After the tour for the Pornography album in 1982, Tolhurst decided to abandon the drums and switch to keyboards and synthesizers full time.

[6] By 1985, Tolhurst's contributions to the Cure were diminishing due to his alcoholism, and during live performances some of his keyboard parts had to be supplemented by guitarist Porl Thompson.

[2] In 1994, Tolhurst sued Robert Smith and Fiction Records for unpaid royalties, claiming that he had been coerced into signing an unfavorable contract in the mid-1980s while debilitated by his alcohol problem.

[17][18] In 2011, Tolhurst contacted Robert Smith to suggest a collaboration to honor the 30th anniversary of the Cure album Faith.

Tolhurst temporarily appeared with the band for several shows, first at the Sydney Opera House in Australia, playing keyboards and percussion.

In 2018, he was featured in an episode of the BBC Radio 4 series Soul Music, in which he discussed the history of the Cure song "Boys Don't Cry".

[24] In 2021, Tolhurst developed the podcast Curious Creatures with Budgie, a member of longtime Cure associates Siouxsie and the Banshees, in which they explore "post punk's enduring legacy and contemporary relevance" along with invited guests.

[26] During this period, Tolhurst took up drumming again and teamed up with Budgie and Jacknife Lee on the album Los Angeles, released in November 2023.

[27] The album features guest appearances by James Murphy, the Edge, Bobby Gillespie, and Isaac Brock.

[28] Mojo praised the album as "thrilling", saying that "Los Angeles lands with a visceral impact, rich texturing and smart distortions adding a destabilising wobble".