Touch Keyboard - Add Standard Keyboard Layout in Windows 8

How to Make Standard Keyboard Layout Available in Touch Keyboard in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

You can use different keyboards with Windows to fit your needs. The most common is a physical, external keyboard that you plug into your PC. Windows 8 and Windows RT also include a touch keyboard for PCs with touch.

For more information about the Touch Keyboard in Windows 8, see:

• Designing the Windows 8 touch keyboard - Building Windows 8 - Site Home - MSDN Blogs
• How to use the touch keyboard

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off to make the standard keyboard layout available for the Touch Keyboard when you have a Windows 8 or RT PC or device with a touch screen.

Turning on the standard keyboard layout adds it as a 5th keyboard option for the Touch Keyboard that has all standard keys available, such as:

• Windows :winkey: key
• Alt key
• Esc key
• Fn key
• All F-keys (F1 - F12)

   Note

By default, the on-screen touch keyboard will only appear automatically on a touch PC when you tap in a text field in a modern UI screen or modern app. When you want to type using the on-screen keyboard with Surface, fold back the cover or remove it. Next, tap in a text field or other area where you can type. The keyboard appears automatically.

They don't automatically appear if you’re using a desktop app. Instead, you need to tap or click the Touch keyboard icon on the right side of the taskbar.

EXAMPLE: "Touch Keyboard" with Standard Keyboard Layout

​

​

OPTION ONE

Add Standard Layout in Touch Keyboard in Windows 8 and Windows RT

​

1. Open PC Settings.​

​

2. Click/tap on General on the left side, and do step 3 or 4 below for what you would like to do. (see screenshot below)​

​

3. To Add Standard Keyboard Layout as a Touch Keyboard Option​

​

A) On the right side under Touch keyboard, move the slider to the right to turn on Make the standard keyboard layout available, and go to step 5 below.​

​

4. To Remove Standard Keyboard Layout as a Touch Keyboard Option​

​

A) On the right side under Touch keyboard, move the slider to the left to turn off Make the standard keyboard layout available, and go to step 5 below.​

​

5. When finished, you can close PC settings if you like.​

​

​

OPTION TWO

Add Standard Layout in Touch Keyboard in Windows 8.1 and RT 8.1

​

1. Open PC Settings, and click/tap on PC and devices on the left side. (see screenshot below)​

​

​

​

2. Click/tap on Typing on the left side, and do step 3 or 4 below for what you would like to do. (see screenshot below)​

​

3. To Add Standard Keyboard Layout as a Touch Keyboard Option​

​

A) On the right side under Touch keyboard, move the slider to the right to turn on Add the standard keyboard layout as a touch keyboard option, and go to step 5 below.​

​

4. To Remove Standard Keyboard Layout as a Touch Keyboard Option​

​

A) On the right side under Touch keyboard, move the slider to the left to turn off Add the standard keyboard layout as a touch keyboard option, and go to step 5 below.​

​

5. When finished, you can close PC settings if you like.​

​

​

OPTION THREE

To Add or Remove Standard Layout in Touch Keyboard using a BAT File

   Note

This option can be used in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1.

The .bat files below are for the registry key and value below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\TabletTip\1.7

EnableCompatibilityKeyboard DWORD

0 = Remove standard keyboard layout
1 = Add standard keyboard layout

​

1. Do step 2 or 3 below for what you would like to do.​

​

2. To Add Standard Keyboard Layout as a Touch Keyboard Option​

​

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

​

Add_Standard_Keyboard_Layout_to_Touch_Keyboard.bat​

​

​

​

​

3. To Remove Standard Keyboard Layout as a Touch Keyboard Option​

​

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

​

Remove_Standard_Keyboard_Layout_from_Touch_Keyboard.bat​

​

​

​

​

4. Save the .bat file to your desktop, and run it.​

​

5. If prompted, click/tap on Run to approve.​

NOTE: If you like, you can stop getting the Run prompt by unblocking the downloaded .bat file.​

​

6. You will now see a quick flash as the BAT file runs and restarts explorer.​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Create a "Touch Keyboard" Shortcut in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Turn On or Off to Play Click Sounds as you Type on Touch Keyboard in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Create an "On-Screen Keyboard" Shortcut in Vista, Windows 7, & Windows 8
• How to Turn the "On-Screen Keyboard" On or Off in Vista, Windows 7, & Windows 8
• How to Enable or Disable Touch Keyboard Toolbar in Windows 8 and 8.1

 

[VoidsShadow]

I'm in the middle of fixing a problem with the metro pc settings. Is there some way I can enable the standard layout without having to go through the pc settings?

 

[Brink]

Hello VoidsShadow,

I haven't found an alternative yet, but you might see if this below may help with your PC settings.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/42001-pc-settings-fix-restore-windows-8-1-a.html

 

[Brink]

@VoidsShadow

I've added OPTION THREE to help be able to add/remove the standard keyboard layout for the touch keyboard using a .bat file.

 

[jasebrux]

Hi. I just ran option 3 and it crashed my OS. Any ideas on how to reverse it so I don't have to 'refresh' my PC would be really appreciated.

 

[Brink]

Hello Jasebrux, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Most likely something interrupted it while it was restarting explorer instead, and you are just stuck without explorer running.

Restart the PC, and you should be fine. There's nothing in the .bat file that can harm your computer since it only does the same as OPTION TWO in 8.1.

 

[jasebrux]

Thanks. Unfortunately it's properly crashed. Rebooting just gives me a blank screen and periodically it does the auto repair. I can't even start it in safe mode. I have a safe point from a couple of weeks ago, so i'm restoring to that date now.
I was hoping I could go in and undo the .bat from the command prompt, but I didn't see that it had made any alterations, but then again I wouldn't really know since I'm not THAT savvy. Hopefully the restore point will work out. Thanks, though.

update: recovery point failed.

 

[Brink]

It must have been from something else that caused the crash since the .bat file only sets the same setting as OPTION TWO, then only restarts explorer. It doesn't affect anything else.

You might see if you may be able to refresh Windows 8.1 at boot.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2293-refresh-windows-8-a.html