Virtual touchpad

Embodiments described herein are directed to simultaneously presenting a virtual touchpad and a graphical user interface of an operating system on the same display. A user can interact with the OS using the virtual touchpad, and user touches are read by a touch-screen portion of the display assigned to the touchpad. Touch input software converts touch packets from user touches into data packets relevant to the screen and display resolution of either the display or a portion of the display presenting the OS. Gesture-recognition software applies rules to the converted packets to determine which actions the user meant by the touches. And an application controlling a mouse cursor manipulates the mouse cursor according to the mouse actions.