install it, you can go to the HP official website to download and install it.
3. Perform a Clean Boot on Your Laptop
When there is a conflict between the mouse and touchpad properties due to software disruption, the touchpad may stop working. If this is the case with your HP Pavilion laptop, you can solve the problem by performing a clean boot. A clean boot is an effective method to address touchpad issues, particularly if you are using Windows 10.
Follow these simple steps to perform a clean boot:
- Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type “msconfig” in the prompt and press Enter.
- Go to the General tab and select “Selective Startup.”
- Uncheck “Load startup items.”
- Hide all Microsoft services and click on “Disable All.”
- Restart your laptop to save the changes and check if your touchpad is working properly.
4. Run HP Diagnostics
If the touchpad problem persists, it’s time to run diagnostics on your laptop. The diagnostic tools can help resolve touchpad issues.
Follow these steps to run HP diagnostics correctly:
- Search for “HP PC Diagnostics for Windows” on your HP laptop.
- Click on “System Tests” from the main menu.
- Select the “System Fast Test” tab.
- Run the test once only.
- Take note of the required time for the test before it starts and do not interrupt it.
- After the test is successful, restart your laptop. Your touchpad should start working correctly again.
5. Contact Your Manufacturer’s Support
If none of the above methods can fix your HP Pavilion laptop, it is possible that you have some serious hardware issues. Do not hesitate to contact HP support for further information or assistance.
