Is your Dell XPS 13 touchpad not working? Learn how to troubleshoot and fix this issue with our easy-to-follow guide. Regain control of your laptop’s touchpad!
The Dell XPS 13 is a sleek and powerful laptop, but like any piece of technology, it can encounter issues. One common problem that users face is the touchpad not working properly. This can be frustrating, especially if you rely on the touchpad for navigating your laptop. In this guide, we’ll walk you through several methods to fix your Dell XPS 13 touchpad issues. These steps are easy to follow and should help you get your touchpad back to working condition in no time.
Check for Physical Damage
The first step is to check for any physical damage to the touchpad. Look for any signs of wear and tear, cracks, or visible damage that could be affecting its functionality. If you find any physical damage, it might be best to contact Dell support or take your laptop to a professional for repair.
Restart Your Laptop
Sometimes, a simple restart can fix touchpad issues. Restarting your laptop can refresh the system and resolve minor glitches. To restart your Dell XPS 13:
- Click on the Start menu.
- Select the Power button.
- Click on Restart.
Once your laptop has restarted, check if the touchpad is working.
Enable the Touchpad
It’s possible that the touchpad has been accidentally disabled. To check and enable the touchpad:
- Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
- Go to Devices.
- Select Touchpad from the left-hand menu.
- Make sure the toggle switch is set to On.
Update or Reinstall Touchpad Drivers
Outdated or corrupted drivers can cause touchpad issues. Updating or reinstalling the touchpad drivers can help resolve these problems.
Update Drivers
- Press the Windows key + X and select Device Manager.
- Expand the Mouse and other pointing devices section.
- Right-click on your touchpad device and select Update driver.
- Choose Search automatically for updated driver software.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update.
Reinstall Drivers
- Press the Windows key + X and select Device Manager.
- Expand the Mouse and other pointing devices section.
- Right-click on your touchpad device and select Uninstall device.
- Restart your laptop, and Windows will automatically reinstall the touchpad driver.
Check Touchpad Settings in BIOS
The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) settings can sometimes affect the touchpad’s functionality. To check the touchpad settings in the BIOS:
- Restart your laptop.
- Press the F2 key repeatedly as your laptop boots to enter the BIOS setup.
- Navigate to the Advanced tab using the arrow keys.
- Look for a setting related to the touchpad (it might be listed as Internal Pointing Device or something similar).
- Make sure it is enabled.
- Save your changes and exit the BIOS.
After making these changes, check if the touchpad is working.
Run Windows Troubleshooter
Windows has a built-in troubleshooter that can help diagnose and fix touchpad issues. To run the troubleshooter:
- Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
- Go to Update & Security.
- Select Troubleshoot from the left-hand menu.
- Click on Additional troubleshooters.
- Select Hardware and Devices and click on Run the troubleshooter.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the troubleshooting process.
Check for Windows Updates
Sometimes, a Windows update can fix touchpad issues by addressing bugs or updating drivers. To check for updates:
- Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
- Go to Update & Security.
- Click on Check for updates.
- If updates are available, download and install them.
Restart your laptop after the updates are installed and check if the touchpad is working.
Perform a System Restore
If your touchpad was working previously, but stopped after a recent change, performing a system restore might help. This will revert your laptop to a previous state before the issue occurred.
- Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type rstrui and press Enter.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to choose a restore point and restore your system.
After the system restore is complete, check if the touchpad is working.
Check for Software Conflicts
Sometimes, third-party software can conflict with the touchpad driver. Try booting your laptop in Safe Mode to see if the touchpad works. If it does, then a third-party application might be causing the issue.
- Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type msconfig and press Enter.
- Go to the Boot tab.
- Check the box next to Safe boot and select Minimal.
- Click Apply and OK, then restart your laptop.
If the touchpad works in Safe Mode, try uninstalling recent software installations or updates to see if that resolves the issue.
Reset Your Laptop
If all else fails, you can reset your laptop to its factory settings. This will remove all your personal files, so make sure to back up important data before proceeding.
- Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
- Go to Update & Security.
- Select Recovery from the left-hand menu.
- Under Reset this PC, click on Get started.
- Choose Remove everything and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset.
After the reset, set up your laptop and check if the touchpad is working.
Contact Dell Support
If you’ve tried all the above methods and your touchpad is still not working, it might be time to contact Dell support. They can provide further assistance and help you determine if there is a hardware issue that needs to be addressed.
