Applies to Windows Vista

Change how information is entered into On-Screen Keyboard

There are three ways to enter data in On-Screen Keyboard:

Clicking mode. In clicking mode, you click the on-screen keys to type text.
Hovering mode. In hovering mode, you use a mouse or joystick to point to a key for a predefined period of time, and the selected character is typed automatically.
Scanning mode. In scanning mode, On-Screen Keyboard continually scans the keyboard and highlights areas where you can type keyboard characters by pressing a hot key or using a switch-input device. Use scanning mode to select keys with a single button or key.

Open On-Screen Keyboard by clicking the Start button , clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, clicking Ease of Access, and then clicking On-Screen Keyboard.
Click Settings, click Typing Mode, and then select the mode you want:
- To use clicking mode, click Click to select.
- To use hovering mode, click Hover to select.
  
  You can change how long On-Screen Keyboard waits before it selects the key on the Minimum time to hover menu.
- To use scanning mode, click Joystick or key to select.
  
  You can set the speed for how quickly the keys are scanned on the Scan interval menu.

To use a mouse, joystick, or other pointing device instead of a keyboard key, click Advanced. In the Scanning Options dialog box, select the Serial, parallel, or game port check box. Plug in a joystick, game pad, or other pointing device, and On-Screen Keyboard will work with it.
To change the key you use to select keys in On-Screen Keyboard, click Advanced. In the Scanning Options dialog box, select the Keyboard key check box, and then click the key you want to use in the drop-down menu.