If you have a device with a touchscreen, you can use the touch keyboard to enter text. To open the touch keyboard, do one of the following:
- Tap where you’d like to enter text, and the touch keyboard will open automatically.
- Select theTouch keyboard icon on the taskbar.Note: If you don’t see the Touch keyboard icon, you can add it to the notification area on the taskbar.
Add the Touch keyboard icon to the notification area on the taskbar #
You can have an icon for the touch keyboard on the taskbar if you want to easily open it at any time. You can also clear the icon from the notification area if you don’t need access to it.
Here’s how:
- Select Start > Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.
- Next to Touch keyboard, select when you want the icon to show in the taskbar notification area (Always, Never, or When no keyboard attached).
Set when the keyboard opens #
If you’re on a device with a touchscreen, you can choose whether or not the touch keyboard automatically comes up when you touch a text box.
Here’s how:
- Select Start > Settings > Time & language > Typing.
- Select Touch keyboard to expand that section.
- Next to Show the touch keyboard, select when you want the touch keyboard to show (Always, Never, or When no keyboard attached).
Touch keyboard layouts #
There are four different layouts you can use when inputting text with the touch keyboard. Select the keyboard settings icon in the upper-left corner of the touch keyboard to view and switch between options.
Select the icons just below the layout options to dock and undock your keyboard. This allows you to keep it in a stationary position or move it to a different place on your screen to best fit your workstyle.
| Keyboard | Description |
|---|---|
| Default keyboard | This layout is optimized for touchscreen typing. It has larger keys and some keys have been removed to make it easier to type. |
| Split keyboard | This layout splits the keyboard so that one half of it is near the left edge of the screen and the other is on the right. This makes it easier to type when holding a touchscreen device with two hands. (Not available in all languages.) |
| Small keyboard | This layout is a compact keyboard that can be moved anywhere on your screen. (Not available in all languages.) |
| Traditional keyboard | This layout most replicates a standard external keyboard. It has all the functions and includes an expanded selection of keys. |
| Handwriting panel | Use this to enter text with a pen or your finger. |
| 12-key layout (Japanese only) | A keyboard layout for Japanese characters that places keys in a 3×4 grid. |
| 50-on layout (Japanese only) | A keyboard layout for Japanese characters that places keys in a grid with 5 rows. Makes it easier for Japanese speakers to find a specific Hiragana character. |
Note: Swipe-based typing like shape writing isn’t available in all languages.