Summary
The touch keyboard provides an on-screen keyboard in Windows. It's helpful on a Windows tablet device when there's no keyboard attached to the Windows device.
Behavior of the touch keyboard varies on the version of Windows. Select the version of Windows, and then select the desired touch keyboard mode.
Appearance of the touch keyboard can be controlled with the touch keyboard icon in the system tray area of the taskbar. The touch keyboard icon in the system tray area of the taskbar has the following options:
- Never - This option permanently hides the touch keyboard icon from the system tray icon area of the taskbar. Select this option to prevent the touch keyboard from ever appearing.
- Always - The touch keyboard icon in the system tray area of the taskbar always displays. To display the touch keyboard, select the touch keyboard
icon in the system tray area of the taskbar. - When no keyboard is attached - The touch keyboard icon in the system tray area of the taskbar only shows when a keyboard isn't attached. To display the touch keyboard when no keyboard is attached, select the touch keyboard
icon in the system tray area of the taskbar.
Note
With all of these options, the attached keyboard can be either a wired keyboard or a wireless/Bluetooth keyboard.
Never display the touch keyboard icon and disable the touch keyboard
To hide the touch keyboard icon from the system tray area of the taskbar and disable the touch keyboard:
If the touch keyboard is visible, close it by selecting the
in the touch keyboard window.Right-click the taskbar and then select
Taskbar settings.Tip
For touch screens, press and hold the taskbar and then select
Taskbar settings.In the Personalization > Taskbar window, under the System tray icons section, select Never in the drop-down menu next to
Touch keyboard.The touch keyboard icon is removed from the system tray area of the taskbar, even when a keyboard isn't attached. With the touch keyboard icon removed, the touch keyboard should never appear.
Always display the touch keyboard icon
To always show the touch keyboard icon in the system tray icon area of the taskbar:
Right-click the taskbar and then select
Taskbar settings.Tip
For touch screens, press and hold the taskbar and then select
Taskbar settings.In the Personalization > Taskbar window, under the System tray icons section, select Always in the drop-down menu next to
Touch keyboard.The touch keyboard icon is permanently added to the system tray area of the taskbar, even when a keyboard is attached.
To display the touch keyboard, select the touch keyboard
icon in the system tray area of the taskbar.
When no keyboard is attached
To only show the touch keyboard icon in the system tray icon area of the taskbar when there isn't a keyboard attached:
Right-click the taskbar and then select
Taskbar settings.Tip
For touch screens, press and hold the taskbar and then select
Taskbar settings.In the Personalization > Taskbar window, under the System tray icons section, select When no keyboard attached in the drop-down menu next to
Touch keyboard.The touch keyboard icon is only added to the system tray area of the taskbar when a keyboard isn't attached.
To display the touch keyboard when a keyboard isn't attached, select the touch keyboard
icon in the system tray area of the taskbar.
Leaving feedback via Feedback Hub
If the touch keyboard launches unnecessarily in a specific app or situation, or if there are any suggestions for improving the touch keyboard, leave Microsoft feedback using Feedback Hub. For more information, see Send feedback to Microsoft with the Feedback Hub app.