How to set up a touchscreen on a laptop. Touchpad: How to set up a device that replaces a physical mouse on a laptop. What is a touchpad

Today I want to tell about your personal problemwhich I ran into after the penultimate windows updates 10 and also how I solved this problem. The point is that as the main computer i use laptopwhich is equipped with touchpad from the manufacturer Synaptics... Their laptop touchpads are the most commonso the possibility of a problem for me was extremely unexpected, but nevertheless it appeared, and now I will tell you more about everything.

What is the problem?

Any touchpads used in laptops, for full-fledged work and their further customization during use, are equipped by the manufacturer special driversthat not only improve device performance, but also add programs containing list of options for controlling the touch panel.

Tab Synaptics Touchpad disappeared

Synaptics is no exception for every touchpad model. creates similar softwarewhich works perfectly in conjunction with the rest software installed on the laptop when it first starts up. That's just in the process of using such a device, a list of programs available on it changes from time to time... Something is installed, something is removed, and something is updating... Updated and operating systemthat a priori shouldn't cause problems, but only to solve them. However, the more complex technologies become, the more difficult it is to improve them, without adding new problems... This is what I ran into. After the penultimate windows 10 updatesthat was somewhere in february-March, I have lost all Synaptics Touchpad settings, which were located in a specially designated mouse settings tab... They just were gone, and with it the touchpad itself stopped working correctly, ignoring all the parameters I entered earlier.

Unsuccessful solutions

First of all, of course, I tried to install the Synaptics Touchpad driverwhich was intended for my laptop, assuming it was just crashed when updating... But in vain! Installation didn't even start, since the system said that already a more recent driver has been installed and to continue the operation, you need to delete it through "Programs and Features"... But here's the catch - drivers was not on the list installed programs , which means there was nothing to delete.

Further I tried to find a solution on the internet, considering that he was not the only one faced with a problem. And so it happened. The problem arose many, but it all came down to the fact that Microsoft has nothing to do with and it is better to contact technical support laptop manufacturer... And the problem, by the way, arose with laptop owners completely different brands.

Typical Microsoft Support Response

There were also tips roll back the driver version to the previous one, which did not have this problem. And yes i tried to do it, only here another snag arose. When trying to roll back a driver, it was reset to the point that provided by Microsoft Corporationsuitable only for basic touchpad operation... And in theory, on top of it synaptics driver can already be installed any version you want, but it requires to restart a computer... And that was the end of it, because after the reboot, as active, the phantom driver was used again from Synaptics the most recent version.

Installing the May Windows 10 updates

Further, literally three days ago, Windows 10 received a new service packwhich I pinned great expectationsbecause I thought that she would correct the annoying mistake. But no, the system has been updated but the problem remains... And here I decided that it was worth come to grips with this issue, which, in fact, will be discussed further.

As it turned out everything is very easybut at the same time not so obviousas we would like. In general, in order to solve my problem with the loss of settings, I did the following:

Option "B"

If for some reason described above the way doesn't return the settings panel to you Synaptics Touchpadthen you can use the second option. However, have in stock, downloaded from the official website of the laptop manufacturer, driver is still necessary.

Further, if the driver is in the archive, then it should be unpack and in the resulting folder find the file - Setup.exe ... Run the file double click with the left mouse button and wait for the following dialog box to appear:

Now just install the driverlike any other program for operating system Windows... If you have any difficulties with this, then you can familiarize yourself with detailed instructions ... Now that driver installed, you can restart your device and customize your touchpad.

It is also worth mentioning that even a successful driver installation Synaptics Touchpadis an temporary solution, since after the next, some global updates Windows, the driver will removed from the systemso you have to re-install... But this already not a problem.

If the touchpad settings still don't appear ...

What if everyone drivers loaded, all instructions followed, all tips followedand the touchpad settings are still never appeared? On the one hand, you can get upset and take it for granted, but on the other hand, you can take matters into your own hands and do what the settings were supposed to do yourself of this pointing device.

So why do we need settings at all Synaptics Touchpad? After all, the main reason why we put them is auto off touchpad when connecting a full-fledged mouse, right? Right. So let's just achieve the desired result so that this functionality was present when there were no actual settings touchpad. For this we will use " Registry Editor", namely:

However, if your the mouse is not wired, that is, there is a chance that you will need to do more some actions:

After all the performed actions, the main function that the settings should have performed Synaptics Touchpad, will work successfully without them.

Final Words

As you can see nothing complicated about it, however, like any actions in Windows, the solution to the problem does not seem as obvious and understandable as we would like. Fortunately that microsoft understands this and with every update try make the system intuitive for users of any level of depth and awareness. However, not everything in this world depends only on one single corporation that creates its own operating system. for tens of thousands of devicescreated every day. Equally responsible for the correct work are personal computer manufacturerswho must support their devices by releasing actual updates and responding to user complaints. And if some have succeeded in this, then others let everything take its course and forget about their customers as soon as they replenish their budget by purchasing notoriously unpromising device... I would like to say that all this remains on their conscience, but unfortunately she doesn't have them... However, if you run into problems using your personal computerwhich the manufacturer does not want to decide, then you can write about them to me at corresponding page, and I will try to help you with them.

A properly configured touchpad on a laptop opens up the possibility of additional functionality, which can greatly simplify the work of the device. Most users prefer a mouse as a control device, but it may not be at hand. The capabilities of the modern TouchPad are very high, and they practically do not lag behind modern computer mice.

Setting up the touchpad

  1. Open the menu "Start" and go to "Control Panel".
  2. If the value in the upper right corner is "View: Category", change to View: Large Icons... This will allow us to quickly find the subsection we need.
  3. Go to subsection "Mouse".
  4. In the panel Properties: Mouse go to "Device parameters"... In this menu, you can set the ability to display the touchpad icon on the panel next to the time and date display.
  5. Go to "Parameters (S)", the touch hardware settings will open.
    Different laptops are equipped with touch devices of different developers, and therefore the functionality of the settings may differ. AT this example a notebook with a touchpad from Synaptics is presented. There is a fairly extensive list of configurable parameters here. Let's take a look at the most useful elements.
  6. Go to the section "Scrolling", here you can set the parameters for scrolling windows using the touchpad. Scrolling is possible either with 2 fingers in an arbitrary part of the touch device, or with 1 finger, but already on a specific part of the touchpad surface. There is an extremely entertaining meaning in the list of options "Scrolling ChiralMotion"... This functionality is extremely useful if you scroll through documents or sites containing a huge number of items. Scrolling the page occurs with one movement of the finger up or down, which ends in a circular motion counterclockwise or clockwise. This speeds up work qualitatively.
  7. Subset of custom elements "Scroll area" allows you to define scrolling areas with one finger. Narrowing or expanding occurs by dragging the boundaries of the parcels.
  8. A large number of touch devices use features called multitouch. It allows you to perform certain actions with several fingers at the same time. The greatest popularity in the use of multitouch has gained due to the ability to change the scale of the window with two fingers, moving them away or closer. You need to connect the parameter "Pinch zoom", and, if required, determine the zoom factors that are responsible for the speed of the window zoom in response to the movement of fingers in the zoom area.
  9. Tab "Sensitivity" is divided into two aspects: Palm Touch Control and Touch Sensitivity.

    By adjusting the sensitivity of unintentional palm touches, it becomes possible to block accidental clicks by touch device. It can be very helpful when writing a document on the keyboard.


    By adjusting the touch sensitivity, the user himself determines what degree of pressure with a finger will cause a reaction of the touch device.

  10. All settings are purely individual, so configure the touchpad so that it is convenient for you to use.

All laptops are equipped with a special touch panel - touchpad. It is a pointing device with which you can control all the processes in your computer. This device is an great alternative computer mousehowever, few people know that the touchpad requires customization for the individual user. How to set up a touchpad on a laptop? We will talk about this further.

In order to customize the touchpad, you first need to find its settings. Where are the touchpad settings - you ask? They are located in the control panel. As a rule, the Mouse item is responsible for them, while in Windows 8 you will only need to navigate to search querywhich can be called by clicking on the right top corner screen, the word "touchpad".

Configuring scroll options

Scrolling allows you to scroll through pages without touching the touchpad with both hands. How do I set up the touchpad for scrolling? First of all, you will need:

  • Open the touchpad properties page.
  • Find the heading "Scrolling".
  • Check the box next to "Scroll" with one finger or "Scroll with two fingers".

Left and Right Mouse Button Setting

In addition to the touch panel itself, there are buttons on it that serve the right and left clicks of the computer mouse. These devices are active by default on every laptop. But on the same property page of your touchpad, you can also customize each button to your liking.

  • To do this, in the properties of the touchpad, find the title: Buttons.
  • Select next item Left click action.
  • After that, select the action you need from the list presented.

Touchpad touch settings

Note that a single or double tap on the touchpad is considered equivalent to a single or double tap. double click buttons, for example, a computer mouse. However, in the same control window of your touch panel, you can customize the touch settings. How do I set up the touchpad to touch? Follow the instructions provided:

  • Find and click in the touchpad properties for the title: Touch.
  • Next, check the box (optional) for Touch and Drag or Touch Zones.

So, for example, you can use the Touch Zones option to assign each corner on your touchpad to a separate button. Thus, right and left button you may not need to.

Sensitivity settings

In addition to the settings for the functions of your touch panel, you can also customize its very sensitivity, which will be adjusted to your touch. This setting allows you to adjust the speed of response to your finger presses on your touchpad. This setting will be just right for those users who suffer from constant cursor jumping while typing or with another unwanted touch with a palm or finger. This phenomenon indicates that the sensitivity of your touch panel is too high and will need to be slightly reduced or, on the contrary, increased (depending on the problem).

  • To do this, in the properties of the touch panel, select the category Index and Sensitivity.
  • Next, find the item: touch sensitivity.

Move the slider to the desired side, while by default it should be in the middle.

Most laptops have a built-in touchpad that you can customize in Windows 10 to your liking. It is also possible to use a third-party device for gesture control.

Enabling the touchpad

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

Through the keyboard

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

Press on hotkeyto 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 enabling and disabling the touchpad. For example, Fn + F7, Fn + F9, Fn + F5, etc.

Hold down 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

Customize gestures and sensitivity

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


In-demand gestures

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

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

    Scroll up or down with two fingers

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

    Swipe left or right with two fingers

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

    Press with two fingers on the touchpad

  • call a menu with all running programs (analogue of Alt + Tab) - swipe up with three fingers;

    Swipe up with three fingers to open the application list

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

    Press with three fingers to invoke search

  • zooming in - slide two fingers in opposite or equal directions.

    Zoom through the touchpad

Solving touchpad problems

The touchpad may not work for the following reasons:

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

The first three points above can be corrected by yourself.

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.

Removing viruses

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

Reinstalling and updating drivers

Video: what to do if the touchpad doesn't work

What to do if all else fails

If none of the above methods helped to fix the problem with the touchpad, then two options remain: 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 convenient alternative to a mouse, especially when all possible quick control gestures have been explored. The touchpad can be enabled and disabled through the keyboard and system settings. If the touchpad stops working, remove viruses, check BIOS and drivers, reinstall the system, or have the laptop repaired.

Most laptops have a touchpad that, after installing a new operating system windows systems 10 requires customization. Therefore, if your touchpad does not work properly, is not sensitive enough or reacts poorly to gestures, you should use this instruction.

How do I enable and disable the touchpad?

Enabling and disabling the touchpad is done through the keyboard. For this, use the keys of the row "F ...". Therefore, you need to pay attention to the buttons "F1", "F2", "F3", etc. One of the keys will be labeled special character and will be responsible for enabling and disabling the touchpad.

IMPORTANT! In the manual that comes with the laptop, there is a section on shortcut keys.

Some laptop models have more than one button responsible for the touchpad. The key combinations in this case are as follows: "Fn + F7", "Fn + F9", "Fn + F5", etc.

You can also enable and disable the touchpad using a special sensor located on the touchpad itself. Often, you need to double-click on this "point" for the touchpad to stop functioning.

In the event that enabling and disabling the touchpad via key combinations does not work, then this function disabled in system settings. To fix this, you should do the following:

  • We select "Control Panel". We open the section "Mouse".

  • Go to the tab of the touchpad "Device Settings" or "Hardware". If the touchpad is turned off, you need to select it and click on the "Enable" button.

In case the touchpad still does not work, it is worth checking the settings in the BIOSe, updating or rolling back the drivers (possibly outdated or damaged by viruses). If these manipulations did not bring results, it is worth checking if the physical part of the touchpad is damaged. For this, the laptop should be entrusted to a specialist.

Adjusting touchpad sensitivity on a Windows 10 laptop

In order to adjust the sensitivity of the touchpad, open the mouse properties and go to the "Click Pad" tab. Next, click on the "Options" button.

The touchpad sensitivity control panel will open. You can use the slider to adjust the sensitivity, or click "Restore all settings to default."

What gestures work on the touchpad?

The touchpad basically acts as a mouse. If you are not using a USB device, you can customize your touchpad as follows:

  • Page scrolling. With two fingers simultaneously you need to make gestures up and down (depending on the direction of scrolling).

  • Move pages to the right and left - swipe in the desired direction with two fingers.

  • Calling the context menu (analogous to the right mouse button). You need to press with two fingers at the same time.

  • Calling a menu with all running programs (analogous to Alt + Tab) - swipe up with three fingers.

  • Closing running programs. The same gesture as above. You just need to swipe down with three fingers.
  • Minimize all windows. Swipe down with three fingers when windows are maximized.
  • Calling the system search bar or voice assistant. You must click with three fingers at the same time.

  • To zoom in, stretch your fingers from the center of the touchpad to the corners.

If all of these gestures don't work, it's worth checking the touchpad to make sure it works.