ASUS is a multinational company that produces laptops, smartphones, Chromebooks, and other accessories. ASUS Chromebooks are known to be reliable, sturdy, durable most importantly, budget-friendly.
However, sometimes, your ASUS Chromebook may not function correctly because of hardware or software problems. In some cases, it’s a user-related fault.
If your ASUS Chromebook Touchpad is not working or is unresponsive, then this article is for you.
This article contains a comprehensive guide on the cause and proven troubleshooting tips to fix the touchpad problem.
ASUS Chromebook Touchpad Not Working: Causes And Fixes
It’s not easy to operate a Chromebook without a touchpad, especially where there’s no spare mouse. If you can’t use your ASUS Chromebook Touchpad, below are some possible causes of this problem:
- Touchpad is disabled
- Dirty touchpad
- Faulty touchpad settings
- Connected external devices
- Malicious software
ASUS Chromebook Touchpad Not Working: How To Fix
The above are possible reasons why your ASUS Chromebook Touchpad is malfunctioning. Move on to the following sections to get proven methods to fix your ASUS Chromebook touchpad.
1. Enable Your Touchpad
Your ASUS Chromebook has a simple function you can utilize to disable your touchpad. While operating your Chromebook, you might have inadvertently pressed these functions, making your touchpad not work. Simply re-enabling your Touchpad will make it work smoothly. You can enable your Touchpad with the keyboard as follows:
- Search for the Function key (Fn) on your keyboard
- Locate the touchpad icon. It’s usually an F6 or F7 key. You’ll see the touchpad logo on the key.
- Press the Fn key and the Touchpad icon simultaneously.
This should fix your touchpad, and it should be working correctly.
2. Press Esc key
Your touchpad might cease working because you’re opening a page that’s too heavy, thus making the Chromebook hang. Repeatedly pressing the Esc key will stop the page from loading and unfreeze your Chromebook.
So, keep pushing your Esc button to fix the problem. Moreover, most ASUS Chromebook users have reported that their touchpad problem gets resolved after pressing the Esc key more than five times.
3. Disconnect External Devices
Some external devices might be affecting the performance of your touchpad. Some come with bugs, errors, and outdated drivers and can indirectly affect your system performance. So, unplug all external devices such as mouse, headphones, dongles, USB drives e.t.c
However, if the problem persists, plug in only an external mouse. The possibility is low, but using a USB mouse for about 15 minutes could trigger the touchpad to start functioning again. If your USB mouse doesn’t work, you know the problem is much more severe.
4. Restart Your Chromebook
This method is a universal fix for most technological problems. Restarting your device fixes many persisting computer errors and problems and could fix the touchpad problem too. You can restart your ASUS Chromebook by pressing and holding the Power key on the keyboard.
Alternatively, you can press the Power key for a moment and click on Power off when it displays or use the Shutdown button in the Status Tray located at the bottom right corner of the screen.
5. Clean Your Touchpad
Your Chromebook Touchpad is prone to grease and dust. These particles could accumulate over time and affect the performance of your touchpad. Inspect your Chromebook touchpad for any specks of dirt or particles. If it needs cleaning, then gently clean the surface with a soft clean cloth.
You can also use compressed air to puff out dirt trapped under the touchpad. The goal is to ensure there’s no speck of dirt, oil, or particles left on or under the touchpad.
6. Perform A Drumroll
The problem could be that you’re not applying enough force on the pad, so the device isn’t catching adequate signals. Performing a Drumroll could snap your Chromebook touchpad and return its functionality.
A drum roll will also loosen specks of dirt and debris from the touchpad. So, drum your fingers on the touchpad for some time till it regains its functionality.
7. Change User Profile
It’s possible your touchpad problem is only limited to a profile, and it can work smoothly on other users’ profiles. You can switch between profiles if you have multiple users’ profiles or create a new one. You’ll need to sign out of the present user profile and select a new one.
Therefore:
- Press the time icon in the bottom-right corner of your Chromebook
- Press the “Sign out” button
- Click on Change profile and select a new profile
If the new profile works, you can delete the old one. However, ensure you backup your files before deleting the user profile.
8. Use The Guest Mode
If the above method doesn’t work, maybe the complication exists with all accounts. Fortunately, your Chromebook has the Guest Mode option that can make you escape this trouble.
This Guest Mode option can be enabled through the login screen display during the boot process. Alternatively, you can explore the opportunity through your keyboard. The steps below will explain how you can go about it.
- Press and hold the Power key on the Chromebook
- A pop-up will appear. Navigate with the arrow keys and click on “Sign out” by pressing the Enter button
- Use the Tab key to navigate the Guest Mode when the login screen appears.
- Press Enter key to enter the Guest Mode
Check if your touchpad can now work adequately. If it doesn’t, try the following tip provided below
9. Update Chrome OS
Bugs or outdated OS might affect your Chromebook functionality and spread to the touchpad. To fix this problem, you should consider updating your Chromebook OS to the latest version.
The updated OS will fix all bugs, glitches, and system incompatibility. You can try it and see if it can restore your touchpad functionality. Follow the steps below to update your Chromebook OS:
- Jump to the Settings menu on your Chromebook
- Locate the About Chrome OS option and select it
- Click on the “Check for Updates” button.
- Download and Install the latest version of update.
After installing the updates, restart your Chromebook so the changes will take effect. Check your touchpad and see if your Chromebook touchpad will work.
10. Hard Reset Your Chromebook
You should hard reset your Chromebook if the above tricks don’t work. A hard reset will reboot your Chromebook’s hardware, including the touchpad and keyboard. You can hard reset your Chromebook as follows:
- Press and hold the Refresh key on your Keyboard. It has an arrow pointing circle logo on the keyboard.
- Now swiftly tap the Power key
Alternatively, you can hard reset your chrome by pressing the power key for about 10 seconds, leaving it for some minutes, and switching it on again.
11. Visit A Professional
If the problem persists after trying all the methods above, perhaps your Chromebook touchpad is faulty. Seek the help of a technician for further diagnosis or repair.