Disabling touchpad

[85_Ranger4x4]

Got a new laptop with Windows 10.

On my old Windows 7 machine it had a setting that if you connected a mouse it would automatically disable the touchpad. I can find no such setting on this thing and it drives me nuts.

Nearest I can find online is deleting the driver which KILLS the touchpad, I don't really want to do that, just turn it off when I am using a mouse.

 

[Denisefwd93]

Just plug and play for cordless mouse .. all i did here. touch pad still works.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I think what he wants is to disable the touchpad while the external mouse is connected because his thumb/s are hitting it causing unintended "clicks". This is the same on my laptop and I've learned to keep my thumbs curled up out of the way. But I do the hunt and peck method of keyboard input. If anyone has a suggestion I'm subscribed.

 

[RonD]

Windows 8 and 10 don't have the "disable touchpad" when USB mouse is used

You don't have to KILL touchpad or remove driver.
You do need to manually disable and enable it though

You need to go into Device Manager> human interface> touchscreen(HID) right click and Disable
Click YES (I want to disable)
Repeat to Enable

Nothing is lost or deleted, just disabled and enabled

I image someone will make an app for this at some point

And you can create a short cut on desktop screen to Device manager, saving a couple of "clicks", lol
Google: windows 10 shortcut to device manager

 

[sblake01]

I've never tried it but there is a program called touchpad blocker.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Downloaded TouchpadBlocker from MajorGeeks. It seems like what I was looking for.
Thanks.

 

[Mark_88]

LOL...I had the same problem with my Macbook Pro...fixed it by bying a small wireless keyboard and placing it on the laptop over the touchpad...doesn't bother me at all now...

The Logitech K400r model fits perfectly and also has it's own touchpad that works if I want to use it...but I also have a wifi mouse and all three work on those short wifi USB connectors...the keyboards and mice now all come with them instead of those corded USB wifi receivers.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Might try it.

Here at work my laptop sits on a higher than normal desk so my palms hit it.

Playing World of Warships on fiance's laptop at night sitting on the couch it does it too as I control the game. Except then they count as a mouseclick which fires the guns. Sucks to wait 30sec for a reload and then waste it.

 

[Mark_88]

I got tired of trying to type something and realizing that touching the touchpad caused the cursor to jump to a different place and I'd be typing over previously typed words. Problem is the keyboards are flat and no real place to keep my thumbs without hitting the pad.

I guess if I'd been introduced to laptops earlier I would have adapted my hand positions and been more nimble...hard to be nimble on a laptop when your hands are larger than who they were designed for...