What an onscreen keyboard is and when you need it
An onscreen keyboard is a visual keyboard that appears on your screen instead of requiring you to use a physical keyboard. You control it by clicking or tapping keys with your mouse, trackpad, or touch screen. It is built into Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android — you do not need to install anything.
You might use an onscreen keyboard if your physical keyboard is broken, if you have limited hand mobility, if you are using a tablet or phone without a physical keyboard, or if you want to type without making noise. Some people use it alongside speech-to-text software or eye-tracking tools.
The onscreen keyboard stays on your screen while you work in other programs, so you can switch between your email, a document, or a web browser without closing it. You can resize it, move it to a different part of your screen, or minimize it when you do not need it.
Key Takeaways
- Windows has an onscreen keyboard called the Touch Keyboard, found in Settings under Ease of Access.
- Mac users can turn on the Keyboard Viewer in System Settings under Keyboard, then enable Show Keyboard Viewer in the Input menu.
- On iPhone and iPad, the onscreen keyboard appears automatically when you tap a text field and can be hidden by tapping the keyboard button.
- On Android phones and tablets, the onscreen keyboard shows when you tap a text field and can be hidden by tapping the back button or the keyboard button.
- You can customize the size, layout, and appearance of most onscreen keyboards through accessibility settings.
Opening the onscreen keyboard on Windows
On Windows 10 and Windows 11, the onscreen keyboard is called the Touch Keyboard. To open it, go to Settings, then select Ease of Access from the left menu. Click Keyboard, then turn on the toggle next to "Use the On-Screen Keyboard."
Once you turn it on, a keyboard will appear at the bottom of your screen. You can click any key with your mouse or trackpad to type. If you are using a touchscreen monitor or tablet, you can tap the keys directly with your finger.
If you want the keyboard to open automatically whenever you click in a text field, go back to the Keyboard settings and turn on "Show the On-Screen Keyboard when not in tablet mode and no keyboard is connected." This way you do not have to open Settings every time.
You can move the keyboard by dragging its title bar, resize it by dragging its edges, or minimize it by clicking the minus button. To close it completely, turn off the toggle in Settings again.
Opening the onscreen keyboard on Mac
On Mac, the onscreen keyboard is called the Keyboard Viewer. To turn it on, open System Settings and go to Keyboard. Click Input Sources at the bottom of the window, then check the box next to "Show Input menu in menu bar."
Once you have done that, a flag or language icon will appear in the top right corner of your screen, next to the clock. Click that icon, scroll down, and select "Show Keyboard Viewer." A visual keyboard will appear on your screen.
The Keyboard Viewer shows you which keys produce which characters, including special symbols when you hold Shift or Option. You can click any key to type, or just look at it while you use your physical keyboard to see what each key does.
To close the Keyboard Viewer, click the red button in the top left corner of the keyboard window, or go back to the Input menu and uncheck "Show Keyboard Viewer."
Using the onscreen keyboard on iPhone and iPad
On iPhone and iPad, the onscreen keyboard appears automatically whenever you tap a text field — such as the search bar in Safari, the message box in Mail, or a comment field on a website. You do not need to open any settings.
Type by tapping the keys you want. If you tap the wrong key, you can tap Backspace (the arrow pointing left) to delete the character you just typed. To switch between uppercase and lowercase, tap the Shift key (the up arrow). To access numbers and punctuation, tap the 123 key.
To hide the keyboard, tap the keyboard button in the bottom right corner of the keyboard itself — it looks like a keyboard with a down arrow. You can also swipe down on the keyboard to minimize it without closing it completely. The keyboard will reappear if you tap in another text field.
Using the onscreen keyboard on Android
On Android phones and tablets, the onscreen keyboard appears automatically when you tap any text field — such as the search box in Google, the compose field in Gmail, or a comment box on social media. Different Android devices may have different keyboard layouts, but they all work the same way.
Tap the keys to type. To delete a character, tap the Backspace key (usually the arrow pointing left at the top right). To type uppercase letters, tap the Shift key (the up arrow) once for the next letter, or twice to lock uppercase mode. To access numbers and symbols, tap the 123 key or the .?123 key depending on your keyboard.
To hide the keyboard, tap the back button at the bottom of your screen, or tap the keyboard button (if your keyboard has one) that looks like a keyboard with a down arrow. The keyboard will appear again when you tap in another text field.
Customizing the size and appearance of your onscreen keyboard
On Windows, you can resize the Touch Keyboard by dragging its edges. You can also change which keys appear by clicking the keyboard icon in the top left corner and selecting a different layout — such as Standard, Split, or Handwriting mode. Handwriting mode lets you write letters by hand on your screen instead of tapping keys.
On Mac, the Keyboard Viewer size is fixed, but you can move it anywhere on your screen. If you want a larger keyboard, you can use a third-party onscreen keyboard from the App Store, though the built-in Keyboard Viewer works for most people.
On iPhone and iPad, you cannot resize the built-in keyboard, but you can change the keyboard layout by going to Settings, Keyboard, and selecting a different keyboard from the list. You can also add keyboards in different languages.
On Android, keyboard size and appearance depend on which keyboard app you are using. Most Android devices come with Google Keyboard (Gboard) by default. To change its size or appearance, open Gboard settings by going to Settings, Languages and Input, and then selecting Gboard. From there you can adjust text size, key height, and theme.
Troubleshooting when the onscreen keyboard does not appear
If the onscreen keyboard is not showing up on Windows, go back to Settings, Ease of Access, Keyboard, and make sure the toggle for "Use the On-Screen Keyboard" is turned on. If it is already on, try turning it off and back on again.
On Mac, check that you have turned on "Show Input menu in menu bar" in System Settings under Keyboard, Input Sources. If the Keyboard Viewer still does not appear when you click the Input menu, restart your Mac and try again.
On iPhone or iPad, the keyboard should appear automatically when you tap a text field. If it does not, try closing and reopening the app you are using, or restart your device. If a specific app is not showing the keyboard, that app may have a problem — try using the keyboard in a different app like Notes or Mail to confirm the keyboard itself is working.
On Android, if the keyboard does not appear when you tap a text field, try restarting your device. If that does not work, go to Settings, Languages and Input, and make sure your keyboard app is enabled. You can also try switching to a different keyboard app temporarily to see if the problem is with your current keyboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the onscreen keyboard and a physical keyboard at the same time?
Yes. On Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android, you can have both open and use whichever one you want. Some people keep the onscreen keyboard visible while typing on a physical keyboard so they can see which keys do what, or as a backup if their physical keyboard fails.
Does the onscreen keyboard work in all programs?
On Windows and Mac, the onscreen keyboard works in most programs that accept text input — email, web browsers, word processors, and messaging apps. Some specialized programs or games may not recognize it. On iPhone, iPad, and Android, the keyboard works in any app that has a text field.
Is there a faster way to open the onscreen keyboard on Windows?
Yes. You can right-click the taskbar at the bottom of your screen, select "Show touch keyboard button," and a keyboard icon will appear in the taskbar. Click that icon to open the Touch Keyboard when ready without going to Settings.
Can I make the onscreen keyboard bigger on my phone?
On iPhone and iPad, the keyboard size is fixed and cannot be made larger. On Android, you can increase the key height and text size in Gboard settings. If you need a much larger keyboard, you can read a third-party keyboard app from the Google Play Store that offers bigger keys.
What is the difference between the onscreen keyboard and dictation or voice typing?
The onscreen keyboard lets you type by clicking or tapping keys. Dictation and voice typing let you speak and have your words converted to text. They are separate tools — you can use the onscreen keyboard, dictation, or both together depending on what works best for you.