How to disable your touchpad in Windows 10

[JamieKavanagh]

Windows 10 was designed to be all things to all devices but the experience can vary across those devices. Some people, including myself using it on a laptop have found the touchpad experience to be mixed to say the least. The tracking isn’t great, response is often intermittent and the whole experience sometimes just doesn’t flow. So if like me, you want to switch to mouse control, here’s how to disable your touchpad in Windows 10.

Important note: Make sure you have a mouse connected before disabling the touchpad. Don’t do what I did and disable the touchpad and then have to hunt around to find a mouse…

Disable the touchpad in Windows 10
Windows 10 does load laptop or touchpad specific elements into the Settings app but they don’t always work. It is much more effective to use Device Manager.

1. Type or paste ‘Devmgmt.msc’ into the Search Windows box.
2. Locate ‘Mice and other pointing devices’ and open it up.
3. Find your touchpad, right click and select Disable. It should be labeled something like ‘Make of laptop Touchpad’ or words to that effect.

The touchpad should now stop working and you will need to use a mouse to control the device.

Disable the touchpad using Control Panel in Windows 10
I found this method didn’t always work but your mileage may vary.

1. Type or paste ‘control panel’ into the Search Windows box.
2. Select Hardware and sound and then the Mouse text link in Devices and Printers.
3. You should see a Touchpad tab and the option to disable it within that tab. Manufacturers vary, my Dell says Dell Touchpad but my Asus just says Touchpad.

Other Windows 10 tutorials you might like:
How to Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First
How to change icon spacing in Windows 10 desktop
How to add a show desktop shortcut to Windows 10

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