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Is there a reg hack (or anything, except post-it notes) to disable the touchpad where the mouse buttons are? The pointer is moving around whenever I try to click on a mouse button. (Shouldn't too be specific to my Lenovo Yoga 2 or Windows 8.1).

Looking in the mouse settings I found I have Synaptics ClickPad V8.1 on PS/2 Port.

I've been googling and tinkering for hours and days with the registry but no luck with finding the correct keys or values that makes any change to the touchpad button areas...

In regedit, I found it most likely to be related to some values in Synaptics registry keys at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Synaptics\SynTP\TouchPadPS2\ZoneManager\EdgeRegion\0 where I found ZoneSpec set to some strange values 00 04 00 00 50 12 00 00 30 11 00 00 50 0e 00 00 but no changes I've tried so far has had any effect.

The only change I've actually been able to make to the touchpad at all is at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Synaptics\SynTP\TouchPadPS2, changing 1FingerPressButtonAction value from 1 to 0, disabling the normal click function.

PS: In linux this seems much easier, see for example https://askubuntu.com/questions/221664/how-to-tune-touchpad-for-smaller-area where the bottom edge of the touchpad area is changed by synclient AreaBottomEdge=**VALUE**

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  • Would something like this work? forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-Edge-S-series/… Or have I misunderstood your question?
    – Dan Smith
    Aug 5, 2014 at 17:51
  • @DanSmith I only want to disable the button area of the touchpad, so it becomes similar to a classic touchpad where click buttons are separated from touch area. Aug 5, 2014 at 18:41
  • Extremely frustrating "feature".. happens on an Acer E5-574 for me.
    – user453441
    Feb 17, 2016 at 6:55

1 Answer 1

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It is entirely up to the touchpad and driver how to interpret the touch positions, and it sounds like you have exhausted the search within your driver, for a setting that will improve the behavior. Interestingly, exactly where the "button zones" are, is up to the device/driver--touch and click are separate functions. Most likely, the entire touchpad, less the right button zone, can be used to create a left (ie primary) click. Or even no touch (eg press with a piece of plastic).

Unfortunately, touchpad makers decided "clickpads" were desirable without consulting folks like you and me. Give me mechanical buttons, please!

If you are lucky, there is a later driver at Synaptics website that will behave better. At the very least, when you actually click the button, it will hold the cursor still, if it is well designed and implemented.

In the meantime, try using your finger tip so you get less change of shape as you increase pressure to click.

If you change your mind about the "post it note" solution, probably one won't do it. You'll either need a fairly thick stack, or try some metal foil. ;)

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  • Synaptic and Microsoft did the world a favor, they exposed the trackpad hardware to the OS, so native support is possible but that requires hardware designed to support that feature
    – Ramhound
    Oct 20, 2016 at 5:17
  • What in the world are you talking about? There is no Microsoft environment where you have good control over touchpad behavior, unless it is through a proprietary driver. Here are some specific examples from my Win 10 PTP settings--or rather some examples MISSING: No independent control for behavior of multiple devices. Only two choices for what a 3 finger tap does--neither of which are useful to me. Only one setting for "speed" which really controls acceleration, there is no control for unaccelerated speed. (Etc.) Not to mention that the response is so laggy it is barely usable. Oct 22, 2016 at 0:10
  • Precision Touchpad - Supported since Windows 8. Of course Windows 10 build 14946 brings in native support for gestures.
    – Ramhound
    Oct 22, 2016 at 0:19
  • Help me understand @Ramhound. I listed some specific concerns. Do you think they don't matter, or did I miss where your link explains how I can solve those issues? Oct 22, 2016 at 2:11
  • Answers are not the proper place commentary
    – Ramhound
    Oct 27, 2016 at 1:50

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