How to install the onscreen keyboard on a computer?

The on-screen keyboard is an analog of the physical keypad, which allows you to control it using the mouse pointer. Very often, ordinary users do not know how to enable this option and where it can be found. Fortunately, the virtual device for information entry is the basic option of the Windows operating system, so it is available absolutely on all devices running this OS.In this article we will look at how to display the on-screen keyboard on the desktop, configure all the parameters and make it automatically start when the device is turned on.

to the contents ↑

Why do we need an onscreen keyboard when there is an ordinary keyboard?

Many people do not understand the functional purpose of the on-screen keyboard, consider it very uncomfortable in the process of using. But this software development has its own functional purpose. It is actively used in such cases:

• for people with incomplete finger movement or with a complete absence of several fingers helps the presence of an on-screen keyboard;
• is justified if the buttons on the conventional keypad hang when they stop functioning at the most inopportune time, and necessarily complete the important document;
• in the absence of a physical input device;
• if you have a tablet device, you can only print on the on-screen keyboard;
• the presence of the on-screen keyboard helps to protect against keylogger and hacker attacks, which is able to read the entered password from an ordinary keypad.

Important! Keylogger is a specially developed program or hardware device that can capture every touch of a key on the keyboard of a personal computer.

to the contents ↑

How to enable the keyboard on the computer screen?

To display information on the virtual device, there is no need to download additional software or install updates. The on-screen keyboard is an inbound component of the standard Windows program set of any modification.

Important! Operating system Windows 8 is also equipped with the ability to display on the computer screen a touch keyboard that supports mouse control.

How to install the on-screen keyboard on a computer? A file that launches a virtual device for entering information is located in the System32 folder of the Windows directory, called osk.exe. Thus, you can turn on the window with the screen keys, but few people apply such actions.

There are many ways that help to invoke a virtual device to enter information on Windows 7, 8. Each of the ways will be considered in more detail and in detail.

Windows XP

When you turn on the on-screen keypad on a computer running Windows XP, you need to do the following:

1. Click the "Start" button.
2. Open the "All Programs" menu.
3. Now go to the "Standard" directory.
4. Select the "On-Screen Keyboard" application in the "Special Features" folder.

Important! If you need frequent access to the program, it is recommended to fix the shortcut of this application on the desktop.

Windows 7

There are several ways to enable the virtual input device in the Windows 7 operating system. Let us consider them in more detail.

Method number 1 - Start menu

How to install the keyboard on the screen in Windows 7 through the main menu Start:

1. Press the "Start" key.
2. Then choose "All Programs".
3. After that go to the "Standard" section and open the "Special Features" subsection.
4. Select the device "On-Screen Keyboard".

Method number 2 - control panel

You can also activate the virtual device to enter the necessary information using the control panel. To do this, perform the following actions:

• Start the control panel.

Important! This item can be found in the main menu "Start".The control panel is in the right list of all programs and functions.

• Install the "Small Icons" element.
• Find the "Accessibility Center" object, start it.
• We perform the last action - we click on the "Enable the on-screen keyboard" object.

Method number 3 - search in the Start menu

In Windows 7 there is a search string that allows you to quickly find the location of the desired object. In order to activate a virtual device to maintain the necessary information, it is necessary to perform the following actions:

1. Open the "Start" menu.
2. In the search box type "screen keyboard"( without using quotes).
3. Press the Enter key.
4. After these actions, the operating system will output all the results found, in which there is a search phrase.
5. Click on "On-screen keyboard" to launch this software product.

Method # 4 - command line

The command line can also help to activate the virtual device to enter the necessary information. How to display the on-screen keyboard on the desktop using the command line:

1. Activate the command window.
2. In the command window, click on "Run".
3. Enter the name of the file osk.exe.
4. Click on the OK button.

Method number 5 - password entry window

If you have a password at the login, you can activate the on-screen keypad through the window to enter it. In this case, you need to perform the following actions:

1. In the password entry window, click the "Special Features" icon, attached to the left side of the bottom corner.
2. We tick the input element without the keyboard.
3. Click "OK".

After such a procedure, a virtual device is opened to enter information from Windows 7.

Important! In the upper corner of the left side, you can change the input language.

Windows 8

Due to the change in the interface in the Windows 8 operating system, the methods for enabling the on-screen keypad differ slightly from those discussed previously. Consider the step-by-step steps necessary to enable the virtual input device in Windows 8.

Method # 1 - Start Menu

How to install the on-screen keyboard on a computer in Windows 8 from the Start menu:

1. Press the "Start" button to enterto the startup screen.
2. In the bottom corner of the left side, click on the arrow that looks down.
3. In the application menu, move to the right side until it stops.
4. We find and open the item "On-screen keyboard".

Method number 2 - control panel

To find the required function through the control panel, you must perform the following actions:

1. Click on the "Start" button.
2. Click on the arrow and move to the application menu.
3. In the list of all installed programs and applications, find "Control Panel" and activate it.
4. On the control panel, in the "View" select "Large icons".
5. Next, you need to find the "Special Features" item and click on it.
6. After that select the item "Enable on-screen keyboard".

Method number 3 - search

You can use the search to activate the virtual input device. To do this, perform the following actions:

1. Call the search using the keyboard shortcut Win + W.
2. Select the search area "anywhere".
3. In the search bar type "screen keyboard"( without the quotes).
4. In the list below, select the item you are looking for.

Method # 4 - password entry window

How to display the onscreen keyboard on the desktop in Windows 8 through the password entry window:

1. In the window for entering the correct password at the login, click the special icon located in the corner on the left side.
2. After this, a menu appears in which you need to click "On-screen keyboard".

to the contents ↑

How to start, remove the automatic loading of the electronic keyboard when entering the OS?

If you have to use the virtual keypad on an ongoing basis, then the use of autoloading windows with electronic keys to enter information is justified. The situation with autoloading will also be relevant if the account password is entered for the first time.

Consider the options for autoloading an electronic input device when entering the operating system:

1. Using one of the methods described above, we launch the electronic keypad on the computer screen. At the bottom click the "Options" button. Let's go to the start control link of the virtual keypad when entering the operating system.
2. Using method 2, described above for Windows 7, 8, go to "Special Features" in the control panel.
3. In the opened window of the control panel, check the "use electronic keyboard" box.
4. Press the Enter key.

Important! After performing this procedure, the virtual keyboard of the computer on the display screen will automatically appear every time the operating system is loaded. When performing reverse actions at any time, you can turn off the window with screen keys to enter information from the Windows startup system.

to the contents ↑

How to use and configure the virtual keyboard?

We have already figured out how to install the on-screen keyboard on the computer. Now you need to understand how to use this device. The virtual keypad is controlled by the mouse. The text of the input should be replaced with a blinking mouse cursor. Then left-click on the corresponding keys. When using keyboard shortcuts, you can, for example, change the input language on the virtual keypad.

Important! If there are input problems, then you need to familiarize yourself with the materials and find the answer to the question: why did the Windows language panel disappear or why the input language does not change?

To configure the input format and other parameters, click on the "options" button. In this section, it is possible to replace the following settings:

• The presence of a sound confirmation - each time the virtual key is pressed, a beep will sound.
• Enabling the numeric keypad - additional activation of the buttons on the right occurs. This option helps to create folders without a name.
• Pressing the keys - when you press the left mouse button, you enter.
• Ability to point to the keys - the character is entered when the mouse hovers over the keys, in addition, there is a choice of the possible duration of the guidance.
• Scanning of buttons - selection of a range of keys in one line on all width, after that at pressing of the selected keys there is a procedure of scanning on the chosen line with smaller range before pressing the corresponding key. The scanning speed is adjustable.
• Predicting text - with the help of these options, it is possible, after typing the first letters, to use the suggested word variants with printed spaces after them.

After changing the parameters, we press Enter in order for them to take effect.

Important! It is necessary to pay attention, that after pressing Fn instead of digits there are keys F1-F12.To turn on the numeric keypad and be able to apply numbers, you need to press Num Lock.

In the operating system Windows 7, 8, there is practically no difference in the virtual keypad. The exception in Windows 8 is a number of additional keys that contribute to improved management. These buttons Nav - go, Mv Up - up, Mv Dn - down, Dock - fix, Fade - disappear.

to the contents ↑

How to remove the on-screen keyboard?

How to remove the electronic keyboard from a computer or laptop screen? To minimize or close this option, there are special buttons that are located in the upper right corner of the active window. To do this, perform any of the following:

• Click on the minimize button, which is indicated by a straight line. After that, the window with the softkeys is collapsed to enter information into the "Taskbar", from where, if necessary, it can easily be called again.
• Click on the close button, which is indicated by a cross. As a result, the program of the virtual input device ceases to function and will be closed.

to the contents ↑

Where to download the on-screen keyboard for Windows computer?

In addition to the standard option of the Windows operating system, there are also alternative versions of virtual devices for introducing the necessary information. Today, the Internet presents a huge number of software products that have the functionality of a window with screen keys to enter information. Let's consider the most optimal options.

Free Virtual Keyboard

One of the unique options is the Free Virtual Keyboard version. It has such characteristics:

• there is a Russian-language version of the electronic keypad;
• there is no need to install this version on the computer, and the file size is less than 300 KB;
• in the installation file there are no unnecessary and unwanted software products;
• is free.

Important! This software development perfectly copes with all the tasks set. Although, in order to turn on the virtual keyboard of the Free Virtual Keyboard by default, instead of the classic one, you must carefully examine the Windows operating system. You can download the Free Virtual Keyboard software from its official website.

Touch It Virtual Keyboard

Also very good option is the software development of the Touch It Virtual Keyboard.

Important! But, she has one significant disadvantage - this is that this program must be purchased for money. Also, by default, the Touch It Virtual Keyboard does not provide the Russian language, so you'll have to download a special dictionary, and it's also paid.

Despite all the listed shortcomings, this electronic keypad has wide functionality:

• allows you to create your own versions of virtual keyboards;
• allows to integrate the created products into the operating system.

Now you know everything about using the virtual keyboard, and hopefully learned to use all its features to evaluate the benefits of the program.