Touchpad Edge Swipes - Enable or Disable in Windows 8

How to Enable or Disable Touchpad Edge Swipes in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

Edge swipes allows you use a one-finger movement from the edge of the touchpad or trackpad in towards the center to quickly open the Charms bar, app Switcher, and Application bar.

However, when edge swipes is enabled, you find that it may cause an issue of opening them by mistake to easily as you use the touchpad or trackpad. This can get real annoying soon.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the edge swipes on a touchpad or trackpad device for opening the Charms bar, app Switcher, and Application bar in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1.

   Tip

Edge Swipe usage when enabled:

• A swipe from the left edge to the center switches from the currently open application to the previously open application.
• A swipe from the right edge to the center opens or closes the Charms bar.
• A swipe from the the top edge to the center opens or closes the Application bar.

   Note

Your actual settings will vary depending on the brand and model of touchpad and what driver version you have installed.

Please feel free to post screenshots of your settings if different than the ones in the tutorial to help others.

CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Enable or Disable Edge Swipes for Synaptics Touchpad
• Option Two: To Enable or Disable Edge Swipes for Lenovo UltraNav Touchpad
• Option Three: To Enable or Disable Edge Swipes for Alps Touchpad
• Option Four: Enable or Disable "Precision Touchpad" Edge Swipes in Windows 8.1

OPTION ONE

To Enable or Disable Edge Swipes for Synaptics Touchpad

NOTE: For the latest Synaptics touchpad drivers, see: Drivers | Synaptics

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Method One

Enable or Disable Synaptics Touchpad Edge Swipes in Properties

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1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Mouse icon.​

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2. In Mouse Properties, click/tap on the Device Settings tab, and click/tap on the Settings button. (see screenshot below)​

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3. Check (enable) or uncheck (disable) the Enable Edge Swipes option, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​

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4. Click/tap OK in Mouse Properties. (see screenshot below step 2)​

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Method Two

Enable or Disable Synaptics Touchpad Edge Swipes using a REG File

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1. Do step 2 or 3 below for what you would like to do.​

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2. Enable Edge Swipes for Synaptics Touchpad​

NOTE: This is the default setting.​

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A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

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Enable_Synaptics_Edge_Swipes.reg​

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3. Disable Edge Swipes for Synaptics Touchpad​

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A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

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Disable_Synaptics_Edge_Swipes.reg​

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4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.​

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5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.​

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6. If prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.​

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7. Sign out and in, or restart the PC to apply.​

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8. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.​

OPTION TWO

To Enable or Disable Edge Swipes for Lenovo UltraNav Touchpad

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1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Mouse icon.​

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2. In Mouse Properties, click/tap on the UltraNav tab, and click/tap on the Settings button under Touchpad. (see screenshot below)​

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3. Check (enable) or uncheck (disable) the Enable Edge Swipes option, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​

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4. Click/tap OK in Mouse Properties. (see screenshot below step 2)​

OPTION THREE

To Enable or Disable Edge Swipes for Alps Touchpad

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1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Mouse icon.​

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2. In Mouse Properties, click/tap on the EdgeAction tab, check (enable) or uncheck (disable) any left, top left, right, and top EdgeActions options you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​

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OPTION FOUR

Enable or Disable "Precision Touchpad" Edge Swipes in Windows 8.1

   Note

This option is only available on Windows 8.1 PCs that have a precision touchpad. For example, on a Surface Pro 2 tablet with a touch cover attached.

The Windows Precision Touchpad is a new class of input devices that provide high precision pointer input and gesture functionality. By default, these devices generate ultra-high precision scroll wheel messages for desktop application consumption.

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Method One

Enable or Disable Precision Touchpad Edge Swipes in PC Settings

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1. Open PC Settings, and click/tap on PC and devices on the left side. (see screenshot below)​

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2. Click/tap on Mouse and touchpad on the left side, and do step 3 or 4 below for what you would like to do. (see screenshot below)​

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3. Enable Swiping in from the left or right edge of Precision Touchpad​

NOTE: This is the default setting.​

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A) On the right side under Touch keyboard, move the slider to the right to turn on Play key sounds as I type, and go to step 5 below.​

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4. Disable Swiping in from the left or right edge of Precision Touchpad​

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A) On the right side under Touch keyboard, move the slider to the left to turn off Play key sounds as I type, and go to step 5 below.​

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5. When finished, you can close PC settings if you like.​

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Method Two

Enable or Disable Precision Touchpad Edge Swipes using a REG File

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   Note

The .reg files below are for the registry key and value below.

   Note

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HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PrecisionTouchPad​

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EnableEdgy DWORD​

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0 = Disable edge swipes​

ffffffff = Enable edge swipes​

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1. Do step 2 or 3 below for what you would like to do.​

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2. Enable Swiping in from the left or right edge of Precision Touchpad​

NOTE: This is the default setting.​

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A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

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Enable_Edge_Swiping_Precision_Touchpad.reg​

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3. Disable Swiping in from the left or right edge of Precision Touchpad​

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A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

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Disable_Edge_Swiping_Precision_Touchpad.reg​

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4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.​

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5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.​

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6. If prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.​

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7. Sign out and in, or restart the PC to apply.​

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8. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• Enable or Disable Switcher Top Left Hot Corner in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
• How to Enable or Disable Charms Bar Hint Corners in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
• How to Turn App Switching On or Off in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
• How to Enable or Disable App Switching in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
• Turn On or Off Swipe from Left Edge to Switch Directly to Most Recent App in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Turn On or Off a Precision Touchpad in Windows 8.1
• How to Turn On or Off Leave Touchpad On when Mouse is Connected in Windows 8.1
• Turn On or Off Reverse Scrolling Direction of Precision Touchpad in Windows 8.1
• How to Change Delay or Turn Off Taps for a Precision Touchpad in Windows 8.1
• How to Create a "Mouse and Touchpad" PC Settings Shortcut in Windows 8.1
• How to Turn On or Off Double-tap and Drag for Precision Touchpad in Windows 8.1
• How to Turn On or Off Right Clicks for Precision Touchpad in Windows 8.1

 

[Brink]

NO...How exactly do I do that? Can it be done under registry editor or do I have to locate the .reg under system 32?
If you can give me instructions on how to...that would be great. Thanks

You would download the .reg file from my post above to say your desktop.

Double click on the downloaded .reg file to merge it. You could also right click on the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.

If prompted, click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

Restart the PC to apply.

 

[Routeplanner]

Sorry Brink still not working

 

[Brink]

Ok. Try uninstalling your old Synaptic drivers, and restarting the PC.

Afterwards, see if you may be able to successfully install the new Synaptic drivers.

 

[Routeplanner]

I have already done that like 20x still no luck on installing the driver

 

[Brink]

I'm afraid that I don't know what else to suggest other than to contact Toshiba and/or Synaptic to see if they may be able to help with the driver issue not wanting to install.

 

[Routeplanner]

Thank you very much for all your help...I will contact them for solution.

 

[Brink]

Please let us know what they end up saying.

 

[aidant]

hi i had the same problem with my toshiba satellite after digging around on the toshiba web site i manged to disable edge swipes by
opening control panel
click on hardware and sound
on the devices and printers tab click on mouse
mine brought up a box saying control panel extension is incompatable with driver version click on ok
this brought up a box saying mouse properties click on device settings top right hand corner of box
click on settings found just below blue line saying synaptics touchpad
this brings up a box with properties for synaptics touchpad uncheck box saying enable edge swipes click apply.
hope this helps it solved my problem

 

[Brink]

Hello Aidant, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Thank you for posting your findings.

It sounds almost like the same method in OPTION ONE, but you went the Control Panel (category view) instead of (icons view) route.

 

[fyre]

I'm using asus x200ca. after I upgraded to 8.1 my touchpad lost its functionality. I can scroll with 2 fingers or swipe between apps on the touchpad. I can still do these things on the touchscreen.

I've read this thread to solve it but there is no touchpad icon on the right or any device settings tab.

What should I do?

 

[Brink]

Hello Fyre, and welcome to Eight Forums.

It sounds like you may need to reinstall your touchpad drivers first.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Olyhouse]

I need some help with this..

I'm not experienced using proper terminology, but I'll do my best. I have a new Gateway 64 bit running Win 8.1 with Synaptics touchpad. I followed your instructions, but could find no option to disable swipe in from right.....SO, I downloaded the reg file, installed, and rebooted. It didn't work, I think because I forgot to re-enable swipe in left and a couple others. I re-enabled, then caught a glimpse of the driver update link you supplied, so I downloaded and attempted to install the driver. The installer told me to re-boot. I did that. When my system came back up the annoying swipe in feature was gone (HURRAY!), BUT, now the new driver installer keeps failing. Also, my icon is gone and there is no touchpad available in device manager. I have a working to touchpad, but it sucks right now. THANKS!

 

[Brink]

Hello Olyhouse, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Option Two should only be used if you have a "Windows Precision Touchpad". If the settings in Method One are not available on your PC, then you don't have one.

You might see if uninstalling the driver, restart, and reinstall the driver may help.

 

[Olyhouse]

I ended up having to re-install the old Synaptic driver (16.3), then I tried to update using the one you supplied, but it failed - twice. I've even made the modification in the registry and that didn't work. I downloaded Winaero Charms Bar Killer and that killed the corners, but not the swipe in feature...which is the main problem. Do I have to dump Win 8.1 and go back to 7 just to solve the issue? I'm about there right now...I hate this feature so much. Thanks for all your help!

 

[Brink]

Yeah, the corners are a different setting than the edge swipes.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/19749-switcher-enable-disable-top-left-corner-windows-8-a.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15538-charms-bar-hint-enable-disable-windows-8-a.html​

The methods in Option Three will not work unless it's a precision touchpad. If you don't see the settings in method one of Option Two in PC settings, then you don't have one.

What does it do when the newer driver fails to install? Any error messages?

 

[Hanzee]

thank you thank you THANK YOU!!! That was driving me mental and I also joined this just to let you know that you have made me far less cranky on an absolute abortion of a day. Truly, fixing this was the highlight of my day. Week. I hope you win the lottery, find true love, get a sweet little puppy-dog or something equally awesome for helping people like me who are not so excellent at solving computer issues. I don't believe in religion or karma but I am trying to send good juju your way. Thankya!

 

[askin]

Brunks, thank you for the tutorial. I have Windows 8.1 Lenove and still learning the basics. I see I don't have ALPS or Synaptics derivers. Not many options provided under Mouse menu either. But thanks again. Kurt

 

[SirPrimalform]

I've just ended up with Windows 8.1 on my new laptop and have mostly been able to change it to my liking but I cannot get rid of the pesky edge swipe gestures. I have a Synaptics touch pad that says V7.2 on the Properties window, updating to the latest generic drivers has done nothing in terms of adding options regarding edge swipe (a big letdown after I had to find out how to disable DSE to even install the generic drivers).

Can anyone advise on any registry hacks that would disable left and right edge swipes? The .reg file posted earlier in this thread didn't help, but looking at that section of the registry I wonder if it might be possible to reduce the size of the zones to 0?

Unfortunately I don't know what I'm doing here, can someone who does have these settings in their configuration program see what I might be able to modify to effectively cause the gestures not to register?

EDIT: Thanks!

 

[Brink]

Hello SirPrimalform, and welcome to Eight Forums.

OPTION FOUR with the .reg file is only for a Precision touchpad, and would not apply to you if you do not see the same in Method One.

What is the brand and model of your laptop? We may be able to find out more info on the included touchpad to better help.

 

[SirPrimalform]

I actually meant the registry file you posted part way through the thread to try and help someone else with V7.2 (and therefore no options regarding edge swipe).

The brand is Schenker/XMG and the model is the A503, but in reality it's a Clevo. I'm not sure of the Clevo model number though.