The touchpad (a touchpad built into laptops) is a convenient replacement for a classic mouse, and "hot gestures" make it even more versatile than a mouse. Let's figure out how to set up touchpad gestures in Windows 10 and what to do if it stops working.

Setting up the touchpad in Windows 10

Access to the mouse and touchpad settings is carried out through the path "Start - Settings - Devices - Mouse and touchpad". If the device has a touchpad, in the tab that opens, in addition to the mouse settings, there will also be the Touchpad item, which is responsible for configuring the touchpad. In addition, there is an item "Advanced mouse options", which opens a menu of advanced settings.

From the mouse options menu you can access the touchpad settings as well as the advanced settings menu

Settings can also be changed in the "Control Panel": "Start - Control Panel - Mouse".

The options displayed in the window that opens are completely identical to the mouse options in the advanced settings menu, so which way to go to them is your choice.

This is what the mouse settings menu looks like, opened through the "Control Panel"

Changing basic settings

Basic parameters (delay before click, scroll speed, cursor movement, etc.) are configured in the same way for both the mouse and the touchpad. This is done through the mouse properties window already described above in the "Control Panel" (it is also the advanced settings menu in the mouse and touchpad parameters).

  1. On the Mouse Buttons tab, you can change the speed of the cursor, turn on and off "Sticky Keys" (a condition where one click of the mouse is equal to a long press), and swap the assignment of the right and left buttons.

    On this tab, you can change the settings for the right and left mouse buttons or touchpad

  2. The Pointer Options tab allows you to change the cursor speed and add some visual effects.

    Using the Pointer Options tab, you can change the cursor speed

  3. Using the Pointers tab, you can change appearance cursor.

    On the "Pointers" tab, the appearance of the cursor is configured

  4. The last tab, which is important for changing touchpad settings, is named differently depending on the device model: "Tile", "Touchpad", "Device Settings", etc. Its interface is unique for each model, but the purpose is always the same: this the tab is responsible for the advanced settings of the touchpad.

    On this tab you can go to advanced touchpad settings

Advanced touchpad settings

Advanced settings include changing gestures, calibrating the touchpad, and additional functions like tracking the movement of the palm.

For each manufacturer, the set of settings is different, the interface is the same, therefore general instruction for all devices may not exist.

Therefore, you can only roughly show what the settings will look like. Let's take the touchpad from Lenovo as an example.

  1. The transition to changing the settings is carried out by clicking on the touchpad icon in the "Tile" tab. A window will open with options that you can enable, disable, and change.

    In the touchpad settings window, you need to click on the image to go to change gestures

  2. The One Finger tab allows you to configure single-finger gestures: tapping on the screen, clicking on one of the touchpad buttons, and dragging.

    In this menu, you can customize gestures performed with one finger

  3. The Multi-finger tab gives you access to customizing multi-finger gestures, such as two-finger scrolling and zooming, menus, and assistants.

    In this tab, you can configure gestures that require two or three fingers to apply.

  4. The settings for touchpad sensitivity, its reaction to a finger leaving the touchpad, and tracking the palm are located on the Advanced tab.

    The Advanced tab controls additional options touchpad

In addition, in each of the tabs there is a help that allows you to get help on any gesture.

Video: gestures in Windows 10

Touchpad not working

The touchpad may not work for several reasons:

  • accidentally pressing the touchpad off button on the keyboard;
  • incorrect driver updates;
  • update or reinstalling Windows;
  • action of viruses;
  • disable touchpad in BIOS;
  • mechanical breakdown.

If the touchpad is accidentally turned off via a button on the keyboard (as a rule, this is one of the Fn keys: most often a combination of Fn with F5, F6, F8 or F9), you can simply turn it on by pressing this button again. Finding it is easy: as a rule, it depicts a touchpad. The same button (or combination) will turn off the touchpad if you are not using it.

For example, the keyboard in the photo turns the touchpad on and off using the Fn and F9 buttons

If the reason is updating or reinstalling Windows, you can return everything to its place using the installation the correct driver(usually such problems occur when the driver was not installed or was installed incorrectly). Similarly, you can solve the problem if it arose due to incorrect driver updates.

  1. Click right click mouse on the Start menu and select Device Manager from the panel that opens.

    To access the Device Manager, right-click on the Start menu and select the desired item from the drop-down menu

  2. Find your touchpad in it: it is located in the “Mice and other pointing devices” tab and contains the words touchpad, smart-pad, pointing device, etc. in its name.

    The touchpad is located in the "Mice and other pointing devices" tab

  3. Right click on it and open Properties.

    To enter the properties of the touchpad, right-click on it and select "Properties"

  4. In the window that opens, in the "Driver" tab, select "Roll back" if the problem is due to an incorrect driver update, or "Update" if the reason is reinstalling or updating Windows.

    To roll back or update a driver, click the appropriate button

  5. If you decide to update the driver, you can offer the system to find it on the Internet or download the driver yourself. Automatic search does not always work as it should, so it's better to download the right software from the manufacturer's official website.

    Select automatic search so that the system searches for a driver on the Internet, or manually to download the driver yourself

As a result of these actions, the driver will either be rolled back to a previous state, or updated to a newer one.

If the driver has stopped working as a result of the actions of a malicious program, it is necessary to conduct a full scan of the computer with an antivirus. In each antivirus, the process of launching it is designed in its own way, but the general essence does not change: click on the antivirus icon in the tray and select the "Check" option in the window that opens (it can also be called "Scanning"). Antivirus should detect malware and isolate or remove it.

To check the system for viruses and remove them, find the "Scan" button in the antivirus window

Another one possible reason- touchpad control disabled in BIOS. The BIOS is a system of programs that boots into Windows and manages system I/O.


Once touchpad support is enabled in the BIOS, the device should work.

If the reason for the failure of the touchpad is mechanical, nothing can be done: you have to carry the laptop for repair.

Video: what to do if the touchpad does not work

The touchpad is a convenient and compact replacement for a mouse. An abundance of additional gestures will give you the opportunity to perform even more actions than using a mouse, and correct setting provide maximum comfort at work.

First of all, you should know that Windows 10 was designed to be used on devices equipped with new high-precision touchpads. However, at present, such panels have not yet become widespread, and conventional touchpads are used on most laptops. Therefore, not all gestures described below will be available on your device.

You can check which touchpad is installed on your computer at the following address: "Start" → "Settings" → "Devices" → "Mouse and Touchpad". If you have a high-precision touchpad, then you will see an entry about it in the "Touchpad" section. But even if you have a regular touchpad, don't be discouraged - many gestures will be available to you, you just need to experiment a little to find out which ones.

1. Scroll the page up or down

Place two fingers on the touchpad and swipe up or down.

2. Scroll the page right or left

Place two fingers on the touchpad and slide them horizontally in the desired direction.

3. Calling the context menu

Tapping with two fingers will bring up the context menu, which usually appears on the right mouse click. In some touchpad models, the same can be achieved by tapping in the lower right corner of the touchpad.

4. Display all running applications

Swipe up with three fingers from the bottom to bring up the window thumbnail panel running programs(Alt+Tab). You can simply swipe left or right to switch to the desired application.

5. Closing the window manager panel

This gesture is the opposite of the previous one. If the app switcher bar is showing on your screen, this gesture will hide it.

6. Minimize all windows

If you have multiple windows open, then swiping down with three fingers on the touchpad will minimize them and show the desktop.

7. Restoring minimized windows

Action opposite to the previous one. If you have minimized application windows to the taskbar, this gesture will restore them to their original state.

8. Switch between open windows

Swiping left or right with three fingers will allow you to sequentially switch between multiple open windows.

9. Calling the search bar


Tap with three fingers to bring up a panel Windows Search 10 or virtual voice Cortana Assistant(in countries where this feature is available).

10. Zoom in or out

Place two fingers on the touchpad, and then start spreading or pinching them together. This gesture allows you not only to change the scale of displaying images in viewers and graphic editors, but also works in many browsers, allowing you to quickly change the size of the text on the page.

As I noted above, these gestures are not supported in all configurations. But it also happens that some of them are simply disabled by the manufacturer in the touchpad driver settings. Therefore, do not be too lazy to open the properties of the device (“Control Panel” → “Touch Panel”) and activate the functions you need.

What touchpad gestures do you use the most in Windows 10?

First of all, you should know that Windows 10 was designed to be used on devices equipped with new high-precision touchpads. However, at present, such panels have not yet become widespread, and conventional touchpads are used on most laptops. Therefore, not all gestures described below will be available on your device.

You can check which touchpad is installed on your computer at the following address: "Start" → "Settings" → "Devices" → "Mouse and Touchpad". If you have a high-precision touchpad, then you will see an entry about it in the "Touchpad" section. But even if you have a regular touchpad, don't be discouraged - many gestures will be available to you, you just need to experiment a little to find out which ones.

1. Scroll the page up or down

Place two fingers on the touchpad and swipe up or down.

2. Scroll the page right or left

Place two fingers on the touchpad and slide them horizontally in the desired direction.

3. Calling the context menu

Tapping with two fingers will bring up the context menu, which usually appears on the right mouse click. In some touchpad models, the same can be achieved by tapping in the lower right corner of the touchpad.

4. Display all running applications

Swipe up with three fingers from the bottom to bring up a panel with thumbnails of the windows of running programs (Alt + Tab). You can simply swipe left or right to switch to the desired application.

5. Closing the window manager panel

This gesture is the opposite of the previous one. If the app switcher bar is showing on your screen, this gesture will hide it.

6. Minimize all windows

If you have multiple windows open, then swiping down with three fingers on the touchpad will minimize them and show the desktop.

7. Restoring minimized windows

Action opposite to the previous one. If you have minimized application windows to the taskbar, this gesture will restore them to their original state.

8. Switch between open windows

Swiping left or right with three fingers will allow you to sequentially switch between multiple open windows.

9. Calling the search bar


Tap with three fingers to bring up the Windows 10 search bar or the Cortana virtual voice assistant (in countries where this feature is available).

10. Zoom in or out

Place two fingers on the touchpad, and then start spreading or pinching them together. This gesture allows you not only to change the scale of displaying images in viewers and graphic editors, but also works in many browsers, allowing you to quickly change the size of the text on the page.

As I noted above, these gestures are not supported in all configurations. But it also happens that some of them are simply disabled by the manufacturer in the touchpad driver settings. Therefore, do not be too lazy to open the properties of the device (“Control Panel” → “Touch Panel”) and activate the functions you need.

What touchpad gestures do you use the most in Windows 10?

In Windows 10, you can optimize your work not only with keyboard shortcuts, but also with new additional gestures on the touchpad.

A touchpad is a pointing input device that looks like a touchpad next to the keyboard. Used on most laptop computers, such as laptops or netbooks. Allows you to perform the necessary actions without a mouse and keyboard.

It should be said that the gestures in question have been improved and modified by developers for use on high-precision touch panels, so it is not certain that all of them will work on specific device user.

To see if your computer has a precision touchpad, go to Start - Settings - Devices - Mouse and Touchpad.

Scrolling the page vertically

Move two fingers up and down on the touchpad.

Page scrolling horizontally

Move two fingers on the touchpad left and right.

Zoom in and out

Reduction and separation of two fingers.

Calling the context menu

The touch of two fingers will bring up a menu similar to the right mouse click.

Calling the search bar

A touch of three fingers will open the search bar.

View all open windows

Swiping up with three fingers from the bottom will open Task View to see a list of all open apps.

Show Desktop

Moving three fingers from top to bottom will minimize the application.

Switch between open applications

Swiping left and right with three fingers will switch between open apps.

If some gestures do not work, then they may not be supported, or they may be disabled in the touchpad driver settings. To enter the touchpad driver settings, open the Control Panel, then select the small icons and click on the “Mouse” button.

In this case, the touchpad settings are located here TouchPad - Options.

In each case, the settings may differ from those indicated above.

barbadosmaney.ru

New touchpad gestures for Windows 10

woodhummer 12.09.2015 - 22:09 Workshop

Windows 10, in addition to new hot keys, received from developers a wide range of gesture controls (up to 4 fingers). It is noteworthy that in addition to touch screens, gestures are now also understood by the touchpad. Let's consider them in more detail...

Control gestures

With one finger

  • Normal and double click;
  • Move cursor;
  • Selection and movement.

two fingers

  • Click "right mouse button";
  • Scrolling (vertical and horizontal);
  • Pinching and spreading fingers - scaling (a favorite gesture of smartphone owners).

Three fingers

  • Click - launch Cortana;
  • Scrolling from yourself - viewing open windows;
  • Scrolling towards yourself - minimize all applications;
  • Scrolling left-right - switching between running applications.

four fingers

  • Click - launch the Notification Center;

Touchpad settings

In order for the touchpad to correctly support the commands described above, it must be compatible with the OS, and drivers must be correctly installed for it. To check, you need to go to system settings touchpad: click "Start" - "Settings" and go to "Devices" - "Mouse and touchpad".

As seen, this section abundance of settings does not differ.

P.S.

Finger gestures on the touchpad are one of the things that makes Windows 10 different from its predecessors. In our future publications, we will continue to introduce you to new "chips" that speed up the work of "tens".

updated: 09/12/2015

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wd-x.ru

How to speed up your Windows 10 laptop: gestures and touchpad

Microsoft has improved operating system Windows introducing support for trackpad gestures in Windows versions 8. They have greatly simplified the management of the computer, helping to perform the necessary actions more efficiently without having to use buttons like on a mouse on a touch device.

In Windows 10, Microsoft has improved the experience of Windows 8. In addition to using the previously introduced features, the company has added new touch controls and removed options that are unnecessary in Windows 10, such as swiping from the right corner to open the Charms bar, which is not here.

The only requirement to use these gestures is a Precision Touchpad, so not the most modern laptops will not get new control options.

To check if your touchpad supports gestures, go to Settings > Devices > Mouse and touchpad. If the "Touchpad" section says "Your PC has a Precision touchpad", then you can use swipes and taps instead of clicks.

  • Select an object: click on the touchpad
  • Scrolling: Place two fingers on the touchpad and swipe horizontally or vertically
  • Zoom: Place two fingers on the touchpad and move them together or apart
  • Right click: press the touchpad with two fingers or tap on the bottom right corner
  • Open Task View: Place three fingers on the touchpad and swipe away from you
  • Show desktop: Place three fingers on the touchpad and swipe towards you. Change direction to view all windows one by one
  • Switching between open windows: place three fingers on the touchpad and swipe right or left (similar to Alt + Tab buttons)
  • Dragging an open window: double-click and drag the title bar
  • Open Cortana: Press the touchpad with three fingers. You can open the notification center with the same gesture by changing the settings in Settings > Devices > Mouse and touchpad.

New touchpad gestures for Windows 10

If you like using the standard gestures, try the new ones, tap the touchpad with two fingers and press - This will replace the right click for you, below you will see a list of new gestures that are available in Windows 10.

Three fingers + touch touchpad - Cortana

Three fingers up swipe - switch between desktops

Three fingers left, right - to switch between applications

Three fingers down - show desktop

Four fingers + press - open the action and notification center

While these gestures help you quickly switch between apps and get your work done faster, not all users use the gestures offered in Windows 10.

Because all of these actions can be done with keyboard shortcuts and many users prefer them over touchpad gestures.

Touchpad Usage and Options

If your Surface has a touchpad, it has right and left buttons that work like mouse buttons.

To click, press the button well. A quick tap is treated as a touchpad gesture. Learn more about gestures: Recent touchpad gestures.

To prevent accidental cursor movement as you type, you can set a delay for touches, turn them off, or disable the touchpad. For instructions, see Change touchpad settings.

Below are some of the gestures you can use on the touchpad. Unless otherwise noted, these gestures work on all Surface keyboards and the Surface Book keyboard.

      • Click to right click
    • Left touchpad button.

      • Element selection
      Right touchpad button.
    • Tap with one finger anywhere on the touchpad

      • Element selection
      • Similar to left clicking
    • Touch with two fingers anywhere on the touchpad

    • Swipe your finger across the touchpad

      • Moving cursor
      • Similar to moving the mouse
    • Swipe up with three fingers on the touchpad

      • Displaying virtual desktops
      • Same as swiping the screen from right to left
    • Press and hold left button touchpad, and then swipe in any direction

    • Touch, immediately touch and hold, then swipe

      • Move an element or highlight text
      • Similar to moving the mouse with the left button pressed
    • Swipe horizontally or vertically with two fingers

      • Scrolling a screen or document
      • Similar to dragging the scroll button on the screen or using the scroll wheel on the mouse
    • Bring your thumb and forefinger together or spread them apart

      • Similar to touchscreen gestures

* Most Type Covers and keyboards can be clicked anywhere except in the right-click area.

You can enable and disable the touchpad, change the direction of scrolling, enable and disable gestures, and more.

    • Left touchpad button.

      • Element selection
      Right touchpad button.
      • Element selection
      • Same as left mouse click
      • Opens application commands in Windows applications or context menu in desktop applications
      • Same as right clicking
      • Moving cursor
      • Similar to moving the mouse
    • Tap, then immediately tap again and hold, then drag

      • Moves an object or selected text
      • Similar to moving the mouse while holding down the left mouse button
      • Zoom in or out

You can change the touchpad settings such as turning the touchpad on and off, changing the direction of scrolling, turning gestures on and off, and much more. Whether you change settings in PC settings or using the Surface Trackpad Settings app depends on your Surface model and cover.

Not sure which keyboard module you have? See Find out what keyboard your Surface has.

Surface 2: Change touchpad settings in PC settings

You can use Surface 2 to change the settings for any keyboard module other than the touch keyboard module or keyboard module ( early models).

Step 1.
Step 2
Step 3 Select Change PC settings > Computer and devices > Mouse and touchpad.
Step 4 Adjust the settings in the Touchpad section.
Surface RT:

The Surface Trackpad Settings app lets you turn the touchpad on or off, change the direction of scrolling, enable or disable gestures, and more.

Note

Surface RT can be used to change settings for the touch keyboard module or keyboard module (earlier models), but not other keyboard module models.

The Surface Keyboard Module has a touchpad with right-click and left-click buttons that work just like the buttons on a mouse. The touchpad also supports many gestures.

Touchpad buttons on older keyboard module, Surface 3 Pro keyboard module, and Surface 3 keyboard module

Touchpad buttons on all other keyboard modules

  • The touchpad buttons on the Keyboard Module, Keyboard Module for Surface 3 Pro, and Keyboard Module for Surface 3 click when pressed.
  • The touchpad buttons of the touch keyboard module, touch keyboard module 2, keyboard module 2, and on the cover with charger flat and do not move when you click on them.
  • Press firmly on the button to click. A quick touch is interpreted as a touchpad gesture.

To avoid cursor jerking when you accidentally touch the touchpad while typing, you can set a short delay before the touch is triggered, disable touches, or turn off the touchpad. To learn how to do this, see Change touchpad settings.

The following are some of the gestures that you can use on the touchpad. These gestures work on all Surface Keyboard Module models unless otherwise noted.

    • Left touchpad button.* Right touchpad button.

      • Click to right click
    • Left touchpad button.

      • Element selection
      • Same as left mouse click
      Right touchpad button.
      • Same as right clicking
    • Touch the touchpad with one finger anywhere

      • Element selection
      • Same as left mouse click
    • Touch the touchpad with two fingers anywhere

      • Opens the app's command window in Windows Store apps or the context menu in desktop apps
      • Same as right clicking
    • Move your finger across the touchpad

      • Moving cursor
      • Similar to moving the mouse
    • Hold down the left touchpad button and then slide your finger in any direction

      • Moves an object or selected text
      • Similar to moving the mouse while holding down the left mouse button
      • Moves an object or selected text
      • Similar to moving the mouse while holding down the left mouse button
    • Move two fingers horizontally or vertically

      • Scrolling through a screen or document
      • Similar to dragging the scroll button on the screen or using the mouse scroll wheel
    • Connect your thumb and forefinger or spread them apart***

* When using the touchpad buttons on the original keyboard module, Surface 3 Pro Keyboard Module, or Surface 3 Keyboard Module, you can touch the touchpad anywhere other than the right-click area. ** Tap-tap-drag does not work on Surface RT with Keyboard Module 2 or Touch Keyboard Module 2.

*** The pinch or pinch gesture is available on Touch Keyboard Module 2 and Keyboard Module 2 or later, but is not supported on Surface RT.

Note

Step 1.Attach the cover to your Surface. (When using the adapter wireless networks for keyboard modules, attach the skin directly to the Surface.)
Step 2 Swipe in from the right edge of the screen to the center, and then tap the Settings button. (When using the mouse, hover over the right top corner screen, move it down and click the Options button.)
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5

You can change all or some of the settings, depending on which Surface model and keyboard module model you have:

Change touchpad settings in the Surface Touchpad Settings app

To install the application, follow these steps:

The Surface Keyboard Module has a touchpad with right-click and left-click buttons that work just like the buttons on a mouse. The touchpad also supports many gestures.

Touchpad buttons on older keyboard module, Surface 3 Pro keyboard module, and Surface 3 keyboard module

Touchpad buttons on all other keyboard modules

  • The touchpad buttons on the Keyboard Module, Keyboard Module for Surface 3 Pro, and Keyboard Module for Surface 3 click when pressed.
  • The touchpad buttons on the touch keyboard module, touch keyboard module 2, keyboard module 2, and on the charger case are flat and do not move when pressed.
  • Press firmly on the button to click. A quick touch is interpreted as a touchpad gesture.

To avoid cursor jerking when you accidentally touch the touchpad while typing, you can set a short delay before the touch is triggered, disable touches, or turn off the touchpad. Learn how to do this by reading the Changing touchpad settings section.

The following are some of the gestures that you can use on the touchpad. These gestures work on all Surface Keyboard Module models unless otherwise noted.

    • Left touchpad button.* Right touchpad button.

      • Click to right click
    • Left touchpad button.

      • Element selection
      • Same as left mouse click
      Right touchpad button.
      • Opens the app's command window in Windows Store apps or the context menu in desktop apps
      • Same as right clicking
    • Touch the touchpad with one finger anywhere

      • Element selection
      • Same as left mouse click
    • Touch the touchpad with two fingers anywhere

      • Opens application commands in Windows applications or context menu in desktop applications
      • Same as right clicking
    • Move your finger across the touchpad

      • Moving cursor
      • Similar to moving the mouse
    • Hold down the left touchpad button and then slide your finger in any direction

      • Moves an object or selected text
      • Similar to moving the mouse while holding down the left mouse button
    • Tap, then immediately tap again and hold, then drag**

      • Moves an object or selected text
      • Similar to moving the mouse while holding down the left mouse button
    • Move two fingers horizontally or vertically

      • Scrolling through a screen or document
      • Similar to dragging the scroll button on the screen or using the mouse scroll wheel
    • Connect your thumb and forefinger or spread them apart***

      • Zoom in or out
      • Similar to tablet touchscreen gestures

* When using the touchpad buttons on the original keyboard module, Surface 3 Pro Keyboard Module, or Surface 3 Keyboard Module, you can touch the touchpad anywhere other than the right-click area. ** Tap-tap-drag does not work on Surface RT with Keyboard Module 2 or Touch Keyboard Module 2.

*** The pinch or pinch gesture is available on Touch Keyboard Module 2 and Keyboard Module 2 or later, but is not supported on Surface RT.

You can change the touchpad settings such as turning the touchpad on and off, changing the direction of scrolling, turning gestures on and off, and much more. Whether you change settings in PC settings or through the trackpad settings app depends on your Surface model and cover. Not sure which keyboard module you have? See Find out what keyboard your Surface has.

Note

Touchpad settings cannot be changed in either PC settings or the trackpad settings app with the following device combinations:

  • Touch Keyboard Module 2, Keyboard Module 2, Charger Case, Keyboard Module for Surface 3 Pro or Surface Keyboard Module 3 with Surface RT
  • Touch keyboard module or keyboard module (earlier models) with Surface 2 or Surface 2 Pro

To change touchpad settings in Computer Settings, you must:

  • Touch Keyboard Module 2, Keyboard Module 2, Keyboard Module for Surface 3 Pro, Keyboard Module 3, or Charger Case
  • Surface 2, Surface Pro, Surface 2 Pro, Surface 3 Pro, or Surface 3

The following describes how to change touchpad settings in Computer Settings:

Step 1. Attach the cover to your Surface. (When using the Wireless Network Adapter for Keyboard Modules, attach the cover to Surface directly.)
Step 2 Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, then tap the Options button. (If using a mouse, move the pointer to the upper right corner of the screen, move the pointer down, and then click the Options button.)
Step 3 Tap or click Change PC settings, tap or click Computer and devices.
Step 4 Tap or click Mouse and Touchpad.
Step 5

Adjust the settings in the Touchpad section.

You can change all or some of the settings, depending on which Surface model and keyboard module model you have:

Change touchpad settings in the Surface Touchpad Settings app

If you're using a Touch Keyboard Module or Keyboard Module (Early) and a Surface Pro or Surface RT tablet, you can use the Surface Trackpad Settings app to change your touchpad settings.

The Surface Trackpad Settings app lets you turn the touchpad on and off, change the direction of scrolling, turn gestures on and off, and more.

To install the app, follow these steps.

Most laptops have a built-in touchpad that you can customize in Windows 10 to your liking. There is also the possibility of using a third-party device to control gestures.

Turning on the touchpad

The touchpad is activated via the keyboard. But if this method does not work, then you will have to check the system settings.

Through the keyboard

First of all, look at the icons on the F1, F2, F3, etc. keys. One of these buttons should be responsible for enabling and disabling the touchpad. If possible, look at the instructions that came with the laptop, it usually describes the functions of the main shortcut keys.

Press hotkey to enable or disable the touchpad

On some models, key combinations are used: the Fn button + any button from the F list, which is responsible for turning the touchpad on and off. For example, Fn+F7, Fn+F9, Fn+F5, etc.

Hold the desired combination to enable or disable the touchpad

Some laptop models have a separate button located near the touchpad.

To enable or disable the touchpad, click on the dedicated button

To disable the touchpad, press the button that turns it on again.

Through system settings

Video: how to enable / disable the touchpad on a laptop

Gesture and sensitivity settings

The touchpad is configured through the built-in system settings:

Demanded gestures

The following gestures will allow you to completely replace all mouse functions with those of the touchpad:

  • page scrolling - swipe up or down with two fingers;

    Scroll up or down with two fingers

  • moving the page to the right and left - swipe with two fingers in the desired direction;

    Use two fingers to move right or left

  • call the context menu (similar to the right mouse button) - simultaneously press with two fingers;

    Press with two fingers on the touchpad

  • call the menu with all running programs (similar to Alt + Tab) - swipe up with three fingers;

    Swipe up with three fingers to open the application list

  • closing the list of running programs - swipe down with three fingers;
  • minimize all windows - swipe down with three fingers when windows are maximized;
  • calling the system search string or voice assistant, if it is available and enabled - simultaneously press with three fingers;

    Tap with three fingers to call search

  • zoom - swipe two fingers in opposite or equal directions.

    Zoom with touchpad

Solving problems with the touchpad

The touchpad may not work for the following reasons:

  • the virus blocks the operation of the touch panel;
  • the touchpad is disabled in the BIOS settings;
  • device drivers are corrupt, outdated, or missing;
  • the physical part of the touchpad is damaged.

The first three points above can be corrected independently.

It is better to entrust the elimination of physical damage to the specialists of the technical center. Please note that if you decide to open the laptop yourself to fix the touchpad, the warranty will no longer be valid. In any case, it is recommended to immediately contact specialized centers.

Virus removal

Run the antivirus installed on the computer and enable full scan. Remove the found viruses, reboot the device and check if the touchpad is working. If not, then there are two options: the touchpad does not work for other reasons, or the virus managed to damage the files responsible for the touchpad. In the second case, you need to reinstall the drivers, and if this does not help, then reinstall the system.

Run a full scan and remove viruses from your computer

Checking BIOS settings

Reinstalling and updating drivers

Video: what to do if the touchpad does not work

What to do if nothing helped

If none of the above methods helped to fix the problem with the touchpad, then there are two options left: damaged system files or the physical component of the touchpad. In the first case, you need to reinstall the system, in the second - take the laptop to the workshop.

The touchpad is a handy alternative to a mouse, especially when all possible quick control gestures are explored. touch panel can be enabled and disabled through the keyboard and system settings. If the touchpad stops working, remove viruses, check the BIOS and drivers, reinstall the system, or take the laptop in for repair.