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.

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.

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 tap Search.
(If you’re using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Search.)

Enter On-Screen Keyboard in the search box, and then tap or click On-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 the Ease of Access button in the lower-left corner of the sign-in screen, and then tap or click On-Screen Keyboard.

To change how info is entered into the On-Screen Keyboard

With the OSK open, tap or click the OSK Options key, 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.

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 the Start button, clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, clicking Ease of Access, and then clicking On-Screen Keyboard.

Open On-Screen Keyboard by clicking the Start button, clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, clicking Ease of Access, and then clicking On-Screen Keyboard.

Click Options, and then, under To use the On-Screen Keyboard, select the mode you want:

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.

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.

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 the Start button, clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, clicking Ease of Access, and then clicking On-Screen Keyboard.

Click Options, select the Use click sound check box, and then click OK.

You can use a numeric key pad to enter numbers with On-Screen Keyboard.

Open On-Screen Keyboard by clicking the Start button, clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, clicking Ease of Access, and then clicking On-Screen Keyboard.

Click Options, select the Turn on numeric key pad check box, and then click OK.

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 the Start button, clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, clicking Ease of Access, and then clicking On-Screen Keyboard.

Click Options, select the Use Text Prediction check box, and then click OK.

If you don’t want to automatically add a space after you insert a word using text prediction, clear the Insert space after predicted words check box, and then click OK.

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 Windows 7 Home Basic.

Windows 10: Enable/Disable On-Screen Keyboard

By Mitch Bartlett 28 Comments

How to enable or disable the On-Screen Keyboard in Microsoft Windows 10. Use the On-Screen keyboard to type without an actual keyboard.

Note: The On-Screen Keyboard and the Touch Keyboard are considered two different keyboards.

Launching On-Screen Keyboard (OSK)

• Select the “Start” button, type “osk“, then press “Enter“.

Touch Keyboard

• Right-click the taskbar, then select or deselect “Show touch keyboard button“. Select the keyboard near the time whenever you wish to use the touch keyboard.

Enable or Disable OSK Via Setting

1. Select “Start” > “Settings“.
2. Choose “Ease of Access“.
3. Select “Keyboard“.
4. Set “On-Screen Keyboard” to “On” or “Off” as desired.

Enable or Disable OSK Via Registry

1. Hold down the Windows Key and press “R” to bring up the “Run” dialog.
2. Type “regedit“, then press “Enter“.
3. Navigate to the following location:
   • HKLM
   • SOFTWARE
   • Microsoft
   • Windows
   • CurrentVersion
   • Authentication
   • LogonUI
4. Open “ShowTabletKeyboard” and set it to “1” to enable it. Set it to “0” to disable it. If this key doesn’t exist, you can create it.

Now the On-Screen Keyboard should be enabled or disabled as desired.

This setting is not selected, but a keyboard still appears when I start Windows. Why is this happening?

Try these steps:

1. Right click the window start button at the bottom left of your screen to bring up a menu.
2. Click “Run” and type in “osk.exe” press “Enter” key.
3. Previously I had closed out the On-screen Keyboard so when I pressed the “Enter” key and the OSK will pop up.
4. At the bottom of the keyboard to your right you will see a key “Options”, click that key.
5. You will get a popup “Options” box and at the bottom you will see a blue link “Control whether the On-Screen Keyboard starts when I sign in” PRESS THAT LINK and another box will popup.
6. If “Use On-Screen Keyboard” is checked…. Uncheck it!
7. Select “Apply” then “OK” (this will close out the box).
8. Select “OK” on the “Options” box to close it out. “Ease of Access Center” box may be visible, no problem, just close it out.
9. Close out the Keyboard allowing you to FINALLY get rid of that aggravating OSK!

Thanks to James Davis for the above solution.

If the above steps do you work for you, you may also have a third-party keyboard installed or one that was installed by the manufacturer of your device. Windows Vista & 7 users can go to Start, run “msconfig“, then check under the “Startup” tab to disable (uncheck) any keyboard software that might be running. Windows 10 & 8 users can right-click a blank area of the taskbar, select “Task Manager“, then select the “Startup” tab to disable keyboard software.

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Filed Under: Windows Tagged With: Windows 10

On-screen keyboard

Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, provides developers with many on-screen keyboard features to enhance the user-experience.

Key features

The keyboard implementation provides the following benefits to your headed device development:

Enable On-Screen Keyboard

Windows has a built-in Ease of Access tool called the On-Screen Keyboard that can be used instead of a physical keyboard. You don’t need a touchscreen to use the On-Screen Keyboard. 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.

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.

To open the On-Screen Keyboard 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 On-Screen Keyboard 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 On-Screen Keyboard 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 On-Screen Keyboard 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 On-Screen Keyboard to suggest words for you as you type so you don’t need to type each complete word.

• 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 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 minimize the On-Screen Keyboard and switch to tablet mode, use the Task view button to get back to the On-Screen Keyboard.

Feature packages

For prototyping (development) images, the on-screen keyboard feature is already included, but you will need to enable it from Device Settings in the Windows Device Portal.

For commercialization, the following optional feature packages will add the on-screen keyboard to your image:

Windows keyboard language layouts

With this release, the supported language layouts have expanded to include the full set of those available in the desktop Windows edition. To allow your users to select between different language layouts, you would typically include selection UI in your application’s Settings area. The following API is provided to enable your application to set the language that the on-screen keyboard will use:

An example of this API can be seen in the IoTCoreDefaultApp sample application, in the LanguageManager.cs file.

Support for input scopes

In previous releases, only the EmailSmtpAddress input scope was available. In this release, the full set of input scopes is available. The following topic explains input scopes and how to use them in your applications:

Input Method Editor (IME)

This release provides an Input Method Editor, which is required for any language that has more graphemes than there are keys on the keyboard, such as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

Non-obscured text input fields

In previous releases, the touch keyboard might obscure the focused text field so that the user was unable to see what they were typing. This release fixes this problem by automatically scrolling the text field into view so that it’s no longer obscured by the touch keyboard.

Dictation mode

When the input language is set to the OS language, which is the default, the voice recognition input feature is available. To show the dictation button in the keyboard, refer to the following section on User Interface configuration.

User Interface configuration

The on-screen keyboard provides several configurable options for its user interface. These are configured via the registry. During development, you can use PowerShell or Secure Shell (SSH). For creating an OEM image, the preferred mechanism for setting registry values is the OEMInput.xml file discussed here:

Most of the registry settings documented here will take effect while the on-screen keyboard is visible. This allows you during development to easily try different combinations of settings values, immediately seeing the resulting changes in real time. If a setting does not take effect immediately, you will need to reboot the device in order to see the changes to the keyboard UI.

Keyboard Height

By default, the touch keyboard will use the lower 45% of the screen’s height. This may appear too large or small on your device, depending on its size and resolution. You can adjust the height up to a maximum of two-thirds the height of the screen. Any value not in range will be clamped into range. Because this is specified as a floating point value, it allows for pixel-level precision.

Apply the following formula to calculate the percentage: percentage = (100 * ) /

As an example, to change the height to 56.783%, you would set the following registry value:

or from PowerShell:

The registry value type must be a String ( REG_SZ ), so that the fractional values can be represented with. a decimal point. Using DWord ( REG_DWORD ) will not work, even for whole number percentages.

Additional preferences

The remaining set of preferences is String values in the Preferences subkey:

Registry Value	Default Value	Description
AudioFeedback_Disabled	«0»	«0» enables the key click audio feedback; «1» disables it.
Dictation_Disabled	«1»	«0» shows the dictation (voice recognition) button; «1» hides it. (see note below)
KeyboardModeEnabled_full	«0»	«0» disables the full keyboard mode; «1» enables it.
KeyboardModeEnabled_narrow	«1»	«0» disables the narrow keyboard mode; «1» enables it.
KeyboardModeEnabled_wide	«1»	«0» disables the wide keyboard mode; «1» enables it.
ModeOrder	«wide;narrow;full»	The order (from left to right) in which the modes are listed in the mode drop-down menu, if enabled
SettingsMenuKey_Collapsed	«0»	Hides the mode drop-down menu. Set this to «1» if only one mode is enabled.
Paste_Disabled	«0»	«0» shows the Paste button; «1» hides it. Change takes effect after reboot.
CloseButton_Disabled	«0»	«0» shows the Close button; «1» hides the Close button Change takes effect after reboot.
EmojiKeyEnabled	«0»	«0» hides the Emoji key; «1» shows it, allowing the user to enter Emoji characters.

Dictation mode requires a speech package to be installed for the selected input language, as well as an audio input device. If a matching speech packages is not installed, the dictation button will not be shown.

All images include the en-US speech language. Other speech packages are installed as optional features. For more information about IoT Features, see IoT Core Feature List and IoT Core manufacturing guide.

As an example, to enable only wide keyboard mode, in PowerShell you could do the following: