What Are Precision Drivers and How to Install Them?
- Precision Drivers are specialized touchpad drivers developed by Microsoft to improve responsiveness, gesture support, and overall performance on Windows devices.
- They offer advanced customization options, multi-touch gestures, and are now standard on all Windows 11 laptops, ensuring compatibility and regular updates for bug fixes and new features.
- You can install Precision Drivers on older laptops by downloading the right drivers from the manufacturer’s site and updating them through Device Manager.
Over the years, touchpad technology has evolved significantly. Windows has taken these advancements further by introducing the Precision Touchpad, powered by Precision Drivers. This technology allows for accurate movements, enhancing the overall user experience.
Precision drivers, now standard for all Windows devices, offer a smoother and more responsive experience, making touchpad interactions intuitive. This article explores precision drivers, their key features, and how to install them.
Table of Contents
During the Windows 8.1 era, Apple led the market in touchpad technology, with no Windows laptop matching its performance. To bridge this gap, Microsoft introduced Precision Touchpad drivers.
These drivers aimed to standardize the touchpad experience across all Windows devices, providing smoother, more responsive performance to rival Apple’s technology.
Precision drivers were first introduced with the Surface Pro 2 in 2013 and are now part of the Microsoft Surface lineup, including devices like the Surface Laptop 2. With the release of Windows 11, precision drivers are required for all new devices.
However, older laptops with non-Precision touchpads running Windows 10 can still upgrade to Windows 11. Precision drivers are not mandatory for all devices upgrading to the new OS. One key advantage of precision drivers is that they receive regular updates, ensuring they remain optimized and bug-free.
How Do Precision Drivers Work?
Precision touchpads use a diving board-like mechanism, where parts underneath move slightly when clicked. The touchpad integrates with both software and hardware on your computer, delivering a highly accurate and responsive user experience. Additionally, sensitivity settings can be customized for better control of cursor movements.
They also feature Palm Detection Technology, which helps distinguish between intentional touchpad use and accidental contact from your palm or wrist.
Precision drivers also support Multi-Touch Gestures, such as two-finger scrolling, pinch-to-zoom, and three or four-finger swipes, allowing users to interact more efficiently with the touchpad.
READ MORE: How to Fix Touch Gestures Not Working in Windows 11? ➜
How To Check If Your Laptop Has Precision Drivers?
If you’re using a Windows 11 laptop, there’s no need to check for Precision Drivers, as they come pre-installed. For Windows 10 devices, here’s how to verify if Precision Drivers are installed:
- Click the Windows button on the Taskbar and open Settings.
Open up Settings - Navigate to the “Devices” tab.
Click on Devices - Click on “Touchpad“. If your laptop has a Precision Touchpad, a message will appear at the top of the window saying “Your PC has a precision touchpad“.
Check your Touchpad
READ MORE: How to Turn Off Windows 11 Upgrade Screen in Windows 10? ➜
How to Install Precision Drivers on Your Laptop
If your laptop doesn’t have Precision Drivers, you can still install them. Regardless of whether you currently use Elan or Synaptics drivers, you can switch to precision drivers since all drivers use similar hardware.
1. Prerequisites
Before installing, determine your laptop’s touchpad type. Open Device Manager and expand the “Mice and other pointing devices” section to see the current touchpad. Once identified, download the corresponding precision driver.
Download the relevant precision drivers from these sources:
- For Synaptics: Download Synaptics Precision Drivers.
- For ELAN: Download ELAN Precision Drivers.
2. Installation
After downloading the drivers, follow these steps:
- Extract the downloaded driver files to a folder.
Extract files - In Device Manager, right-click your touchpad device, and select “Update driver“.
Update driver - Choose “Browse my computer for driver software“.
Second option - Navigate to the folder where you extracted the drivers and select it.
Choose the correct folder - Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
- Once installed, restart your laptop to apply the changes. You are done!
FAQs
To uninstall Precision Drivers, open Device Manager and locate your touchpad device under “Mice and other pointing devices.” Right-click the device, select “Uninstall device,” and check the box to delete the driver software if available. Restart your computer to complete the process. Optionally, you can install a different driver from your laptop manufacturer’s website.
If you experience problems, you can roll back to your original touchpad drivers by uninstalling the Precision Drivers and reinstalling the manufacturer-provided drivers.
