Getting your Asus laptop’s touchpad to work again in Windows 10 can be surprisingly easy, but sometimes it takes a bit of digging. Maybe after a Windows update, or some accidental disablement, the touchpad just stops responding. Not sure why it works sometimes and not others, but these steps should help you get that cursor moving again. Often, it’s just a toggle or driver hiccup, and fixing it involves navigating a few menus or checking a few settings. So, if your touchpad is dead or unresponsive, here’s a collection of practical ways to troubleshoot and hopefully get it up and running without tears.
How to Enable Touchpad on Asus Laptop Windows 10
Access your settings and check the touchpad toggle
This seems obvious, but sometimes windows gets confused – it thinks the touchpad’s disabled when it isn’t. Just open Settings either by clicking on the gear icon in the Start menu or pressing Windows + I. Then head over to Devices — it’s where all that hardware magic happens. In the left sidebar, click Touchpad. If you see a switch that’s turned off, toggle it to On. This usually does the trick if the switch was just accidentally switched off or if a Windows update reset your preferences. On some setups, this toggle can get hidden or greyed out if your driver is acting up, but try this first.
Check if the driver is installed properly
If toggling the setting doesn’t help, the driver might be the culprit. Open Device Manager by right-clicking on the Start button or pressing Windows + X then selecting Device Manager. Look under Mice and other pointing devices. You should see something like Generic Synaptics Touchpad or similar. If you see a yellow warning icon, or the driver isn’t listed at all, that’s a sign something’s fishy. To fix this, right-click on the device and choose Update driver. You can also go directly to ASUS’s support site, grab the latest touchpad driver, and install it manually. Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than it should be.
Reinstall the touchpad driver for a clean slate
If updating doesn’t help, sometimes a full reinstall is needed. In Device Manager, right-click your touchpad device and select Uninstall device. Make sure to check the box that says Delete the driver software for this device if available. Then, restart your laptop, and Windows should attempt to reinstall the driver automatically. If not, download the latest driver from the ASUS website, install it manually, and see if that does the trick. On some setups, the driver just gets corrupted, and a clean install restores normal function.
Look for function key toggles and external factors
Sometimes the issue is just a quick toggle via a dedicated function key, usually Fn + a key with a touchpad icon. It’s kind of weird, but on some Asus laptops, pressing Fn + F9 or Fn + F7 can disable or enable the touchpad. Worth checking that first, especially if you’re using an external mouse and forgot it was toggled off. Also, keep in mind, a Windows update or a fresh driver install can reset these toggles, so it’s good to double-check everything. And don’t forget to restart after changing settings—it might seem trivial, but sometimes Windows needs that nudge to recognize your tweaks.
If it still won’t respond, try Windows Troubleshooter
If nothing else works, Windows has a built-in hardware troubleshooter that’s pretty underrated. Head to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot, then select Hardware and Devices. Run the troubleshooter and follow its prompts. Sometimes it spots issues the regular menus miss, especially driver conflicts or disablement from device conflicts. On some machines, this fails the first time, then works after rebooting, so don’t get discouraged if it’s a bit flaky.
Tips for Enabling Touchpad on Asus Laptop Windows 10
- Always check for driver updates from the Asus support website for the best performance.
- If your touchpad is unresponsive, try connecting an external mouse to see if Windows recognizes input — it can help determine if the issue is driver or hardware related.
- Using the Hardware Troubleshooter can sometimes catch things you miss, especially when drivers are weird.
- Watch out for the function key combo (Fn + F9 or F7) that might disable your touchpad temporarily.
- Check Device Manager to see if the driver is OK or needs reinstalling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my touchpad is disabled?
If the cursor doesn’t move when you swipe or tap, it’s probably disabled. Double-check the Touchpad toggle in Settings or look for a physical function key.
Can I toggle the touchpad using keyboard shortcuts?
Yep. Many Asus models have that Fn + function key combo (usually Fn + F9) to turn the touchpad on or off. Sometimes, you might need to press it multiple times or toggle it in BIOS if it’s disabled at a deeper level.
What if the touchpad settings are missing?
If the options aren’t there anymore, it’s probably a driver problem. Try reinstalling or updating the driver from Asus support. Also, check if your Windows is up to date — sometimes, missing features are just a symptom of outdated OS or drivers.
Why isn’t my touchpad working after enabling it?
Maybe a restart could help, but if it still refuses to work, there could be a hardware issue or the driver isn’t functioning right. Confirm by trying the external mouse or checking Device Manager to see if the device appears properly.
Is it possible to customize gestures?
Yes, go into the Touchpad settings and look for options to enable multi-finger gestures, taps, and scrolling. Just keep in mind, if the driver is faulty, those options might be missing or won’t work properly.
Summary
- Open Settings and check the Touchpad toggle.
- Update or reinstall touchpad drivers via Device Manager.
- Use function keys (like Fn + F9) to toggle the touchpad.
- Run the Windows Hardware troubleshooter if things still act up.
Wrap-up
Getting the touchpad going again is usually just about cleaning up driver issues or toggling a switch somewhere. It can feel annoying when Windows decides to turn off hardware randomly, but with these steps, it’s often a quick fix. Keep drivers updated, check those function keys, and don’t forget to restart after changes. If it still doesn’t behave, it might be hardware, but most of the time, it’s just a software hiccup. Fingers crossed this helps someone save a headache or two — worked for quite a few setups, so maybe it helps yours too.