Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Whether or not your laptop's touch pad can be disabled depends on the software used to configure it. It might be easy, or it might be impossible.
On my laptop I have a touch pad which I hate. So I have attached an external mouse but how do I now disable the touch pad so that a shirt sleeve brushing across it (or a lazy finger) won't send the cursor where it is not wanted?
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The laptop touch pad (or track pad) is an alternative to using your mouse. Using your finger you can move the mouse pointer around the screen, and with buttons near the touchpad, click.
It's all well and good until you accidentally brush something across the touchpad when you didn't intend. Exactly what can do this - be it a finger or a shirt sleeve - depends on the specific touch pad.
In fact - everything depends on the touchpad, it's drivers, and whether or not those drivers even give you the control you're looking for.
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Go to Control Panel and double click on the Mouse item.
Here's what I get:
You can see that on my Dell Latitude D620 the control panel lets me do exactly what you're asking: turn off the touchpad entirely. In fact, the Control Panel applet is giving me individual control of two separate sets of buttons on my machine, as well as the "eraser head" Pointing Stick and the Touch Pad itself. Lots of control.
On my Dell.
Here's the problem you may face: your computer may not have this. There is no standard interface for configuring your touch pad.
You may not have the option to turn it off.
Another approach, again if your Control Panel Mouse applet supports it, might be to change the configuration of the touch pad:
Here you might be able to configure how the touchpad responds. It's possible that on your computer you may be able to dramatically reduce the sensitivity of the pad or other characteristics that might make it less annoying. Those changes might make it unusable as a touch pad of course, but in your case that wouldn't matter.
Finally, it's also possible that your computer may not have anything in Control Panel to configure the touchpad at all. The touch pad mimics a mouse, and as a result your computer may simply not see it as anything other than a traditional mouse.
Your options at that point are somewhat limited, and probably limited to the physical. If it's a serious enough problem for you, you might consider carefully opening your laptop and disconnecting the track pad. Most laptops will run fine without it.
I'm actually hesitant to even mention that, since of course ... well, you're opening your laptop. On top of that, since all laptops are very different it might even then not be easy or possible to disconnect just the touchpad; it's possible that it's an integral part of the keyboard assembly, or it's possible that the cable's simply not accessible.
You might check with your computer's manufacturer before going down this path to see if there are any additional options, or if they can provide information that would make this task easier.
Article C3860 - September 3, 2009 « »
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
September 21, 2009 5:22 PM
For Dell, download Touchpad driver on Dell website and option for disable the eraser pointing will appear under MOUSE in your control panel. It take 8 hours for me to find the solution and it work Perfectly now :)
September 30, 2009 12:01 AM
I've trouble with my touchpad laptop.It's not working anymore.My laptop is acer aspire 3000 series.Used AMD Sempron 2800+ prosesor.40Gb HDD and 256 Mb of ram.On Device Manager it's shown with "!" sign.when I Updated the driver,there was an message "the device isn't present,etc......".
Please help me...How to repair this??????.
January 4, 2010 11:05 AM
I have a Dell 610 with a jumping cursor. Recently I was able to control it by periodically installing the Senteo Pointing Device Driver...but this time, it is not working. I am at a loss since it is difficult to navigate with an alien abducted cursor crusing around on my screen, moving erratically.
October 22, 2011 4:28 AM
Thank you. I hadn't noticed the tab on the mouse settings to disable it. Was really frustrating when I'm not typing where I thought I was. By the way, the PC is a work machine. I've never connected a mouse to my personal machine (Mac). The mouse pad on the Mac is highly functional. Does everything except talk to me - at least I don't think it talks!
This IP address is Middle East - I'm a Canadian working over here - not a spammer.
December 14, 2011 9:19 PM
ok here is my problem...i KNOW my touchpad is about to die. i have been battling erratic mouse jumping, interference with typing (such a headache when a whole paragraph randomly disappears when you're about to hit send), etc. i know how to go to control panel- then to "hardware and sound"- the to "devices and printers" - then to "mouse"-then to "mouse properties" - then to "hardware" - "PS/2 compatible mouse" -"properties" - "change settings"- and finally "driver" where it shows i have a disable button...HOWEVER - it will NOT allow me to click it. any ideas? its a Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop - and i need HELP please
15-Dec-2011
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