Disabling or enabling the touchpad on a Dell notebook

This article provides information on the options to disable or enable the touchpad.

Note: Some Dell Inspiron and XPS notebooks sold in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 have a hot key (keys that provide an action for you) that disables or enables the touchpad. This is a physical key on the keyboard. To see if your Inspiron or XPS notebook sold in that time frame has a hot key, please refer to the Hot Key section below.

Depending on the manufacture and software version of the drivers and software for your touchpad, an option to disable or enable the touchpad may be available.

From the list of operating systems shown below, locate the one installed on your computer and follow the instructions.

Note: Make sure the latest driver for the touchpad is installed (you may need to use an external USB or Bluetooth mouse). For more information, refer to:
How to Use the Drivers and Downloads Website

The touchpad drivers are located in the Mouse, Keyboard and Input Devices section. If there are no touchpad drivers listed, then no Dell drivers are available for the touchpad.

Windows 8 is installed:
1. Move the mouse cursor to the upper right corner of the screen until the Charms Bar appears.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select Change PC settings.
4. Under PC settings, select PC and devices.
5. Select Mouse and touchpad.
6. Locate the Touchpad On/Off toggle switch to disable or enable the touchpad.
  Note: If you cannot find an Touchpad On/Off toggle option, the touchpad manufacture and software does not support this feature.

Windows 7 is installed:
1. Click Start.
2. Clink Control Panel.
3. Click Hardware and Sound.
4. Click Mouse.
5. Click the Dell Touchpad tab.
6. Click the link, Click to change Dell Touchpad settings.
7. Locate the Touchpad On/Off option to disable or enable the touchpad.
  Note: Depending on the touchpad software version, the on/off option may be located in the Device Select section; it may be necessary to look in all the sections. If you cannot find a Touchpad On/Off option, the touchpad manufacture and software does not support this feature.

Windows Vista is installed:
1. Click Start.
2. Clink Control Panel.
3. Click Mouse.
4. Click the Dell Touchpad tab.
5. Click the link, Click to change Dell Touchpad settings.
6. Locate the Touchpad On/Off option to disable or enable the touchpad.
  Note: Depending on the Touchpad software version, the on/off option may be located in the Device Select section, it may be necessary to look in all the sections. If you cannot find an Touchpad On/Off option, the touchpad manufacture and software does not support this feature.

Windows XP is installed:
1. Click Start.
2. Clink Control Panel.
3. Click Printers and Other Hardware.
4. Click Mouse.
5. Click the Dell Touchpad tab.
6. Click the link, Click to change Dell Touchpad settings.
7. Locate the Touchpad On/Off option to disable or enable the touchpad.
  Note: Depending on the touchpad software version, the on/off option may be located in the Device Select section; it may be necessary to look in all the sections. If you cannot find a Touchpad On/Off option, the touchpad manufacture and software does not support this feature.

Hot Key

On Some Dell Inspiron and XPS notebooks, there may be one of three hot keys that disable or enable the touchpad. Compare the keys shown in Table 1 to your keyboard to determine if your computer supports that feature and which key strokes your computer uses to disable or enable the touchpad. (For a specific list of computers that support this feature and which key stokes to use, refer to Table 2.)

Note: Make sure the latest driver for the touchpad is installed; the Disable/Enable Touchpad key needs the touchpad driver for it to be functional. (You may need to use an external USB or Bluetooth mouse.) For more information, refer to:
How to Use the Drivers and Downloads Website

The touchpad drivers are located in the Mouse, Keyboard and Input Devices section.

Keyboard Key	Action
	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
	Press the F6 key.
	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key. (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)

Table 1: Types of Touchpad Hot Keys

Computer	Key(s)	Action
Inspiron 3521	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron 3421	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron 11z	F6	Press the F6 key.
Inspiron 1120	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key. (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron 1121	F6	Press the F6 key.
Inspiron 1122	F6	Press the F6 key.
Inspiron 1464	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron 1564	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key. (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron 1764	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron 3420	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron 3520	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron 5323	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron 5420	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron 5423	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron 5425	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron 5520	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron 5525	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron 5720	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron 7420	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron 7520	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron 7720	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron M101z	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron M102z	F6	Press the < F6 > key.
Inspiron M301Z	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron M4010	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron M4040	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron M4110	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron M411R	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron M501R	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron M5030	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron M5040	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron N3010	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron N311Z	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron N4010	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron N4020	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron N4030	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron N4050	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron N411z	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron N4110	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron N4120	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron N5010	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron N5030	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron N5040	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron N5050	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron N5110	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
Inspiron N7010	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
Inspiron N7110	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
XPS L401X	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
XPS L501X	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
XPS L502X	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.
XPS L701X	Key to the right of the F12 key	Press the Touchpad Disable/Enable key, (The key is located to the right of the F12 key.)
XPS L702X	Fn + F3	Press and hold the Fn key, then press the F3 key.

Table 2: Computer Touchpad Hot Keys

Article ID: SLN114937

Last Date Modified: 05/26/2015 11:50 AM

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Disabling or enabling the touchpad on a Dell notebook

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