In this post, we examine the ETD Control Center- defining what it is, should you remove it, and 5 fixes for dealing with errors.
The ETD Control Center (ETDCtrl stands for Elan Trackpad Device Control Center) is a program or executable file that comes from the ELAN Smart-Pad (Source).
This is a touchpad program that is usually found in laptops since laptops are the only ones that use them anyway. The thing about this program is that it is quite redundant since your computer already has its own touchpad program.
In a way, it’s actually not needed so you can take it out. In fact, there are some users that deem this executable file as dangerous, so that’s even more reason to take it out.
What is the ETD Control Center?
As mentioned above, this is a software that is created by ELAN Microelectronics. Though it’s not really known to cause problems, it can possibly be a carrier of an ETD control center virus in disguise. Also, the problems may also start once the file is corrupted. That’s why a lot of people opt to take it out.
The file itself is named ETDCtrl.exe and can be found in a subfolder in the Windows folder. Specifically, it can be found in C:\Program Files. That said, it’s pretty easy to remove this file if you think that it is a threat to your computer or may cause some problems.
How to Fix Issues Related to the ETD Control Center
1st Fix: Disable via Task Manager
You have the choice of either disabling the program or removing it as a whole. If you think that you’re still going to need it in the future, then you can just disable it using the Task Manager. That way, it’s still there for you to enable if ever you want to.
You can do this if you want to keep it there but don’t want it to use a lot of your computer’s resources. Windows 10 Skills recommends you do this:
Open up the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc
Go to Startup
Look for ETD Control Center
Right click on it and click Disable
Restart your computer
Video Guide: How To Use Task Manager And Troubleshoot
2nd Fix: Uninstall the Program
If you want to remove it as a whole, then you may try this method instead. Removing the ETDCtrl.exe file is as easy as uninstalling any other program from your computer through the Program Uninstall feature that every computer has. This is what is recommended by Live For Tech. Here’s how:
Click on the Windows button and go to Control Panel
Look for the Programs list
Look for ETD Control Center
Click the Uninstall option
Wait for the program to uninstall
Restart your computer
3rd Fix: Update Your Drivers
If you’re going to uninstall the ETD Control Center, your touchpad as a whole may get affected. You’ll be using the default touchpad of your computer.
The problem here is that after the removal, your computer might not be able to detect a touchpad. If that happens, then you better update your touchpad simultaneously so that you won’t encounter any problems. Windows 10 Skills recommends that you do this:
Open up the Start Menu and search for Device Manager
Open up the Device Manager and look for Mice and Other Pointing Device
Right click on EIAN Touchpad Driver
Click on Update Driver
Click on the Search Automatically for Driver Software Update
Wait for the computer to search for the right driver, then install it
Wait for the driver to install
When you do this, you should have no more problems with the ETD Control Center. You won’t be using it as your touchpad anymore, but you’ll be using a default touchpad that won’t give you error messages or use up a lot of your CPU’s resources instead.
Video Guide: How To Update Your Drivers For Free In Windows 10
4th Fix: Repair the Smart Gesture on Your Asus Laptop
If you are an Asus user and you noticed that there is something blinking in the taskbar, it’s most likely the ETD Control Center using up a lot of CPU resources.
You may have the option of uninstalling it by making use of the 2nd fix. However, another way is to repair the Asus Smart Gesture. This is what Appuals recommends:
Hold down the Window key while pressing R
In the Run window, type appwiz.cpl
When the appwiz window pops out, look for Asus Smart Gesture
Right click on it and click the Uninstall/Change option
Select the Repair to fix it
You may also choose Uninstall option if you want to uninstall it
5th Fix: Remove the Virus Using an Antivirus and Antimalware
One thing to take note of is that viruses may pose as executable files such as ETDCtrl.exe. File.net notes that the ETDCtrl.exe has an 85% threat rating if it is located in C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder.
If it is located there, then it is most likely a Trojan virus or a malware that is just posing as a legit ETDCtrl.exe file. If this is the case, you need to make sure that you have the right protection from these threats. Here are some recommended actions:
Download Security Task Manager to check the threat level of the ETDCtrl.exe
Have a good antivirus ready to scan your computer and delete any virus
Have an anti-malware to help you take out any malware
Forum Feedback
We read through several tech forums, including Microsoft Answers, to understand better what problems people were having with ETD Control Center. In general, they were looking for ETD Control Center auto start, ETD Control Center Windows 10, ETD Control Central download. Users were also interested in ETD Control Center CPU usage.
A computer owner expressed his concerns about an icon that was popping up from time to time called ETD Control Center. He tried to click on it, but it wouldn’t respond. The person was worried whether it was something malicious because he couldn’t find anything in Windows help.
Another forum poster explains that ETD Control Center is a program developed by Elan Microelectronic Corp. He adds that it is necessary for the proper function of the touchpad and that it is harmless and rarely causes problems.
A person shared that users on his network started to receive a pop-up messaged related to ETD Control Center. It said that they were not authorized to run the application. As an admin, he logged in with his credential, and he also got the same message. He added that it was a nuisance because he couldn’t figure out how to remove it.
Another computer user reported that he recently upgraded his Windows to Windows 8.1 Pro and that the Action Center recommended that he remove some programs from his startup list.
That’s how he discovered the ETD Control Center application, and he was wondering whether turning it off would improve the performance of his device.
When he contacted support, they explained that ETD Control Center was the driver for the Elan Touchpad and that he should download the latest drivers for it if he had any concerns about its functionality.
A computer expert recommends that you don’t touch ETD Control Center unless you have some problems with it or you’re getting an error message related to it.
He adds that it’s not a malicious application and that it enables you to use the touchpad on your laptop.
The person also says that it’s possible to remove the application if you’re worried about it or you suspect that it’s infected by malware.
Another individual observed that the ETD Control Center took 51% of his CPU power and that it wasn’t normal.
He was worried that it was a virus. He did some research, and he was even more baffled why an application for running a touchpad would require so much power.
Support advised him to download the latest update for the drivers because it was possible that the ETD Control Center drivers had become corrupted or damaged.
They also said that he could start the computer in Safe Mode to check if the issue would persist.
A forum member also noted that the ETD Control Center was causing problems on his laptop.
When he checked the task manager, he discovered that the ETD Control Center was taking more than 30% of the CPU.
It wasn’t happening every day, but from time to time he would notice that his device was getting hot.
He updated the drivers to the latest version, but that didn’t solve the issue.
So, he contacted support, and they advised him to run the System File Checker and see if there were any damaged files that could be causing the problem.
Another individual said that he also ran into an issue with the ETD Control Center. His solution was to kill the process from the task manager. He also complained that he couldn’t get the ETD Control Central’s icon from the taskbar. The user tried several different approaches, but the icon didn’t disappear until he deleted the ETD Control Center Helper.
A computer user remarked that the ETD Control Center icon wasn’t responding and that he was wondering how to get rid of it completely. He said that he couldn’t even close the icon and that it was consuming too much CPU power to run the trackpad. After he uninstalled it, he said that the trackpad worked without it, but it wasn’t as smooth as before.
Another person said that the ETD Control Center is essential if you want to scroll, zoom or rotate pictures and that you shouldn’t uninstall it.
A computer owner also shares that the ETD Control Center is necessary for keyboard shortcuts and screen changes. He adds that without it you’ll have only basic touchpad functions.
Conclusion
ETDCtrl.exe in itself is a legit program, but it’s not usually needed by most users because it’s pretty redundant. Of course, it can be a pretty annoying program because it is prone to errors and may take up a lot of your CPU’s resources. That’s why we recommend that you just take it out instead of keeping it (or disable it, for that matter).
The only dangerous part about it is if it is a virus disguised as an executable file. If you don’t do something about it quickly, the virus could quickly spread and crash your entire computer.
In any case, you just need to follow the steps given above to take out ETDCtrl.exe. It’s pretty easy to take it out, and you don’t need to know any difficult technical coding. Just choose which of the above-mentioned fixes you want to use and follow the instructions that we’ve provided per fix.
Ryan is a computer enthusiast who has a knack for fixing difficult and technical software problems. Whether you’re having issues with Windows, Safari, Chrome or even an HP printer, Ryan helps out by figuring out easy solutions to common error codes.
