How do I enable or disable the touchpad on my computer?
Many laptop users find themselves unintentionally brushing against the touchpad while typing, which can move the cursor or trigger unwanted clicks. If you are using an external mouse, disabling the built-in touchpad can eliminate this distraction entirely. Fortunately, most modern laptops offer a quick and easy way to disable the touchpad using keyboard shortcuts.
Depending on the age and model of your laptop, the exact key combination for disabling the touchpad will vary.
Note: Some models may have a dedicated button for disabling the touchpad located directly to the right of the touchpad. This is not a common configuration.
Newer Laptop Models: Just Press F10
On many recent laptop models, disabling the touchpad is as simple as pressing the F10 key. This key typically has a small touchpad icon with a diagonal line through it to indicate disabling as shown below.
- Locate the F10 key at the top of your keyboard.
- Simply press F10 once.
- You will see an on-screen indicator showing the touchpad is off.
- To re-enable it, just press F10 again.
Older Laptop Models: Use FN + Function Key
Older laptops often require using the Function (FN) key in combination with another function key (usually F2, F6 or F7) to disable the touchpad. You can see an example in the image below.
- Look for a key in the top row (usually F2, F6 or F7) with a touchpad icon on it.
- Hold down the FN key, usually located in the lower-left corner of the keyboard.
- While holding FN, press the key with the touchpad icon (F2, F6 or F7 depending on your model).
- To re-enable the touchpad, press the same key combination.
