Why Is My Keyboard Mouse Not Working On My Laptop? | Quick Fix Guide

Guide / By

Most laptop input failures come from drivers, settings, power glitches, or a frozen OS, so work through the checks below in order.

Your built-in keys or touchpad not responding can stop everything. The good news: in most cases a toggle was pressed, a driver crashed, a ribbon loosened, or the OS needs a clean start. This hands-on guide moves from quick wins to deeper fixes for Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS. You’ll find copy-ready commands, smart checks, and a simple path to decide when repair makes sense.

Quick Checks Before You Try Anything Heavy

Start with the basics. These take under two minutes and often bring the cursor and keys back.

  • Plug in power and give the laptop a minute. Low power can throttle devices and mute the pad.
  • Toggle the pad: Many laptops have a touchpad key (often F5–F9 with a small square icon). Tap it once. Some models need Fn + that key.
  • External gear test: Connect a basic USB mouse and keyboard. If they work, you’ve confirmed a built-in issue, not a full OS meltdown.
  • Restart from the OS menu if you can; if not, hold the power button for 10 seconds, then boot again.
  • Clean the surface: Wipe the touchpad and brush crumbs from keys. Tiny debris can block clicks and presses.

Windows: Fast Fixes That Solve Most Cases

Make Sure The Touchpad Is Enabled

Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad and switch Touchpad to On. If the panel is missing, the driver may be disabled or gone. If the pad wakes only while typing, check the palm-rejection and sensitivity sliders under the same panel.

Turn Off “Filter Keys,” “Sticky Keys,” And “Toggle Keys”

Open Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and switch off these features. Long-pressing the right Shift key can enable Filter Keys; disable that shortcut so it doesn’t flip back on by accident.

Reinstall Or Update The Driver

Open Device Manager (Win + X > Device Manager).

  1. Expand Mice and other pointing devices and Keyboards.
  2. Right-click your touchpad or HID keyboard entry > Uninstall device. If you see several, remove each vendor entry.
  3. Reboot. Windows loads a fresh driver on restart. If a device looks faded, click View > Show hidden devices and repeat.

Stop Power Saving From Parking USB Inputs

In Device Manager, expand Universal Serial Bus controllers. For each hub, open Properties > Power Management and clear “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.” Reboot and test again.

Run System File Repair

Corrupt system files can break input. Open an elevated Command Prompt and run the scan below. When the first command finishes, run the second, then reboot.

sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

The first command checks and repairs core files; the second repairs the Windows image if needed. You can read the official steps under “System File Checker.” System File Checker

Boot Clean To Rule Out Conflicts

A third-party service or driver can block input. Use a clean boot so only core services load. If the pad and keys work after that, re-enable services in small batches until the culprit shows up. Remove or update the bad tool.

Tablet Mode Or 2-In-1 Fold Mutes The Pad

Some convertibles mute touch input when folded. Unfold the screen fully, restart, and toggle tablet mode off. A few vendors bind a hotkey inside firmware that flips the pad; a restart resets it.

Mac Laptops: Practical Steps That Work

Check Accessibility Toggles

Open System Settings > Accessibility. In Keyboard, switch off Slow Keys. In Pointer Control, switch off Mouse Keys. These two features can make typing laggy and can redirect movement to keys. Apple’s help page outlines the paths and shortcut to toggle them quickly. Mac keyboard response guide

Power Cycle And Charge

Shut down, wait 30 seconds, then power on. Connect the charger and let it sit for a bit. If the trackpad still won’t move the pointer, a hidden low-battery alert can hold input until power is attached; charging clears it.

Reset Hardware Controllers (Model-Dependent)

For Intel models, reset the SMC and NVRAM/PRAM. For Apple silicon, a normal restart covers those layers. If input returns only in Safe Mode, strip recent login items, kexts, and helper tools until the fault vanishes.

Trackpad Settings Worth Checking

  • System Settings > Trackpad: turn on Tap to click if physical clicks feel stuck, and test.
  • Toggle Force Click and haptic feedback off and on, then reboot.
  • Remove cases or skins that press on the pad.

When Built-In Parts Need Service

Repeated missed presses, jumpy movement, or a pad that never clicks even after resets point to hardware: a loose ribbon, worn switch layer, or a swollen battery pushing on the pad. Back up and book a visit.

Chromebook: Fast Steps That Often Fix Touchpad And Keys

ChromeOS includes quick taps and resets that revive a stuck pad.

  1. Clean the pad with a soft cloth.
  2. Press Esc several times to stop a stuck process.
  3. “Drumroll” your fingers on the pad for ten seconds to free debris.
  4. Reboot. If no change, do a hard reset with Refresh + Power.

See the official touchpad page for the full list and model notes. Chromebook touchpad tips

Why Laptop Input Fails: The Real Causes

Once you know the usual triggers, you can pick the right move faster:

  • Accidental toggles: Touchpad hotkey, tablet mode, or an accessibility key combo.
  • Driver trouble: A bad update, a missing device entry, or an older vendor stack.
  • OS damage: Corrupt files that the sfc and DISM commands repair.
  • Power or firmware: SMC/NVRAM on older Macs; UEFI quirks on some PCs.
  • Hardware: Loose ribbon, liquid, worn switches, or a cracked pad.

Close Variant: Laptop Keyboard And Touchpad Not Responding — Fixes That Work

Here’s the condensed path from “dead input” to a working session.

Level 1: Quick Restores (1–5 Minutes)

  1. Toggle the touchpad key or the Fn combo your model uses.
  2. Plug in the charger and wait a minute.
  3. Reboot. If stuck, hold the power button for ten seconds.
  4. Try a wired USB mouse and a basic wired USB keyboard.

Level 2: Windows Fast Path

  1. Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad and turn it on.
  2. Open Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard. Switch off Filter/Sticky/Toggle Keys and disable the right-Shift shortcut.
  3. In Device Manager, uninstall the touchpad and HID keyboard; reboot to reload drivers.
  4. Run the two commands from the earlier block; reboot again.
  5. Kill USB power saving on hubs in Device Manager, then test.

Level 2: Mac Fast Path

  1. Open System Settings > Accessibility. Switch off Slow Keys and Mouse Keys.
  2. Restart. On Intel models, reset SMC and NVRAM. Charge for a while before testing.
  3. Boot in Safe Mode, test input, then remove recent login items or kexts that interfere.

Level 2: Chromebook Fast Path

  1. Clean the pad, press Esc a few times, then drumroll your fingers.
  2. Reboot. If no change, do a hard reset with Refresh + Power.

Level 3: BIOS/UEFI And Hardware Checks

Enter firmware setup (often F2, Del, or Esc). If a USB keyboard works there, ports and firmware read inputs fine. If the built-in pad and keys fail at that level too, plan on a ribbon or board repair.

When Nothing Works: A Safe Recovery Plan

If input fails across the board, you still have safe ways to move forward.

Windows: Recovery Moves

  • Use a spare keyboard to open the Windows Recovery menu and try Startup Repair.
  • Roll back the last driver or patch if the failure began right after an update.
  • Restore from a point where input worked, then add drivers and tools back slowly.

macOS: Recovery Moves

  • Boot to Recovery and run Disk Utility on the system volume.
  • Reinstall macOS over the top. Your files stay in place; drivers and caches refresh.

Care Tips So It Doesn’t Break Again

  • Keep crumbs and liquid away from the deck; use a soft brush for keys.
  • Skip heavy taps on the pad while the system wakes from sleep.
  • Install vendor drivers from the maker site or through Windows Update only.
  • Finish updates with a full restart, then one more reboot so firmware completes.

Symptoms To Match With Likely Fixes

The chart below pairs common signs with best first steps.

Symptom Likely Cause First Fix To Try
Cursor vanishes or won’t move Touchpad toggle, tablet mode, driver crash Enable the pad in Settings; press the pad hotkey; reboot
Keys lag or hold Slow/Filter Keys active Turn off these toggles in Accessibility
No pad section in Settings Driver missing Uninstall in Device Manager and reboot
Works in Safe Mode only Third-party service conflict Clean boot, then add services back in batches
Works on charger only Low power or SMC state Charge for a while; reset SMC on Intel Macs
Dead in firmware too Ribbon or board fault Back up and book service

Copy-Ready Commands And Shortcuts

Windows Input Repair

# Open admin Command Prompt, then run:
sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

# Open Device Manager quickly:
devmgmt.msc

# Open touchpad settings:
start ms-settings:devices-touchpad

macOS Quick Moves

# Open Accessibility Shortcuts
⌥ + ⌘ + F5

# Reset NVRAM on Intel Macs
⌥ + ⌘ + P + R  (hold on boot)

# Apple Diagnostics
D  (hold on boot)

Chromebook Hard Reset

# Most models:
Refresh  + Power

# Some tablets:
Volume Up + Power

When To Seek Repair

Liquid, dents near the pad, a jumpy cursor that ignores settings, or a keyboard that skips the same rows again and again all point to hardware. If the machine is under warranty or you have a store plan, stop DIY, back up your files, and book a visit.

What This Guide Used

The Windows scan commands match the official “System File Checker” page linked above. The ChromeOS tap and reset steps follow the official touchpad page linked above. Links open in a new tab.