Synaptics Device Not Found: How To Resolve Immediately?

Synaptics device driver is in-built in most laptop models. Its function is to move the mouse cursor around on your laptop via the touchpad device. If you are facing the Synaptics device not found error message on your laptop’s screen, then you can keep reading this article to know the fixes.

Here, you are going to learn detailed information on Synaptics device error along with the effective methods to resolve it. So, it is advised to read this article thoroughly to make sure you don’t skip any of the solutions discussed here. After learning them, try to apply them until the issue gets resolved.

Synaptics driver issue arises if the device drivers get corrupted or outdated on your computer. A virus infection can also result in disabling the Synaptics device. No matter, whatever be the cause, you can try the solutions mentioned below to get rid of the error condition. 

Solutions To Fix Lenovo Synaptics Device Not Found Error 

Though, the occurrence of the Lenovo Synaptics device not found issue is quite uncommon. But, if it occurs, then leaving your laptop in this condition is not a good idea. To resolve the problem, try the solutions one-by-one as explained below:

Run a Virus Scan

Before trying the core solutions, running a virus scanning tool is recommended. If a virus, malware or spyware infection is responsible for corrupting the Synaptics device driver, then treating them at an early stage is needed. To run a virus scan, follow the steps below:

At first, press down both the Windows logo and I key at a time to get the “Settings” window. After that, navigate to the “Update & Security” option and click on it. Next, from the left-hand side panel on the Settings window, select “Windows Security”.

Further, from the right-hand side panel of the “Windows Security” section, click on the “Open Windows Defender Security Center” button. Next, click on the Shield icon, to launch the “Virus and threat protection” window.

Now, click on the “Advanced scan” link and enable the checkbox for “Full”. Lastly, click on the “Scan Now” button to start the virus scanning process. Once, the scan is completed, close all the active windows and restart your PC.

Hopefully, now when your system turns on, you will not get the error notification on your computer’s screen. However, if the error persists, try the core methods to solve the matter.

Method 1: Reinstall the Latest Synaptics Driver Manually

The first solution to try after scanning your computer is to uninstall, download, and reinstall the latest Synaptics driver manually. This is one of the effective methods to fix the Synaptics device not found error efficiently. Try this method by following the steps below:

Step 1: Uninstall the Synaptics Driver

There are two different ways to uninstall the Synaptics driver from your laptop, and both are explained here. Proceed with the way that feels more convenient to apply. 

Via Device Manager

First of all, tap down the Windows+R tabs to open the Run dialog window. Next, type devmgmt.msc, and click on the OK button to access the Device Manager window. 

Now, scroll down the Device Manager until you locate the “Mice and other pointing devices” option. Double-click on it to expand the section. Under the “Mice and other pointing devices” expanded list, right-click on the Synaptics touchpad device driver. Next, click on the “Uninstall” option.

Ensure the checkbox for “Delete the driver software for this device” is ticked on the pop-up window. Select the “Uninstall” box to fully remove the Synaptics touchpad device.

Alternatively, you can uninstall the Synaptics driver using the Control Panel window as well. To learn the full steps of this alternate method, read the further way below.

Via Control Panel

Press down the Windows button to activate the Search bar and type control. Next, from the search result, click on the Control Panel option. Go to “ Programs and Features” view all the installed programs on your computer.

Now, select the Synaptics software option and then right-click on it. After that, choose the Uninstall tab to confirm the process. 

Step 2: Download and Reinstall the Latest Synaptics Driver

After successfully uninstalling the Synaptics driver, launch a web browser on your computer. Navigate to the laptop manufacturer’s website and go to the download page. Follow the on-screen instructions to download the latest Synaptics driver.

Once you download the Synaptics device driver, open the setup file and install it. After that, restart your computer and check whether the touchpad is working or not. Hopefully, your answer to this will be positive.

Method 2: Update the Synaptics Driver

Updating the Synaptics driver is another best method to fix the missing device error. The steps to do this method are as follows:

Open the Device Manager and locate the “Mice and other pointing devices” option. Double-click on it and right-click on the Synaptics device driver from the list of devices. After that select “Update Driver Software” and follow the appropriate instructions to update the Synaptics driver.

Finally, restart your computer and move the mouse pointer using the touchpad device. Hopefully, the issue isn’t bothering you anymore and your Lenovo device is detecting the Synaptics device.

All these solutions are quite effective to fix the issues when the Synaptics device is not found on your PC. Hopefully, you will follow the step-wise guidance in this post to troubleshoot this error.