Bug 515727

Summary: Touchpad doesn't work, despite being enabled in System Settings
Product: [Plasma] kwin Reporter: kelnio <kelnio>
Component: libinputAssignee: KWin default assignee <kwin-bugs-null>
Status: NEEDSINFO WAITINGFORINFO    
Severity: normal CC: jpetso, kde, kdedev, xaver.hugl
Priority: NOR    
Version First Reported In: 6.5.5   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: EndeavourOS   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments: libinput list-devices
evtest

Description kelnio@yahoo.com 2026-02-08 15:54:53 UTC
***
SUMMARY
I recently bought a Brydge SP Max+ Rugged Keyboard/Case for my Surface Pro 8. The keyboard/case connects to the SP8 via USB and has a built-in touchpad. The keyboard and touchpad work great in Windows 11, but only the keyboard works in EndeavourOS (Arch Linux) with KDE Plasma 6.5.5. The touchpad refuses to work (the cursor doesn't move) in EndeavourOS with Plasma. The weird things are that the touchpad is detected and listed as a pointer device by libinput list-devices, is present and enabled in System Settings, and registers events when I run evtest. The keyboard hot keys (FN+ALT_L) to enable/disable the touchpad don't enable the touchpad.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Attach keyboard
2. Check that touchpad is enabled in System Settings
3. Press touchpad enable key combination
4. Move fingers around on touchpad

OBSERVED RESULT
Nothing happens

EXPECTED RESULT
A pointer should appear on the screen and touchpad events should register with plasmashell

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: Windows 11 (dual boot, touchpad works in Windows 11)
(available in the Info Center app, or by running `kinfo` in a terminal window)
Linux: EndeavourOS with 6.18.7-arch1-1-surface (64-bit) kernel
KDE Plasma Version: 6.5.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.22.0
Qt Version: 6.10.2

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

https://pastebin.com/mnfWZeeU
https://pastebin.com/UB2pRtH2
Comment 1 Jakob Petsovits 2026-02-09 21:34:21 UTC
Created attachment 189410 [details]
libinput list-devices

Adding the pastebin (1 of 2) as attachment, because who knows if or when it'll go away.
Comment 2 Jakob Petsovits 2026-02-09 21:35:55 UTC
Created attachment 189411 [details]
evtest

Adding the pastebin (2 of 2) as attachment, because who knows if or when it'll go away.
Comment 3 Zamundaaa 2026-02-09 21:47:32 UTC
Please open the kwin debug console (search for it in krunner) and
- check if the touchpad generates any events in the "input events" tab
- (if no touchpad events are shown) check if the touchpad is in the "input devices" tab
Comment 4 kelnio@yahoo.com 2026-02-09 22:41:08 UTC
(In reply to Zamundaaa from comment #3)
> Please open the kwin debug console (search for it in krunner) and
> - check if the touchpad generates any events in the "input events" tab
> - (if no touchpad events are shown) check if the touchpad is in the "input
> devices" tab

The touchpad doesn't generate any events in the "Input Events" tab. However, the touchpad is present in the "Input Devices" tab as a BRYDGE BRYDGE SP MAX+ Keyboard Touchpad and both "pointer" and "touchpad" are listed as "true."
Comment 5 Zamundaaa 2026-02-10 12:30:12 UTC
Okay. Does the debug console agree with the settings for whether or not the device is enabled? Are there any other devices that are enabled? IIRC we have a bug report where disabling a "mouse" also disabled the touchpad somehow.

Also, do you have "disable while mouse is connected" or "disable while typing" enabled?
Comment 6 kelnio@yahoo.com 2026-02-10 20:46:11 UTC
(In reply to Zamundaaa from comment #5)
> Okay. Does the debug console agree with the settings for whether or not the
> device is enabled? Are there any other devices that are enabled? IIRC we
> have a bug report where disabling a "mouse" also disabled the touchpad
> somehow.
> 
> Also, do you have "disable while mouse is connected" or "disable while
> typing" enabled?

The debug console agrees with the settings in System Settings. The mouse is enabled. The options "Disable while mouse is connected" and "Disable while typing" are not enabled (unchecked). In addition to the keyboard/touchpad combination, there is also a touchscreen and stylus. The keyboard, touchscreen, and stylus work. Of course the touchpad does not. I occasionally plug in a Logitech mouse that also works. 

I've been working on this for over a week now. I don't understand why the touchpad works with the kernel (evtest), is recognized by libinput and KDE Plasma/kwin, but doesn't want to work with libinput/Plasma/kwin. Libinput documentation is no help. It says that the compositor (kwin) is responsible for configuration in Wayland. 

For full disclosure, I've gotten the touchpad to work with the synaptics driver and libinput on X11 in other distributions (CachyOS, MXLinux). It just refuses to work with libinput/Wayland. 

Here is a screenshot of the debug console and System Settings side by side:

https://ibb.co/wh1NBMyt
Comment 7 kelnio@yahoo.com 2026-02-10 20:50:32 UTC
..Just to let you know, I don't have the synaptics driver or any conflicting Xorg configuration files on my EndeavourOS/KDE install. It's only libinput.