Here are the most common reasons a Dell laptop touchpad (mousepad) may stop working intermittently:

? 1. Driver Issues

  • Outdated, corrupted, or incompatible touchpad drivers can cause erratic behavior.

  • Fix:

    • Go to Device Manager → Mice and other pointing devices

    • Right-click the touchpad driver and choose Update

    • Or download the latest driver from Dell Support

? 2. Touchpad Disabled via Function Key

  • Accidentally pressing Fn + F3/F5/F7 (varies by model) can disable the touchpad.

  • Fix: Press the corresponding function key again to re-enable.

? 3. External Mouse Conflicts

  • Some Dell systems auto-disable the touchpad when an external mouse is plugged in.

  • Fix:

    • Go to Settings → Devices → Touchpad

    • Ensure the setting “Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected” is enabled.

? 4. Power Management Settings

  • Windows may power down the touchpad device to save energy.

  • Fix:

    • Open Device Manager, right-click the touchpad, choose Properties

    • Go to the Power Management tab and uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”

? 5. Physical Issues or Dirt

  • Dirt, oils, or slight hardware faults can cause the touchpad to behave inconsistently.

  • Fix:

    • Gently clean the touchpad with a microfiber cloth.

    • Test using Dell SupportAssist hardware diagnostics.

? 6. OS or Firmware Bugs

  • Windows updates or Dell BIOS updates may temporarily disrupt touchpad functionality.

  • Fix:

    • Run Windows Update and Dell Command Update

    • Check BIOS settings to ensure touchpad is enabled