How to Enable or Disable Touchpad in Ubuntu Linux

Disabling your touchpad in Ubuntu Linux lets you turn off the built-in mouse on your laptop. A touchpad is the flat pad on your laptop that you move your finger on to control the cursor, just like a computer mouse.

You might want to turn it off if you prefer using an external mouse, or to stop it from accidentally activating while you type. Many laptops have a special keyboard shortcut for this. For example, pressing the Fn key plus F9 often works.

If your laptop doesn’t have a quick key, Ubuntu offers an easy way to disable the touchpad through its system settings. You can find this option under the “Mouse & Touchpad” menu.

How to turn off laptop touchpad when using Ubuntu Linux

Turning off your laptop’s touchpad in Ubuntu Linux is a process using the main System Settings. Open the Activities overview, type ‘Settings’, and select the application to find the touchpad options. This central spot in Ubuntu makes it possible to manage your computer’s features, including disabling the touchpad when you prefer using a mouse.

Ubuntu Linux has a centralized location for the majority of its settings. From system configurations to creating new users and updating, all can be managed from the System Settings panel.

To get to System Settings, open the Activities overview and start typing Settings.

Alternatively, click on the System menu at the top-right corner of the top bar on your desktop.

On the System menu, select Settings, as highlighted below.

In the Settings app, click on the Mouse & Touchpad tile.

You’ll see a switch for Touchpad. Slide it to On to enable it. To disable it, slide it back to Off.

Alternatively, you may install a third-party app called Touchpad Indicator that allows you to enable or disable the touchpad on your device.

Touchpad Indicator lets you disable the touchpad on demand and automatically disables the touchpad while typing and when a mouse is plugged in.

To install Touchpad Indicator, open a terminal and run these commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:atareao/atareao
sudo apt update
sudo apt install touchpad-indicator

Once installed, search for and open the app from the Activities overview, then click on the Top bar and select the app’s icon.

On the Actions tab, you can choose different settings to control the touchpad on your device.

That should do it! You can now close the Settings app.

Conclusion:

• Disabling or enabling the Touchpad on laptops running Ubuntu Linux is a straightforward process through the System Settings panel or using a third-party app like Touchpad Indicator.
• The Touchpad can be toggled on and off easily, allowing users to disable it when using an external mouse or to prevent accidental movements while typing.
• Users can choose between the System Settings method or 💿 installing the Touchpad Indicator app based on their preferences and specific needs.
• The step-by-step instructions and accompanying visual aids make it simple for users to follow along and successfully manage their Touchpad settings in Ubuntu Linux.