How to Enable On-Screen Keyboard on Windows 10.
If you’re using your Windows 10 PC as your everyday device for personal or work tasks, there are different types of keyboards that can help you perform better.
The most common type of keyboard is the physical keyboard that you connect to your computer or the built-in keyboard on your laptop.
However, there is a virtual keyboard that is commonly used on Surface devices or touchscreen laptops, often referred to as an on-screen keyboard. This built-in accessibility tool also works in desktop mode and can be used when your physical keyboard is damaged, keyboard keys don’t work, or you don’t have a keyboard at all.
This guide explains the different ways to enable the onscreen keyboard in Windows 10 so you can work even if you don’t have access to a physical keyboard.
How to Enable the On-screen Keyboard on Windows 10
The onscreen keyboard is a virtual keyboard that contains all the standard keys found on a physical keyboard.
To use the keyboard, you need a pointing device such as a mouse. Alternatively, you can cycle through the virtual keyboard using a single key or a group of keys on the physical keyboard.
Note. The instructions in this guide are for Windows 10 PCs without a touchscreen. However, you can also access the touch keyboard on a touchscreen PC by tapping the text box when your device is in tablet mode.
1. How to enable the on-screen keyboard using the on-screen keyboard shortcut
Keyboard shortcuts allow you to quickly access various settings and features of your Windows PC, including the on-screen keyboard.
To access the keyboard using a keyboard shortcut, press CTRL + Windows + O (letter o) at the same time.
The keyboard will appear on your screen in a few seconds, and you can use your mouse to select keys or other commands.
2. How to enable the on-screen keyboard through the Ease of Access Center
Ease of Access Center in Windows 10 provides ease-of-use functionality and accessibility for launching applications such as Magnifier, Narrator, and On-Screen Keyboard. This feature allows you to use your computer without a display, see what’s on your screen, use your keyboard to enable Sticky, Toggle, and Filter buttons, or use the virtual keyboard.
- To enable the on-screen keyboard in Windows 10 through Ease of Access Center, choose Start> Settings.
- Then select Ease of Access.
- Scroll down to the Interaction section in the right pane and select Keyboard.
- Under “Using the device without a physical keyboard”, select the “Use on-screen keyboard” radio button to enable it if it is disabled.
An on-screen keyboard will appear on your screen. You can move it or enter text and close the screen when you’re done.
3. How to enable the on-screen keyboard via search
You can also access the onscreen keyboard by searching for a feature using the search bar.
- To enable the on-screen keyboard through the search bar in Windows 10, select Start to open the search bar and enter text on the screen.
- Select the On-Screen Keyboard option in the search results to open the keyboard.
4. How to enable the on-screen keyboard using the Run command
If you were unable to open the onscreen keyboard using the previous steps, you can access it using the Run command.
- To enable the on-screen keyboard using the Run command, right-click Start> Run.
- Then type osk in the Run dialog box and press Enter.
5. How to use the command line to enable the onscreen keyboard
You can also use the command line to enable the onscreen keyboard.
- To do this, select Start and type CMD.
- Select Command Prompt> Run as administrator from the search results.
- In the Command Prompt window, type osk and press Enter.
6. How to use Windows PowerShell to enable the on-screen keyboard
Windows PowerShell is a command-line interface that works similarly to the command line, but is much more powerful and can be used to automate tasks. Although PowerShell is more complex than the command line, you can still use it to enable the on-screen keyboard.
Note. If you want to pin the onscreen keyboard to desktop mode, choose Start> Settings> Accessibility> Keyboard and set Use Onscreen Keyboard to On.
Close the Keyboard dialog box and the onscreen keyboard is docked to the screen. You can also add the onscreen keyboard to the Start menu or to the taskbar if you use it frequently.
7. How to enable the on-screen keyboard using the control panel
If you were unable to enable the on-screen keyboard using the last six methods, you can still use the Control Panel in Windows 10 to access the keyboard.
8. How to enable the on-screen keyboard using third-party applications
If you are unable to enable or access the onscreen keyboard on Windows PC using the methods above, you can always download and install the virtual keyboard app.
There are several third-party virtual keyboards available for Windows 10 PCs, including hot virtual keyboard, free virtual keyboard, Click-N-Type, Touch-It virtual keyboard, and VirtualKeyboard.
Get the On-Screen Keyboard in Windows 10
The onscreen keyboard is an easier way to type and enter data instead of using a physical keyboard. You still get all the standard keys, but you’ll need a separate pointing device to select and cycle through the keys on the screen.
We hope you were able to enable and use the onscreen keyboard on your PC. If you need to replace your keyboard, check out our guides on the best wireless keyboard and mouse combinations or lesser-known mechanical keyboard brands to try.
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- To do this, right-click Start> Windows PowerShell.
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- Then type osk in the PowerShell window and press Enter to run the command.
- To do this, open Control Panel and select View By.
- Then select Large Icons.
- Select Ease of Access Center.
- Select Start from the onscreen keyboard.
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How to Enable On-Screen Keyboard on Windows 10
How to Enable On-Screen Keyboard on Windows 10