Touchpad is often utilized to replace built-in keyboard mouse on laptops when you need to move frequently or don't have a mouse to use. Nowadays, Touchpads integrated into laptops are more than just substitutes for mice, with various features developed. For instance, with current Asus laptops, if you disable the Touchpad and only use a mouse, you might miss out on one of the most attractive features of this laptop. When you activate Touchpad on a laptop, there are numerous support modes, even complex operations that require both mouse and keyboard.
Returning to the topic of the article, in some unfortunate cases where you can only use the Touchpad without a computer mouse. So what would you do to enable Touchpad on your laptop? The following guide will provide you with methods to open Touchpad on Laptop applicable to commonly used laptops today.
Various Methods to Activate Touchpad on Laptop
Method 1: Using Shortcut Keys on Laptop
Most laptops come with an additional row of shortcut keys according to each manufacturer's standard, activated by the 'FN' key. To utilize these keys, users need to hold the FN key and press the function keys F1, F2, F3, F4... F12, including the Touchpad. Depending on the laptop model, the Touchpad key may be located in different positions.
A common feature of Touchpads on laptops is that these shortcut keys all have a Touchpad icon as a character. Additionally, users can try the Touchpad on keys with similar icons without worrying about causing any harm to the laptop.
For instance, on newer Asus laptops, the Touchpad is designated to the F9 key. To toggle the Touchpad on or off on Asus laptops, simply press the 'FN + F9' key combination.
Method 2: Enable Touchpad on laptop by drawing a spiral.
On certain laptop models, users can activate the Touchpad by drawing a spiral on the Touchpad within 5 seconds. However, this method only applies to specific laptop brands like Dell, and doesn't work on laptops from brands such as Asus or Acer.
Method 3: Enable automatic Touchpad activation on laptop
As mentioned earlier, laptop manufacturers focus on developing Touchpad applications, with Asus being a prime example with the dedicated Asus Start Gesture software for Touchpad. Naturally, it's advisable to set this up right after installing your system to ensure Touchpad functionality in the absence of a mouse.
Step 1: Very simple, if you have installed all laptop drivers and can use the laptop Touchpad, there will be a Touchpad icon on the Taskbar, you can double-click it to open it.
Step 2: For example, with the Asus laptop Touchpad mentioned in the article, in the Asus Start Gesture software, there is a function in the Mouse Detection section called Disable touchpad when mouse is plugged-in. This means the system will automatically enable the Touchpad on the laptop when the computer mouse is disconnected or unavailable.
Method 4: Use Smartphone as a touchpad
Here's an ingenious solution to make mouse usage easier in case you can't enable the Touchpad on your laptop. Utilize the Intel Remote Keyboard software, a product designed exclusively for Windows and compatible with iPhone and Android phones. Readers can download Intel Remote Keyboard right here. If you're unsure how to use this software specifically, refer to our guide on Intel Remote Keyboard, Turning your phone into a computer keyboard. Here, Intel Remote Keyboard serves as both a keyboard and a mouse.
With the 4 methods provided, you can easily enable Touchpad on your laptop, eliminating worries in case of no mouse usage or if the touchpad becomes ineffective due to system errors or software issues. Additionally, some Lenovo laptop models are prone to Touchpad malfunctions. If you're using one of these models and experiencing Touchpad issues, our guide on fixing Lenovo Touchpad not working is worth checking out.