Laptop Keyboard or Trackpad Suddenly Stopped Working? Don’t Panic!

It’s frustrating when your laptop trackpad or keyboard stops responding, especially when you’ve got work to finish. But here’s some good news — most of these issues aren’t permanent.

At Tech & Games Hartlepool, we often fix “dead” keyboards and trackpads the same day. The cause is usually a minor hardware or driver fault, not a total failure.

Let’s walk through what causes these issues and how to fix them safely.

Step 1: Restart & Check for Temporary Glitches

Sometimes, your laptop might just be stuck in a frozen state due to background driver conflicts or system load.

Try this first:

1. Shut down the laptop completely.
   
2. Disconnect the charger and any USB devices.
   
3. Hold down the power button for 10 seconds to drain residual power.
   
4. Restart the laptop.
   

If your keyboard or touchpad starts working again — great! If not, let’s dig deeper.

Step 2: Check for Disabled Keyboard or Trackpad

Sometimes, your trackpad is accidentally disabled via a function key.

• Look for the Fn key + a small trackpad symbol on your function row (F5, F7, or F9 depending on the brand).
  
• Press both keys together to re-enable the trackpad.
  

  Also, on Windows:

• Go to Settings → Bluetooth & Devices → Touchpad → make sure it’s toggled ON.
  

If you’re using an external keyboard or mouse, try unplugging them — some laptops auto-disable internal input when external devices are connected.

Step 3: Update or Reinstall Input Drivers

Outdated or corrupted drivers can make the keyboard or trackpad unresponsive.

To fix this:

1. Open Device Manager.
   
2. Expand Keyboards and Mice and other pointing devices.
   
3. Right-click each one → Update driver.
   
4. If that doesn’t help, choose Uninstall device, then restart your laptop to reinstall automatically.
   

At Tech & Games, we can run a complete driver clean-up and reinstall all input device drivers to eliminate software-level conflicts.

Step 4: Check for Partial Hardware Failure 

If only certain keys or gestures stop working (for example, the space bar or multi-touch scroll), it could be a partial hardware issue.

Common reasons:

• Liquid spill damage under the keyboard membrane
  
• Loose ribbon cable connecting the keyboard/trackpad to the motherboard
  
• Wear and tear on frequently used keys or pads
  

Our Hartlepool technicians can open the laptop safely, reseat or replace the flex cables, and test the circuit layer — no guesswork involved.

Step 5: When to Bring It to Tech & Games Hartlepool

If you’ve tried all the above steps and nothing works, your keyboard or trackpad may need replacement or repair at the component level.

At Tech & Games Hartlepool, we offer:
✅ Free diagnosis before repair
✅ Same-day service for most keyboard and trackpad replacements
✅ 6-month warranty on all parts and repairs
✅ Repairs for all brands — HP, Dell, Lenovo, Acer, Asus, Apple, and more

📍 Visit us at 119 York Rd, Hartlepool — our team will check whether it’s a cable issue, driver glitch, or full replacement needed, and get your laptop working again fast.

FAQs – Laptop Keyboard & Trackpad Not Working

Q1. Why did my laptop keyboard and trackpad stop working suddenly?
It’s often caused by software glitches, disabled input settings, or loose internal cables. Sometimes, dust or minor liquid damage can also cause this.

Q2. Can I fix a non-working laptop keyboard at home?
You can try restarting, checking function key settings, and updating drivers. If only some keys or gestures work, it’s best to bring it in — it could be a cable or circuit issue.

Q3. How much does laptop keyboard or trackpad repair cost in Hartlepool?
Repairs usually cost £45–£85, depending on the laptop model and whether parts need replacement. Diagnosis is always free at Tech & Games.

Q4. Do you offer same-day keyboard and trackpad repair?
Yes, for most common models we do. We keep replacement parts in stock and can often repair or replace input components the same day.

Q5. My trackpad moves the cursor randomly or freezes sometimes — is that normal?
That usually means the touchpad sensor is failing or has a grounding issue. We can test and recalibrate it in-store for a quick fix.