How to Reactivate a Toshiba Touchpad (16 Steps)
By Cee Jay
Toshiba laptops feature a "Disable/Enable" button conveniently located above the touchpad. Press it accidentally and your touchpad instantly stops working. Press the button again and the touchpad should be restored to functionality. If the touchpad does not respond, it is either disabled in the Device Manager or missing the required drivers.
Toshiba Assist Software
Step 1
Click "Start | All Programs | Toshiba | Utilities | Toshiba Assist."
Step 2
Select "Optimize" and click "Mouse."
Step 3
Click the "Hardware" tab and select your touchpad from the list of devices. If more than one device is listed, choose "PS/2 Compatible Mouse."
Step 4
Click "Properties" and then click the "Change Settings" button, if it is displayed in the window. You may be prompted to enter an administrator password.
Step 5
Select the "Driver" tab and click "Enable." Do not worry if the button is grayed out, which may be the case on some systems. Click "OK" twice and then click "Close" to exit.
Device Manager
Step 1
Click "Start," right-click "Computer" and select "Properties."
Step 2
Select the "Device Manager" link on the left side of the screen.
Step 3
Click to expand "Mouse and Other Pointing Devices."
Step 4
Right-click "PS/2 Compatible Mouse" and click "Properties."
Step 5
Click the "Driver" tab and choose "Enable."
Driver Installation
Step 1
Click "Start | All Programs | My Toshiba | Toshiba Application Installer." Click "Yes" and type the administrator password if prompted by User Account Control. Download the software installer from Toshiba.com if it is missing from your computer (link in Resources).
Step 2
Click "Install Applications and Drivers" if this option isn't already selected, and then click "Next."
Step 3
Scroll down and locate the touchpad driver. Depending on the model, it might be listed as "Synaptics Touch Pad Driver" or something similar.
Step 4
Click "Install" and "Start." Wait while the files are extracted to a temporary folder.
Step 5
Click "Next" and "I Accept This Agreement." Click "Next" again to install the drivers and touchpad software.
Step 6
Click "Finish" and "Restart Now" when prompted.
References
Tips
- The Assist software should have been pre-installed on your laptop. Download it from Toshiba or install it from the Application Installer if it is missing (link in Resources).
Warnings
- Do not tamper with the touchpad unless you have an alternative pointing device. Disabling the touchpad without a mouse leaves you with only the keyboard.
Writer Bio
Cee Jay began writing professionally in 2009 with work appearing on various websites. She has been repairing computers since 2000 and focuses on topics related to PC support/repair. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in computer science from Franklin University and also studied advanced language arts at the Center for Arts and Sciences.