How do I disable touchpad in Windows 10?

Anonymous
2019-02-28T19:27:56+00:00

I have a new HP laptop. But I don't like using the touchpad so I installed my mouse. With the version of Windows 10 that came with the computer, I easily found where I could disable the touchpad in Settings. But recently it upgraded to version 1809, and reverted to the setting with the touchpad enabled. Now I can't find anything in Settings to disable it anymore. I even spoke to a Microsoft technician over the phone, who was also couldn't disable it. (In Device Manager, the setting to disable the touchpad is greyed out.) So how do I disable it?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

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Kapil Arya 38,446 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2020-07-21T13:13:16+00:00

Hello,

Try these steps and see if that helps:

  1. Press Windows Key + X to open Win + X menu and select Control Panel from the list.
  2. When Control Panel opens, go to Hardware and Sound section and select Mouse.
  3. When Mouse settings window opens, you should see ELAN or Device Settings tab. Switch to it.
  4. Locate Disable internal pointing device when external USB pointing device is attached option and enable it.
  5. Click Apply and OK to save changes.

If issue still persists, try this:

  1. Open Registry Editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Elantech/Othersetting/DisableWhenDetectUSBMouse key in the left pane.
  2. Change the value from 0 to 1 and close Registry Editor.

Hope this helps!

Steps referenced from https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Video-Display-and-Touch/Where-is-the-setting-to-disable-the-Elan-touchpad/m-p/7053015#M189607.

Note: HP.com is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-10-20T21:53:33+00:00

    I finally worked it out with the assistance of Best Buy's Geek Squad. You have to get into the update history of the Synaptics touchpad driver (I have an HP laptop) and go back to the one that was installed prior to the appearance of the problem. It's takes a little trial and error but it's a permanent fix, at least until MS sends out another update. On a hopeful note, a friend with an identical problem informed me that MS's recent update seems to have corrected the problem. Moral: study the update contents prior to installation and opt out of anything that reeks of touchpad driver updates.

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-10-20T21:32:04+00:00

    Disconnecting the touchpad is rather drastic.  Deleting the driver would be easier to do and easier to put back into use.  In either case, you're left without a way to navigate if you loose use of the mouse.

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-10-20T21:21:30+00:00

    Sadly that didn't work for me. I'm not sure why this isn't straightforward, but what works seems to vary from machine to machine. The only thing that works is a piece of cardboard over the touchpad. I have been told the only reliable solution is to take your laptop to a repair shop and have them open it and physically disconnect the touchpad. The only problem with that is, what happens if I forget or lose my mouse, or the mouse battery dies!?

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-10-19T15:01:00+00:00

    Try this for temporary disable  touch the FN key and the F6 up top it should disable it till the next time

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