If you use a Windows 10 PC every bit your daily device for personal or work-related tasks, there are unlike kinds of keyboards that can help you work better.

The nigh common blazon of keyboard is the physical one that you plug into your PC or the congenital-in keyboard on your laptop.

Notwithstanding, there's a virtual keyboard that'due south commonly used with Surface devices or touchscreen laptops often referred to as the on-screen keyboard. This built-in Ease of Admission tool also works in desktop mode and tin can be used when your concrete keyboard is damaged, the keyboard keys won't work or you lot don't take a keyboard at all.

This guide explains different ways to enable the on-screen keyboard in Windows x so you can work even if you lot don't take admission to a physical keyboard.

How to Enable the On-screen Keyboard on Windows ten

The on-screen keyboard is a virtual keyboard that contains all the standard keys you would observe on a physical keyboard.

To utilize the keyboard, you'll need a pointing device like your mouse. Alternatively, you tin cycle through the virtual keyboard using a single key or group of keys on your concrete keyboard.

Notation: The instructions in this guide apply to a Windows 10 PC without a touchscreen. However, yous can as well admission the touch keyboard on a PC with a touchscreen by tapping inside a text box when your device is in tablet mode.

1. How to Enable On-screen Keyboard Using the On-screen Keyboard Shortcut

Keyboard shortcuts provide quick ways to access different settings and features in your Windows PC including the on-screen keyboard.

To access the keyboard via a shortcut, press the CTRL + Windows key + O (letter o) simultaneously.

The keyboard will appear on your screen afterward a few seconds and you can apply your mouse to select keys or other commands.

2. How to Turn on On-screen Keyboard via the Ease of Access Center

The Ease of Access Center in Windows x brings functionality for ease of use and accessibility features to launch apps such as Magnifier, Narrator and on-screen keyboard. This feature allows you to use your computer without a display, run across what's on your screen, use your keyboard to enable Sticky, Toggle and Filter keys or use the virtual keyboard.

  1. To enable the on-screen keyboard on Windows ten via the Ease of Access Center, select Start > Settings.
  1. Adjacent, select Ease of Access.
  1. Whorl downwardly to the Interaction section on the right pane and and then select Keyboard.
  1. Nether the Use your device without a physical keyboard department, toggle the Utilize the on-screen keyboard switch to turn it On if it'southward off.

The on-screen keyboard will appear on your screen. You tin move it around or enter text and close the screen once you're washed.

3. How to Enable On-screen Keyboard via Search

You can also access the on-screen keyboard by searching for the feature using the Search panel.

  1. To enable the on-screen keyboard via the Search panel on Windows 10, select Start to open up the search bar and type on screen.
  1. Select the On-screen Keyboard option in the search results to open the keyboard.

4. How to Enable On-screen Keyboard Using the Run Command

If yous haven't managed to open the on-screen keyboard using the preceding steps, you lot tin access it through the Run command.

  1. To plow on the on-screen keyboard using the Run command, correct-click Start > Run.
  1. Adjacent, type osk in the Run dialog box and printing Enter.

5. How to Use Command Prompt to Enable On-screen Keyboard

You lot tin can besides use the Command Prompt to turn on the on-screen keyboard.

  1. To do this, select Outset and type CMD.
  1. Select Command Prompt > Run every bit Ambassador in the search results.
  1. In the Command Prompt window, blazon osk and printing Enter.

6. How to Use Windows PowerShell to Enable On-screen Keyboard

Windows PowerShell is a command-line interface that works like to Control Prompt but is much more powerful, and can be used to automate tasks. While PowerShell is more complicated than Control Prompt, y'all can even so use it to enable on-screen keyboard.

  1. To do this, correct-click Get-go > Windows PowerShell.
  1. Next, enter osk in the PowerShell window and press Enter to execute the command.

Annotation: If yous want to pivot the on-screen keyboard in desktop mode, select Get-go > Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard and toggle the Apply the on-screen keyboard switch to On.

Close the Keyboard dialogue box and the on-screen keyboard will be pinned to your screen. You can besides add together the on-screen keyboard to your Start Menu or Taskbar if you apply information technology oft.

seven. How to Enable On-screen Keyboard Using Control Console

If you've not managed to turn on the on-screen keyboard using the final half-dozen methods, you can notwithstanding use the Control Console in Windows x to access the keyboard.

  1. To do this, open the Control Console and select View by.
  1. Next, select Large icons.
  1. Select Ease of Access Heart.
  1. Select Start on-screen keyboard.

eight. How to Enable On-screen Keyboard Using Tertiary-Party Apps

If you're unable to enable or access the on-screen keyboard on your Windows PC using the in a higher place methods, you tin can always download and install a 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, Bear upon-It Virtual keyboard and VirtualKeyboard.

Get the On-Screen Keyboard in Windows 10

The On-Screen keyboard is an easier fashion of typing and entering information instead of relying on the physical keyboard. You lot yet get all the standard keys but you'll need a split pointing device to select and bike through the keys on the screen.

We hope you were able to enable and apply the on-screen keyboard on your PC. If you lot need to supersede your keyboard, turn to our guides on the all-time wireless keyboard and mouse combos or the lesser-known mechanical keyboard brands worth trying.