Touch Keyboard Shortcut - Create in Windows 8

How to Create a "Touch Keyboard" Shortcut in Windows 8 and 8.1​

information   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. To use the touch keyboard on a touch screen PC, tap in a text field or other area where you can type. The keyboard appears automatically. You could also use the touch keyboard on a non-touch PC, but you would have to use your pointer to click on the keys instead of touching/tapping them.

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

This tutorial will show you how to create or download a Touch Keyboard shortcut that you can pin and use where you like in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1.

Note   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.

touch_keyboard_taskbar_toolbar.jpg

Tip   Tip
Here are a few tips when you're using the touch keyboard:
  • Switch between the touch keyboard and thumb keyboard by tapping the keyboard icon in the lower-right corner of the keyboard.
  • Close the keyboard by tapping outside the text box or by using the keyboard icon.
  • Use keyboard shortcuts by tapping the Ctrl key and then tapping another key.
  • Turn Caps Lock on and off by double-tapping the Up Arrow key.
  • Automatically insert a period by double-tapping the Spacebar.
  • If you're looking for some fun characters, tap the :) Emoticon key.
To make the standard keyboard layout available on the Touch Keyboard:
NOTE: This option is only available if you have a PC or device with a touch screen.

How to Make the Standard Keyboard Layout Available in Windows 8 Touch Keyboard
  • The new, fifth standard keyboard layout has these additional keys available:
    • Windows key
    • Alt key
    • Esc key
    • With Fn key: All F-keys (F1 - F12)

EXAMPLE: "Touch Keyboard" in Windows 8
​
Touch-Keyboard.jpg​





OPTION ONE

To Download a "Touch Keyboard" Shortcut


​
1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the ZIP file below.​
​
Touch_Keyboard_Shortcut.zip​
​
download​
​
2. Save the .zip file to the desktop.​
​
3. Open the .zip file and extract (drag and drop) the Touch Keyboard shortcut to the desktop.​
​
4. Unblock the Touch Keyboard shortcut.​
​
5. If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.​
​
6. When done, you can delete the downloaded .zip file on the desktop if you like, or save it to use again.​
​





OPTION TWO

To Manually Create a "Touch Keyboard" Shortcut


​
1. Right click or press and hold on a empty area on desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut.​
​
2. Copy and paste the command below into the location area, and click/tap on the Next button. (see screenshot below)​
​
"%ProgramFiles%\Common Files\microsoft shared\ink\TabTip.exe"​
​
Shortcut-1.jpg​
​
3. Type Touch Keyboard for the name, and click/tap on the Finish button. (see screenshot below)​
NOTE: You can name this shortcut anything you would like though. ​
​
Shortcut-2.jpg​
​
4. If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.​
​

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

 

Attachments

Last edited:
Click to expand...
Hello Davito,

Yep, this is just a shortcut that lets you open the TabTip.exe file (that's already on your system by default) for the Touch Keyboard from anywhere you like. :)
 
Hello MrShowdown,

Yep, there's "Touch Keyboard" option available in the taskbar toolbars by default, but the shortcut in the tutorial is for those that would like to have a "Touch Keyboard" shortcut wherever they like as well. Ex: Start screen :)
 
But in this keyboard layout there are missing some keys; e.g.:
  • Windows key
  • Alt key
  • Esc key
  • All F-keys (F1 - F12)
  • PgUp, PgDown, Home, End, PrtScn, ScrLk
Although you get with the layout switch (bottom right corner on touch keyboard) four different layouts - but no one has the missing keys.

Here you can add a fifth keyboard layout:
Windows key + C -> Settings -> Change PC settings -> General -> Touch Keyboard -> Make the standard keyboard layout available

Then you have at least these keys available:
  • Windows key
  • Alt key
  • Esc key
  • With Fn key: All F-keys (F1 - F12)
If you start this keyboard: %windir%\system32\osk.exe then you also have:
  • PgUp, PgDown, Home, End, PrtScn, ScrLk
This keyboard even works as overlay within Metro.
(Never thought that it is possible to show an other window "over" Windows Metro.)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hello maalhena, and welcome to Eight Forums.

If you mean the shortcut from this tutorial, then you could just delete it.

If you mean the Touch Keyboard toolbar on the taskbar, then you can right click or press and hold on the taskbar, click/tap on Toolbars, and click/tap Touch Keyboard to uncheck and remove it.

If you like, you could also disable the Touch Keyboard by disabling the Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service. This won't remove Touch Keyboard, but it will prevent it from running.

Hope this helps, :)
Shawn
 
NiFu said:
But in this keyboard layout there are missing some keys; e.g.:
  • Windows key
  • Alt key
  • Esc key
  • All F-keys (F1 - F12)
  • PgUp, PgDown, Home, End, PrtScn, ScrLk
Although you get with the layout switch (bottom right corner on touch keyboard) four different layouts - but no one has the missing keys.

Here you can add a fifth keyboard layout:
Windows key + C -> Settings -> Change PC settings -> General -> Touch Keyboard -> Make the standard keyboard layout available

Then you have at least these keys available:
  • Windows key
  • Alt key
  • Esc key
  • With Fn key: All F-keys (F1 - F12)
If you start this keyboard: %windir%\system32\osk.exe then you also have:
  • PgUp, PgDown, Home, End, PrtScn, ScrLk
This keyboard even works as overlay within Metro.
(Never thought that it is possible to show an other window "over" Windows Metro.)
Click to expand...

This is great. It's almost exactly what I want. The only problem is that when I put this shortcut on my start screen and click it, it opens the osk in the desktop and then I have to hit the windows button to come back into the start screen. I'd like it to launch the osk as an overlay on the start screen as soon as it launches. I'm using a Toshiba convertible and want to search from the start screen by typing without having to open up the physical keyboard. Any further suggestions would be appreciated.
 
Thanks for the awesome shortcut Brink! Needed it for invoking the touch keyboard via a physical keyboard command. Now using it on my Surface Pro (with Chrome) for those moments I just need to insert an emoji in my comments while the keyboard is unfolded, like this
 
You're most welcome MrElectrifyer, and welcome to Eight Forums. I'm glad it was able to help. :)
 
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