How-To

How to Disable the Touchpad on Windows 11

By Brian Burgess

Published November 13, 2023

Sometimes the touchpad gets in your way while trying to get things done on your laptop. But you can disable the touchpad on Windows 11.

Have you ever found the touchpad on your laptop to be in the way or a nuisance? In those situations, you can disable the touchpad on Windows 11.

For example, you might have a mouse connected to your laptop and find it annoying when the cursor flies across the screen when accidentally bumping the pad. Or, perhaps your laptop has a touchscreen that you use to navigate Windows.

Whatever the case, we’ll show you how to turn off the touchpad and prevent the annoyance in this guide.

How to Disable the Touchpad on Windows 11

There are a couple of different ways to do it. You can use a dedicated function key, system settings, or Device Manager to disable the touchpad on Windows 11. We’ll show you how to do it so you can use the best method for you.

Disable Windows 11 Touchpad from Settings

One of the most straightforward ways to disable the touchpad on Windows 11 is from Settings using the following steps.

1. Press the Windows key and select Settings from the Start menu. Alternatively, you can use the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut to open Settings directly.
2. Select Bluetooth & devices from the left column, scroll down the left column, and click the Touchpad dropdown.
3. Toggle off the Touchpad switch.
4. That’s it. Once the switch is turned off, the touchpad on your laptop will no longer work. The keyboard, external mouse, and touchscreen (if available) will continue to work as expected. If you want to reenable it, toggle the touchpad option to the on position.

Disable Touchpad on Windows 11 from Device Manager

Another way to disable the touchpad is by using Device Manager, a built-in Windows utility.

1. Press the Windows key, type Device Manager, and select the Device Manager option from the top results.
2. Expand the Mice and other pointing devices tree.
3. Right-click your touchpad and select the Disable Device option from the menu.
4. When the verification message appears, click the Yes button to confirm the change.

Once you follow the steps, the touchpad will be disabled, but you can continue to use the keyboard, external mouse, or touchscreen.

Disable the Touchpad When Connecting a Mouse Only

The steps above will disable the touchpad, but you might want to turn it off only when an external mouse is connected. The good news is that you can set Windows 11 to turn off the touchpad automatically when you connect a mouse.

To Disable the Touchpad when Connecting a Mouse

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings directly.
2. Select Bluetooth & devices from the left column and expand the dropdown next to the Touchpad toggle switch.
3. Uncheck the Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected box.

Moving forward, the touchpad will only be disabled when you attach an external mouse.

How Do I Enable My Touchpad Without a Mouse?

Whichever way you disable the touchpad, you might find yourself in a situation where the touchpad is turned off, but you don’t have a mouse to reenable it. You can get it done with the keyboard only using the following steps.

1. Press the Windows key to open the Start menu.
2. Type Turn the touchpad on or off in the search field and press Enter.
3. The touchpad toggle switch should be highlighted — press the Spacebar to toggle the touchpad on. Note that if the Touchpad toggle switch isn’t highlighted, you can press the Tab key until you reach it.

Disabling the Touchpad on Windows 11

You would want to turn off the touchpad on your Windows 11 laptop for several reasons. It mainly depends on what you’re trying to get done, and the touchpad can get in your way.

It can also be frustrating when you’re using an external mouse anyway. You don’t want the mouse pointer to fly across the screen, especially when trying to do graphic design or taking an accurate screenshot.

It’s also worth mentioning that you can use a keyboard shortcut to disable the touchpad on select laptops. Unfortunately, the option to do it varies wildly between devices. For instance, you can hit the Fn key with the corresponding key on the top row of the keyboard. If you’re unsure, check the device manual or the laptop’s support website.

Whatever the reason, you can quickly turn off the touchpad on your laptop running Windows 11 using the above steps. Not on Windows 11 yet? No worries. You can also disable the touchpad on Windows 10.