For a Lenovo laptop whose touchpad or keyboard stops responding, Microsoft's touchpad guidance says a touchpad that is not working may be a missing or out-of-date driver and recommends updating through Windows Update, and its keyboard guidance says to check connections and power for external devices and to unplug USB cables and wait for the driver to unload before reconnecting. Lenovo has separate touchpad articles for ThinkPad and IdeaPad. On a ThinkPad, a pointer that drifts by itself is usually the red TrackPoint nub: it recalibrates if you lift your finger, so drift is not always a fault. On a Yoga 9i 2-in-1, folding the screen back past the keyboard switches to tablet mode and disables the keyboard and trackpad by design.
Differential
Likely causes of “Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 keyboard or trackpad is not working correctly”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The touchpad is switched off
What separates it The pointer does not move but the keyboard works
How to confirm Toggle the touchpad with its function key or in Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Touchpad
- 2
A missing or out-of-date driver
What separates it Gestures fail or the touchpad settings vanish from Windows while the pointer still moves
How to confirm Microsoft says update the driver, best through Windows Update
- 3
TrackPoint drift
What separates it The pointer moves on its own on a ThinkPad
How to confirm Lift your finger off the red nub so it recalibrates; drift is normal, not a fault
- 4
Tablet mode on a convertible
What separates it The keyboard and trackpad stop when the Yoga 9i is folded back
How to confirm Fold it back to laptop mode; tablet mode disables them by design
- 5
A hardware fault or liquid damage
What separates it Rows of keys or the trackpad click stop working together and nothing on the keyboard responds
How to confirm Test an external keyboard and mouse; if they work, the built-in device needs service
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which keys or touchpad actions fail and whether an external keyboard and mouse work
- Whether the laptop was wet, dropped or recently updated, and whether it is in tablet mode
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the touchpad is on
ReversibleUse the function key that toggles the touchpad and check Settings, Bluetooth and devices, Touchpad, to make sure it is enabled.
Check the mode
ReversibleCheck the mode, and on a Yoga, fold it back to laptop mode before testing the keyboard.
Update Windows and the driver
ReversibleUpdate Windows and the driver, since Windows Update is Microsoft's recommended route, and Lenovo Vantage also supplies the driver.
Try the TrackPoint
ReversibleTry the TrackPoint, and on a ThinkPad, lift your finger off the nub and test again.
Test external devices
ReversibleConnect a USB keyboard and mouse to isolate the fault; if they work, the built-in keyboard or touchpad hardware is the likely cause.
Restart
ReversibleRestart and test again before touching the touchpad, with clean and dry fingers, since a stuck state often clears itself.
Run Lenovo diagnostics
ReversibleRun Lenovo diagnostics, by running the keyboard and touchpad tests in Lenovo Vantage, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Input by line
- ThinkPad T14 and X1 Carbon: ThinkPad keyboard, red TrackPoint and trackpad buttons. IdeaPad Slim 5: standard keyboard and touchpad. Legion Pro 7i: gaming keyboard. Yoga 9i: keyboard, touchpad, touchscreen and pen support.
- Business management
- Business ThinkPads may have settings locked by IT policy, which can look like a fault.
- Tools and supplies
- An external USB mouse and keyboard to test, a flashlight to look between keys and a dry towel. Do not use liquids.
- Repair cost
- A stuck key or a jumpy pointer is often a setting, dirt or a driver. A keyboard repair at an independent shop is $89 to $199, and liquid damage $199 to $399, per BadgerLayer's 2026 laptop repair guide.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If an external keyboard and mouse work and the built-in ones do not after a driver update, book a service check
- !If rows of keys fail after a spill, switch it off and go to service the same day
- !If the trackpad or keyboard feels raised, stop using the laptop and see the battery page
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Drivers, Windows Update and touchpad settings.
Lenovo's ThinkPad touchpad article, cited by title.
Lenovo's IdeaPad touchpad article, cited by title.
The ThinkPad T-series business laptop line.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon ultrabook line.
The Yoga convertible laptop line.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why is one key double-typing?+
A stuck or worn key, or Filter Keys in Accessibility settings, can repeat characters. Turn Filter Keys off first; if one key still repeats, it needs service.
Why does my touchpad click stop working?+
A worn click mechanism or a driver fault can cause it, and some laptops let you tap instead. Try tap-to-click in Touchpad settings as a test; if tapping works and clicking never does, book service.
Do ThinkPad keyboards have a Fn Lock?+
Many ThinkPads have a Fn Lock key that swaps the function row between F1 to F12 and media controls. If volume or brightness keys do the wrong thing, toggle it.
Why does my ThinkPad pointer drift?+
The red TrackPoint nub recalibrates if you lift your finger off it. Drift while untouched is usually a calibration effect, not a fault.
Why do keys stop on my Yoga 9i?+
Folding the screen back past the keyboard switches it to tablet mode, which disables the keyboard and trackpad by design.
Does the IdeaPad have a different touchpad?+
Lenovo has a separate IdeaPad article, but the driver and settings steps are the same.
Should I test with an external keyboard and mouse before booking service?+
Yes, and it takes seconds to set up: if a USB or Bluetooth keyboard and mouse work normally, the fault is isolated to the built-in hardware or its driver, which turns a vague complaint into a specific, service-worthy symptom instead of a guess.
Is Filter Keys the same fault every time a key repeats?+
No — it only explains repeats that feel deliberate and settings-shaped (a short delay before repeating, or repeats you can toggle off instantly); a key that repeats erratically or only when pressed at an angle points at wear or debris under that one key instead, which Filter Keys will not fix.