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Ubuntu

How to troubleshoot a trackpad/touchpad?

Will

2/8/23, 9:10 PM

Note:

This is an attempt to create a canonical question that covers all instances of "not-working trackpad" issues.

If you are experiencing a not-working touchpad, but none of the following answers work for you, please do ask a new question and then update the answers for this canonical question when your new question gets answered.

What’s the best way to troubleshoot a non-functional trackpad?

I ask this because almost every day someone asks about a touchpad that isn't working ... I think it would really help if Ask Ubuntu had a systematic generic strategy for how to troubleshoot not-working trackpads.

Ideally, the answer will cover simple things to try first (e.g., keyboard function keys, settings menu) and go on to increasingly advanced methods – ending with what information to post on this site to help people trying to answer if it's unsuccessful.

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touchpad

troubleshooting

Will

2/8/23, 9:10 PM

I know this will be too broad a question for some and if it’s closed that’s fine … personally I think it would be useful to have a really good guide for people to follow.

cocomac

2/8/23, 9:19 PM

Perhaps it is too broad. But I personally think this would be a great [Canonical Question](https://meta.askubuntu.com/q/3053/1438484).

cocomac

2/9/23, 5:04 AM

If nobody answers this, I might put a bounty on it I a day or two, to help the question get some possible solutions

Will

2/9/23, 6:44 AM

@cocomac - thanks - I was thinking the same - I’ll do that in a couple of days.

j0h

2/13/23, 3:51 AM

in the command line type `xev` then use the trackpad, see if there is any response. it might be worth looking at `cat /proc/bus/input/devices` to get the device name, then parse dmesg for that name to see if it initializes with errors or something.

xiota

2/16/23, 6:25 AM

The touchpad has always "worked" on every computer I've used. The problem is occasional annoying glitches. Sometimes it's hopeless... [Elantech touchpad does not work (i2c-hid)](https://askubuntu.com/q/1033033/567307).

Score:-3

Ubuntu

Erniemenendez

2/13/23, 2:47 AM

WELL...... The easiest way is having kde installed, so you can check your touchpad/trackpad settings first, just like any other operative system. If everything looks ok thru your settings, then open the terminal and start with; lsusb, and get all info related to your device dmesg, same here, get all info related xinput list (find the device and get its id number

THEN you test it;

xinput test your welcome.

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Someone

2/14/23, 8:20 AM

You may [edit] and organise your answer.

svin83

2/14/23, 8:59 AM

Installing an entire desktop environment just to troubleshoot an input device could introduce a whole bunch of new issues for inexperienced users. I wouldn't recommend it.

Erniemenendez

2/16/23, 4:47 AM

I don't care if you don't like my answer, but adding 3rd party apps to your desktop environment is counterproductive. and if your devices are toasted, why not just buy a new computer?

Will

2/16/23, 7:22 AM

‘Why not just buy a new computer?’ - seriously? - for a trackpad that’s stopped working, without attempting a fix? Agreed you shouldn’t care much if we don’t like your answer, but we’re trying to produce something useful for people in difficulty - suggesting you buy a new computer for something that might be a simple fix is pure nihilism. Not everyone wants to create unnecessary e-waste, and many people won’t have the resources. Those that can afford a new computer every time something stops working might still prefer to spend their money on something else, or do something useful with it.

Erniemenendez

2/17/23, 4:33 AM

Installing a new desktop environment would be WAY Better than buying a new computer.... RIGHT? This is not about being able to afford a computer, this is about unwillingness! I suggested to use KDE because of its simplicity and ALL the congif settings available right out the box! so which one is it????

Will

2/17/23, 7:13 AM

@Erniemenendez - I don’t think it’s an unreasonable suggestion - but there are probably things to try first. So if it’s just that the trackpad has been disabled in settings, that’s the thing to try. I don’t have any issues with your proposed answer, but it’s certainly not the easiest / initial way I’d recommend to solve all issues.

Erniemenendez

2/24/23, 10:24 PM

Will, thank you for seeing my answer the way I wrote it! Everyone else took it the wrong way. My problem with anything other than KDE is that you have to rely on tweaks and 3rd party apps to achieve a simple task.