How to Adjust the Sensitivity of Touchpad on Laptop?

How to Adjust Sensitivity of Touchpad on Laptop?

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How to Adjust the Sensitivity of Touchpad on Laptop?

A touchpad is a touch-sensitive device placed at the middle-bottom of a Laptop Computer. Its functionality is similar to that of a regular mouse and is a flat rectangular shaped pad with usually two buttons, and in some newer version, button-less.

In this article, our editors have explained in detail about the adjustment of the sensitivity of touchpad on a laptop. The touchpad is used by dragging fingers onto the pad, which on the screen, drags the cursor. But the issue arises when the cursor does not move the speed you want it to.

Why do we need to adjust the sensitivity of touchpad on a Laptop?

As a matter of fact, every task requires different types of sensitivity. Slow sensitivity leads to slower momentum of the tasks while high sensitivity is subject to rapid tasks.

Sometimes, we need the cursor to move rapidly especially, during online gaming. While sometimes, we need it to slow it down.

How to Adjust Sensitivity of Touchpad on Laptop?

So by following these easy steps, you can adjust the sensitivity of the touchpad.

The methods for adjusting the sensitivity may vary. So we explain with the 3 most popular versions of Windows

  • How to Adjust touchpad sensitivity in Windows 10?
  • How to Adjust touchpad sensitivity in Windows 8?
  • How to adjust touchpad sensitivity in Windows 7?

Let me start by explaining the adjustment of the sensitivity of touchpad in windows 10.

Adjust Sensitivity of Touchpad on Laptop in Windows 10

Windows 10 is the latest version of Windows with top-notch features.

First of all, you will have to go to the

Start Button

  • Click the “Windows Icon” present at the Left bottom corner of the screen.

Settings

  • Click on the “Settings” icon. This icon would appear on the top of the “Power” icon.

Devices

  • After opening the settings, an option named as “Devices’ would appear in the middle of your screen. Click onto it.

Touchpad

  • Tapping into the “Devices”, you would have a series of options present at the left corner of the screen. Here, you can see a list of pointing devices.
  • Select “Touchpad” from these options.

Sensitivity

Now there will be 4 options :

  • Most sensitive
  • High sensitivity
  • Medium sensitivity
  • Low sensitivity

Most Sensitive:

In this option, there will be no delay upon clicking. If you click on anything onto the screen, it will open directly.

High Sensitivity:

In this option, there will be a relatively small delay when clicking on a certain option.

Medium Sensitivity:

In this option, there will be a slightly longer delay when clicking on a certain option. Windows has set “Medium Sensitivity” by default for all computers.

Low Sensitivity:

In this option, there will be a big delay when you will click upon an option.

Select

  • Select the desired option you want to choose.
  • You can also check which option to go for according to your needs.

High Sensitivity vs Low Sensitivity

Higher Sensitivity

Higher sensitivity is preferred in the places where rapid cursor movements are required with lesser delays.

For example, during online gaming like PUBG, CSGO we have to swiftly change from one target to the other and a high sensitive cursor would be a blessing in that scenario. I love to play live streaming games on my laptop.

As a writer, I would personally prefer it because I have to jump from word to word and I can’t wait for an eternity to drag the cursor up to Mordor.

Though these rapid gestures may seem easy and flowing lack of movements of the arm and keeping it in the same position may cause stiffness and pain.

Lower Sensitivity

A lower sensitive touchpad will make the pointer speed slower and one would have to drag your finger a great amount of deal on the touchpad. You should fix your cursor from jumping.

A lower sensitive touchpad is basically preferred when your computer’s screen is not big enough and a fast pointer would fly from one place to another like Flash.

This turtle dragging would cause immense pain in the wrist and shoulder area afterward.

Additional Settings

You can also do further configurations in the “Additional Settings”. The Mouse Properties Dialog box will open. There you will see the following options.

  1. Buttons
  2. Pointers
  • Pointer options
  1. Wheel
  2. Hardware

Buttons:

In this option, you will see

  • Button Configuration
  • Double-Click speed
  • Click Lock

Button Configuration:

  • In this option, you will be able to configure either which button to be set as the primary button or which to choose as secondary.

Double Click Speed:

  • It adjusts the speed of double click i.e. when you double click a folder how fastly does it open. You can slow it by dragging left and fasten it by dragging right.

Click Lock:

  • It simply enables one to drag the mouse without long pressing the click button.

Pointers:

  • This option allows you to change the pointer style or modify it.

Pointer Options:

In this option, you will see:

  • Motion
  • Snap to
  • Visibility

Motion:

  • Let the user adjust the pointer speed
  • Left for slower, right for faster speed.

Snap to:

  • It lets the cursor to move directly to the default dialog box.
  • It leads the cursor to the decision making section e.g Yes, No or Cancel.

Visibility:

  • It contains “Pointer Trails”. This feature just adds trails to the pointer(like a Ghost)
  • It also has the option to hide the cursor arrow while typing something on the screen.
  • Contains the option to show the cursor whenever someone presses “CTRL” key.

Wheel:

  • Let’s you skip the number of lines per scroll (if you are using a mouse)

Hardware:

  • Shows the device status, manufacturer and other properties.

How to adjust the touchpad sensitivity on Windows 8?

Well, here is how you can adjust the touchpad sensitivity in Windows 8

  • Drag your cursor to the rightmost side of the screen. It will show you options.
  • Select the “Search” icon.
  • Type “Mouse”
  • The “Mouse and Touchpad” settings options will appear. Click on the option and it will take you to the settings.
  • Rest of the procedure is the same as Windows 10.

How to adjust the touchpad sensitivity on Windows 7?

Windows 7’s layout is quite different from that of Windows 8 and 10.

Follow this easy procedure and you will be able to adjust the touchpad according to your own will:

  • Go to “Control Panel”
  • Search for the “Touchpad/Mouse” setting.
  • Adjust the settings by your will.

Alternative method

There is an alternative method to configure the touchpad’s sensitivity:

  • Access the “Run” option.
  • Type “regedit” and press “Enter”
  • The “Registry Editor” will be accessed.
  • Form a path in the editor.
  • Type Computer/User/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/PrecisionTouchpad.
  • Some options will appear. Select AAP Threshold.
  • Now you will be able to adjust it with the rate you wish to go for.
  • After choosing, shut the program and restart your computer so that the settings could be saved.

Normal Touchpad vs Precision Touchpad

Normal Touchpad:

This type of touchpad is normally present in most laptops. Its functionality is similar to that of a Mouse. Its input will be recognized to that of a regular mouse.

However, there might be some gestures on the touchpad according to the pre-defined definitions by the driver/software.

Precision Touchpad:

This type of touchpad of introduced by Windows with the collaboration of Synaptic software. It’s a new generation touchpad.

Its input would be recognized as a touchpad input with a set of advanced gestures. Unless the traditional touchpad, the precision pad gestures are updated by the Windows from time to time.

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