There are several different kinds of keyboards for PCs. The most common type is a physical, external keyboard that plugs into your PC. But Windows has a built-in Accessibility tool called the On-Screen Keyboard (OSK) that can be used instead of a physical keyboard.
You don’t need a touchscreen to use the OSK. It displays a visual keyboard with all the standard keys, so you can use your mouse or another pointing device to select keys, or use a physical single key or group of keys to cycle through the keys on the screen.
Note:A PC with a touchscreen also has a touch keyboard. The touch keyboard will appear when you tap inside a text box when your PC is in tablet mode.
To open the On-Screen Keyboard
Go to Start , then select Settings > Accessibility> Keyboard, and turn on the On-Screen Keyboardtoggle. A keyboard that can be used to move around the screen and enter text will appear on the screen. The keyboard will remain on the screen until you close it.
Note:To open the OSK from the sign-in screen, select theAccessibilitybutton in the lower-right corner of the sign-in screen, and then select On-Screen Keyboard.
To change how info is entered into the On-Screen Keyboard
With the OSK open, select the Options key, and choose the options you want:
-
Use click sound:Use this option if you want to hear a sound when you press a key.
-
Show keys to make it easier to move around the screen: Use this option if you want the keys to light up as you type.
-
Turn on numeric keypad: Use this option to expand the OSK to show a numeric keypad.
-
Click on keys: Use this mode if you prefer to click or tap the on-screen keys to enter text.
-
Hover over keys: Use this mode if you use a mouse or joystick to point to a key. The characters you point to are entered automatically when you point to them for a specified time.
-
Scan through keys: Use this mode if you want the OSK to continually scan the keyboard. Scan mode highlights areas where you can type keyboard characters by pressing a keyboard shortcut, using a switch input device, or using a device that simulates a mouse click.
-
Use Text Prediction: Use this option if you want the OSK to suggest words for you as you type so you don't need to type each complete word.
Notes:
-
Text Prediction is available in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. If you want to use one of these languages and it isn't installed, install the language files for that language.
-
If you're using either hovering mode or scanning mode and accidently minimize the OSK, you can restore it by pointing to it in the taskbar (for hovering mode) or by pressing the scan key (for scanning mode).
-
If you minimize the OSK and switch to tablet mode, use the Task view button to get back to the OSK.
(Video) Use the On-Screen Keyboard (OSK) to type
There are several different kinds of keyboards for PCs. The most common type is a physical, external keyboard that plugs into your PC. But Windows has a built-in Ease of Access tool called the On-Screen Keyboard (OSK) that can be used instead of a physical keyboard.
You don’t need a touchscreen to use the OSK. It displays a visual keyboard with all the standard keys, so you can use your mouse or another pointing device to select keys, or use a physical single key or group of keys to cycle through the keys on the screen.
Note:A PC with a touchscreen also has a touch keyboard. The touch keyboard will appear when you tap inside a text box when your PC is in tablet mode.
To open the On-Screen Keyboard
Go to Start , then select Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard, and turn on the toggle under Use the On-Screen Keyboard. A keyboard that can be used to move around the screen and enter text will appear on the screen. The keyboard will remain on the screen until you close it.
Note:To open the OSK from the sign-in screen, select the Ease of Access button in the lower-right corner of the sign-in screen, and then select On-Screen Keyboard.
To change how info is entered into the On-Screen Keyboard
With the OSK open, select the Options key, and choose the options you want:
-
Use click sound. Use this option if you want to hear a sound when you press a key.
-
Show keys to make it easier to move around the screen. Use this option if you want the keys to light up as you type.
-
Turn on numeric keypad. Use this option to expand the OSK to show a numeric keypad.
-
Click on keys. Use this mode if you prefer to click or tap the on-screen keys to enter text.
-
Hover over keys. Use this mode if you use a mouse or joystick to point to a key. The characters you point to are entered automatically when you point to them for a specified time.
-
Scan through keys. Use this mode if you want the OSK to continually scan the keyboard. Scan mode highlights areas where you can type keyboard characters by pressing a keyboard shortcut, using a switch input device, or using a device that simulates a mouse click.
-
Use Text Prediction. Use this option if you want the OSK to suggest words for you as you type so you don't need to type each complete word.
Notes:
-
Text Prediction is available in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. If you want to use one of these languages and it isn't installed, install the language files for that language.
-
If you're using either hovering mode or scanning mode and accidently minimize the OSK, you can restore it by pointing to it in the taskbar (for hovering mode) or by pressing the scan key (for scanning mode).
-
If you minimize the OSK and switch to tablet mode, use the Task view button to get back to the OSK.
(Video) How to Enable or Disable the Onscreen Keyboard in Windows 10/7/8
There are a few different kinds of keyboards. The most common is a physical, external keyboard that you plug into your PC.
Windows also has the On-Screen Keyboard (OSK), an Ease of Access tool. Use the OSK instead of a physical keyboard to move around your PC and enter text. You don’t need a touchscreen to use the OSK. The OSK displays a visual keyboard with all the standard keys. Select keys using the mouse or another pointing device, or use a physical single key or group of keys to cycle through the keys on the screen.
Note:A PC with a touchscreen also has a touch keyboard. When you’re using a Windows PC with a touchscreen, tap in a text field or other area where you can type and the touch keyboard appears. For more info about the touch keyboard, see How to use the touch keyboard.
To open the On-Screen Keyboard
-
Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tapSearch.
(If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then clickSearch.) -
EnterOn-Screen Keyboardin the search box, and then tap or clickOn-Screen Keyboard.
A keyboard appears on the screen that can be used to move around your PC and enter text. The keyboard will remain on the screen until you close it.
Note:To open the OSK from the sign-in screen, tap or click theEase of Access
buttonin the lower-left corner of the sign-in screen, and then tap or clickOn-Screen Keyboard.
buttonin the lower-left corner of the sign-in screen, and then tap or clickOn-Screen Keyboard.To change how info is entered into the On-Screen Keyboard
With the OSK open, tap or click the OSKOptionskey, and then select the options you want:
-
Use click sound.Use this option if you want to hear a sound when you press a key.
-
Show keys to make it easier to move around the screen.Use this option if you want the keys to light up as you type.
-
Turn on numeric keypad.Use this option to expand the OSK to show a numeric keypad.
-
Click on keys.Use this mode if you prefer to click or tap the on-screen keys to enter text.
-
Hover over keys.Use this mode if you use a mouse or joystick to point to a key. The characters you point to are entered automatically when you point to them for a specified time.
-
Scan through keys.Use this mode if you want the OSK to continually scan the keyboard. Scan mode highlights areas where you can type keyboard characters by pressing a keyboard shortcut, using a switch input device, or using a device that simulates a mouse click.
-
Use Text Prediction.Use this option if you want the OSK to suggest words for you as you type so you don't need to type each complete word.
(Video) Use the On-Screen Keyboard (OSK) to type - Tech Hawk | Type with Mouse
Notes:
-
Text Prediction is available in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. If you want to use one of these languages and it isn't installed, install the language files for that language.
-
If you're using either hovering mode or scanning mode and accidently minimize the OSK, you can restore it by pointing to it in the taskbar (for hovering mode) or by pressing the scan key (for scanning mode).
-
If you minimize the OSK and switch to the Start screen or a full-screen app, you won't be able to get to the OSK. Open the OSK first, and then go to the Start screen or app.
Instead of relying on the physical keyboard to type and enter data, you can use On-Screen Keyboard. On-Screen Keyboard displays a visual keyboard with all the standard keys. You can select keys using the mouse or another pointing device, or you can use a single key or group of keys to cycle through the keys on the screen.
Watch this video to learn how to type without using the keyboard (1:21)
To type without using the keyboard
Open On-Screen Keyboard by clicking theStartbutton, clickingAll Programs, clickingAccessories, clickingEase of Access, and then clickingOn-Screen Keyboard.
-
Open On-Screen Keyboard by clicking theStartbutton, clickingAll Programs, clickingAccessories, clickingEase of Access, and then clickingOn-Screen Keyboard.
-
ClickOptions, and then, underTo use the On-Screen Keyboard, select the mode you want:
| Typing mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Click on keys | In clicking mode, you click the on-screen keys to type text. |
| Hover over keys | In hovering mode, you use a mouse or joystick to point to a key for a predefined period of time, and the selected character is typed automatically. |
| Scan through keys | In scanning mode, On-Screen Keyboard continually scans the keyboard and highlights areas where you can type keyboard characters by pressing a keyboard shortcut, using a switch input device, or using a device that simulates a mouse click. |
Notes:
-
If you're using either hovering mode or scanning mode and accidently minimize On-Screen Keyboard, you can restore it by pointing to it in the taskbar (for hovering mode) or by pressing the scan key (for scanning mode).
-
If you're using a mouse click to select a key in the Scan through keys mode, the mouse pointer must be located over On-Screen Keyboard.
(Video) Use the On-Screen Keyboard (OSK) to type ... - Microsoft Support -
The keyboard layout changes in On-Screen Keyboard depending on the language displayed in the active program.
You can have On-Screen Keyboard make an audible click when a key is pressed.
-
Open On-Screen Keyboard by clicking theStartbutton, clickingAll Programs, clickingAccessories, clickingEase of Access, and then clickingOn-Screen Keyboard.
-
ClickOptions, select theUse click soundcheck box, and then clickOK.
You can use a numeric key pad to enter numbers with On-Screen Keyboard.
-
Open On-Screen Keyboard by clicking theStartbutton, clickingAll Programs, clickingAccessories, clickingEase of Access, and then clickingOn-Screen Keyboard.
-
ClickOptions, select theTurn on numeric key padcheck box, and then clickOK.
When text prediction is enabled, as you type, On-Screen Keyboard displays a list of words that you might be typing.
-
Open On-Screen Keyboard by clicking theStartbutton, clickingAll Programs, clickingAccessories, clickingEase of Access, and then clickingOn-Screen Keyboard.
-
ClickOptions, select theUse Text Predictioncheck box, and then clickOK.
If you don't want to automatically add a space after you insert a word using text prediction, clear theInsert space after predicted wordscheck box, and then clickOK.
Notes:
-
Text prediction is only available in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. To enable text prediction in a specific language, you must first install additional language files for that language.
-
Text prediction isn't included in Windows7 Home Basic.
FAQs
How do I type the at symbol on my screen keyboard? ›
Three Ways to Type the At Symbol (@) on a Laptop Keyboard - YouTube
How do I use the function keys in OSK? ›To display the Function Keys utility window, choose Workspace -> Utilities -> Function Keys. When you release the mouse button, the Function Keys pop-up window is displayed at the bottom of the screen. You must have the Click Select (or "click-to-type") option set for the Function Keys utility to work properly.
Can you type on a touch screen? ›If you have a PC with a touchscreen, the touch keyboard lets you input text by tapping a keyboard that appears on your screen with your pen or fingertip. Use it with the default layout or try one of the other available options.
How do I pull up the keyboard on my touch screen? ›Locking the touch keyboard to your taskbar
Right-click the taskbar to bring up your taskbar options context menu. Check the Show touch keyboard button. To open the touch keyboard at any time, tap the touch keyboard icon in your taskbar.
To fix it, click the Windows button in the far left hand corner of your taskbar (or tap the Windows key on your keyboard) and start typing “Region & language settings”. Click on that to go to the Region & language page of Settings. Under Languages, check to see if English (United Kingdom) is listed.
How do you type without Shift key? ›The Alt key can be used in place of the Shift key for capitalizing letters and typing special characters. Another way to type special characters is by using the numeric pad on your keyboard. To do this, hold down the Num Lock key and press the associated number on your numeric pad.