cursor moving on its own

[_Shreeji]

Cursor/pointer moves on its own when the mousepad/touchpad is active. It does not move when mousepad/touchpad is not active. When i use external mouse with touchpad deactivated, everything goes smooth. Then after a few days, when I activate the touchpad again, it works fine for a few days and then the issue persists again. First I want an explanation of what is happening and then the solution if possible. Is the problem in the hardware or software? If in the hardware, explain the reason for working fine in middle. If in software, explain the reason of working fine when i use external mouse. 

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @_Shreeji 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thank you for sharing such a clear and thoughtful description—I'm really sorry you're dealing with this erratic cursor behavior. It’s deeply distracting when your touchpad seems to have a mind of its own, especially on a high-performance machine like the OMEN 16. 

Let’s break this down and explore both the why and the how to fix it.

 

What’s Happening: Hardware vs. Software

Software Possibility

When the touchpad works fine after reactivation or behaves normally with an external mouse, it suggests that driver-level or system-level interference might be at play.

• Driver Conflicts or Corruption: Over time, touchpad drivers may become unstable due to updates, background processes, or power state transitions.
• Windows Precision Touchpad Settings: Features like palm rejection, multi-touch gestures, or pointer precision may misfire intermittently.
• Power Management Glitches: Windows may throttle touchpad responsiveness during idle or sleep cycles, causing erratic behavior.

Why it works with external mouse: Windows disables touchpad-specific drivers when an external mouse is active, bypassing the problematic input layer.

Hardware Possibility

There’s a compelling theory supported by user reports: static electricity buildup on the touchpad surface.

• The OMEN 16 chassis and touchpad assembly can accumulate static charge, especially in humid environments or when used on soft surfaces (like a bed or lap).
• This buildup interferes with capacitive sensing, causing ghost movements or unresponsive zones.
• After a few days of inactivity or external mouse use, the static dissipates—temporarily restoring normal function.

Why it works fine in the middle: Static discharge resets the touchpad’s sensitivity until it builds up again.

 

Solutions to Try

1. Update or Reinstall Touchpad Drivers

• Go to Device Manager > Human Interface Devices > Touchpad.
• Right-click > Uninstall device.
• Reboot and let Windows reinstall it automatically.
• Alternatively, install the latest driver from HP:
  OMEN 16-wf1000 Synaptics Touchpad Driver – sp148964.exe

 

2. Disable Power Saving for Touchpad

• Device Manager > Touchpad > Properties > Power Management tab.
• Uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.”

 

3. Adjust Windows Touchpad Settings

• Go to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touchpad.
• Disable “Tap with a single finger to single-click” and “Touchpad sensitivity” to medium.
• Turn off “Enhance pointer precision” under Mouse settings.

 

4. Ground the Touchpad (Hardware Fix)

Some users have resolved this by grounding the touchpad internally:

• Open the bottom panel.
• Attach a thin wire from the touchpad’s metal riser to a nearby screw mount to dissipate static.
• This requires careful handling—only attempt if you're comfortable with internal hardware.

Let me know how these steps go, and I’ll be here to help you fine-tune further if needed. Whether it’s software cleanup or a deeper hardware tweak, we’ll get your OMEN back to smooth, precise control.

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Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye