Touchpad broken by linux kernel update 6.8.0-88.89

Framework Laptop 16 Linux
1

My touchpad stopped working after installing to Linux kernel update version 6.8.0-88.89 which I received today in November 2025.

I fixed it by using Timeshift to restore to before the updates, which I saw took me back to 6.8.0-87. Now my touchpad is working again. Just posting in case anyone else has the same issue.

The touchpad was actually turning on and off and would work for a short time after restarting. I would still see the mouse pointer on the screen when the touchpad wasn’t working. Plugging in a USB mouse worked as well.

update: I’m actually still having issues on 6.8.0-87, which I didn’t notice right away. I commented below.

Distro: Linux Mint
Release version: 22.2.
Kernel: upgraded from 6.8.0-87 to 6.8.0-88.89
BIOS version: 03.05
Framework Laptop 16 model: AMD Ryzen™ 7040 Series / System: Ryzen™ 7 7840HS

2

Thanks for the heads up. I have a 12th gen Intel FW13 running 6.8.0-87-generic. I will proceed with caution.

FYI, Mint should retain your last kernel until more than one successor has been installed. You should be able to interrupt grub and select the kernel you want to boot from a list.

3

The current kernel for Linux Mint 22.2, according to DistroWatch, is 6.14. Is there a reason why you’re holding out on 6.8? 6.8 was EOL May 2024.

4

Maybe Linux 6.17.8-300.fc43.x86_64 has the same bug, because the touchpad also stopped working for me recently, but I can’t say exactly since when because I use it relatively rarely.

5

I’m using 6.17.9 on arch without issue; I’ve also updated to bios 4.02 in case that might make a difference…

6

Use the same bios version

7

I am actually having the issue again on 6.8.0-87. Sometimes the trackpad stops working immediately after restart, and sometimes it takes hours to kick in. But it did seem to become an issue just after updating the kernel. Anyway, sorry I don’t actually know what the cause is.

Anyway I’m on Linux Mint which is not fully supported by Framework, and I think that’s why I’m not seeing any firmware updates past 6.8 and also not seeing BIOS/UEFI updates past 3.5 even after running fwupdmgr commands from documentation at Framework Laptop 16 BIOS and Driver Releases (AMD Ryzen™ 7040 Series).

8

It was probably not the kernel; I’m still running Linux6.17.8-300.fc43.x86_64, but the touchpad is working again. Here’s the list of updates:

ostree diff commit from: c3e66b28e5c89b36ea6060fa0af4d7323d6ebd526ea51b0dfbcb55a7e97097e3
ostree diff commit to:   25011dca7f2644fbd32945a57b378028aae7a17246b7563237c41068dcda9801
Downgraded:
  amd-gpu-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  amd-ucode-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  atheros-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  brcmfmac-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  cirrus-audio-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  crun 1.25.1-1.fc43 -> 1.25-1.fc43
  crypto-policies 20251125-1.git63291f8.fc43 -> 20250714-5.gitcd6043a.fc43
  crypto-policies-scripts 20251125-1.git63291f8.fc43 -> 20250714-5.gitcd6043a.fc43
  evolution-data-server 3.58.2-1.fc43 -> 3.58.1-1.fc43
  evolution-data-server-langpacks 3.58.2-1.fc43 -> 3.58.1-1.fc43
  evolution-ews-core 3.58.2-1.fc43 -> 3.58.1-1.fc43
  evolution-ews-langpacks 3.58.2-1.fc43 -> 3.58.1-1.fc43
  ffmpeg-free 7.1.2-3.fc43 -> 7.1.2-2.fc43
  gnome-menus 3.38.1-1.fc43 -> 3.36.0-14.fc43
  gnome-online-accounts 3.56.2-1.fc43 -> 3.56.1-1.fc43
  gnome-online-accounts-libs 3.56.2-1.fc43 -> 3.56.1-1.fc43
  gnome-session 49.2-1.fc43 -> 49.1-1.fc43
  gnome-session-wayland-session 49.2-1.fc43 -> 49.1-1.fc43
  gnome-software 49.2-2.fc43 -> 49.2-1.fc43
  gnome-software-rpm-ostree 49.2-2.fc43 -> 49.2-1.fc43
  intel-audio-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  intel-gpu-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  intel-vsc-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  iwlegacy-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  iwlwifi-dvm-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  iwlwifi-mld-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  iwlwifi-mvm-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  libavcodec-free 7.1.2-3.fc43 -> 7.1.2-2.fc43
  libavdevice-free 7.1.2-3.fc43 -> 7.1.2-2.fc43
  libavfilter-free 7.1.2-3.fc43 -> 7.1.2-2.fc43
  libavformat-free 7.1.2-3.fc43 -> 7.1.2-2.fc43
  libavutil-free 7.1.2-3.fc43 -> 7.1.2-2.fc43
  libertas-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  libpostproc-free 7.1.2-3.fc43 -> 7.1.2-2.fc43
  libswresample-free 7.1.2-3.fc43 -> 7.1.2-2.fc43
  libswscale-free 7.1.2-3.fc43 -> 7.1.2-2.fc43
  linux-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  linux-firmware-whence 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  mt7xxx-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  nvidia-gpu-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  nxpwireless-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  qcom-wwan-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  realtek-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  rest 0.10.2-4.fc43 -> 0.10.2-1.fc43
  selinux-policy 42.17-1.fc43 -> 42.16-1.fc43
  selinux-policy-targeted 42.17-1.fc43 -> 42.16-1.fc43
  tiwilink-firmware 20251125-1.fc43 -> 20251111-1.fc43
  unbound-anchor 1.24.2-1.fc43 -> 1.24.1-1.fc43
  unbound-libs 1.24.2-1.fc43 -> 1.24.1-1.fc43
  upower 1.91.0-1.fc43 -> 1.90.10-1.fc43
  upower-libs 1.91.0-1.fc43 -> 1.90.10-1.fc43
Removed:
  dns-root-data-2025080400-2.fc43.noarch