If you lot apply a Windows ten PC as your daily device for personal or work-related tasks, there are different kinds of keyboards that can help you piece of work meliorate.

The most common type of keyboard is the concrete one that yous plug into your PC or the built-in keyboard on your laptop.

However, there's a virtual keyboard that'due south commonly used with Surface devices or touchscreen laptops oft referred to as the on-screen keyboard. This congenital-in Ease of Access tool too works in desktop mode and can be used when your physical keyboard is damaged, the keyboard keys won't piece of work or yous don't have a keyboard at all.

This guide explains different means to enable the on-screen keyboard in Windows ten then y'all can piece of work even if you don't take admission to a concrete keyboard.

How to Enable the On-screen Keyboard on Windows 10

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

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

Note: The instructions in this guide apply to a Windows 10 PC without a touchscreen. Withal, y'all tin can likewise access the bear on 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, printing the CTRL + Windows key + O (letter o) simultaneously.

The keyboard will appear on your screen subsequently a few seconds and you tin can use 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 10 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 employ your figurer without a display, see 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 10 via the Ease of Access Center, select Beginning > Settings.
  1. Adjacent, select Ease of Access.
  1. Roll down to the Interaction section on the right pane and then select Keyboard.
  1. Nether the Utilise your device without a physical keyboard section, toggle the Apply the on-screen keyboard switch to plough it On if it'due south off.

The on-screen keyboard volition appear on your screen. You can move it around or enter text and shut the screen one time yous're done.

3. How to Enable On-screen Keyboard via Search

You can likewise 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 ten, select Start to open the search bar and blazon on screen.
  1. Select the On-screen Keyboard pick in the search results to open the keyboard.

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

If you haven't managed to open the on-screen keyboard using the preceding steps, you tin can admission it through the Run control.

  1. To plow on the on-screen keyboard using the Run command, right-click Beginning > Run.
  1. Next, type osk in the Run dialog box and press Enter.

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

You can also use the Control Prompt to turn on the on-screen keyboard.

  1. To do this, select Start and type CMD.
  1. Select Command Prompt > Run as Administrator in the search results.
  1. In the Control Prompt window, type osk and press 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 tin can exist used to automate tasks. While PowerShell is more complicated than Command Prompt, you can still employ it to enable on-screen keyboard.

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

Notation: If you desire to pin the on-screen keyboard in desktop mode, select Start > Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard and toggle the Employ 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 also add together the on-screen keyboard to your Outset Menu or Taskbar if yous use information technology frequently.

7. How to Enable On-screen Keyboard Using Command Panel

If y'all've non managed to turn on the on-screen keyboard using the terminal six methods, you can withal use the Control Panel in Windows ten to access the keyboard.

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

eight. How to Enable On-screen Keyboard Using 3rd-Party Apps

If y'all're unable to enable or access the on-screen keyboard on your Windows PC using the above methods, you can e'er 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-Blazon, Affect-Information technology Virtual keyboard and VirtualKeyboard.

Become the On-Screen Keyboard in Windows 10

The On-Screen keyboard is an easier way of typing and entering information instead of relying on the physical keyboard. You still get all the standard keys only yous'll need a split pointing device to select and cycle through the keys on the screen.

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