Type without using the keyboard (On-Screen Keyboard)
Instead of relying on the physical keyboard to type and enter data, you can use On-Screen Keyboard.
On-Screen Keyboard displays a visual keyboard with all the standard keys. You can select keys using the mouse or another pointing device, or you can use a single key or group of keys to cycle through the keys on the screen.
Watch this video to learn how to type without using the keyboard (1:21)
To type without using the keyboard
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Open On-Screen Keyboard by clicking the Start button 
, clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, clicking Ease of Access, and then clicking On-Screen Keyboard.
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Open On-Screen Keyboard by clicking the Start button , clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, clicking Ease of Access, and then clicking On-Screen Keyboard.
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Click Options, and then, under To use the On-Screen Keyboard, select the mode you want:
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Typing mode
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Description
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Click on keys
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In clicking mode, you click the on-screen keys to type text.
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Hover over keys
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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.
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Scan through keys
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In scanning mode, On-Screen Keyboard continually scans the keyboard and highlights areas where you can type keyboard characters by pressing a keyboard shortcut, using a switch input device, or using a device that simulates a mouse click.
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Notes
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If you're using either hovering mode or scanning mode and accidently minimize On-Screen Keyboard, you can restore it by pointing to it in the taskbar (for hovering mode) or by pressing the scan key (for scanning mode).
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If you're using a mouse click to select a key in the Scan through keys mode, the mouse pointer must be located over On-Screen Keyboard.
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The keyboard layout changes in On-Screen Keyboard depending on the language displayed in the active program.
You can have On-Screen Keyboard make an audible click when a key is pressed.
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Open On-Screen Keyboard by clicking the Start button , clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, clicking Ease of Access, and then clicking On-Screen Keyboard.
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Click Options, select the Use click sound check box, and then click OK.
You can use a numeric key pad to enter numbers with On-Screen Keyboard.
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Open On-Screen Keyboard by clicking the Start button , clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, clicking Ease of Access, and then clicking On-Screen Keyboard.
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Click Options, select the Turn on numeric key pad check box, and then click OK.
When text prediction is enabled, as you type, On-Screen Keyboard displays a list of words that you might be typing.
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Open On-Screen Keyboard by clicking the Start button , clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, clicking Ease of Access, and then clicking On-Screen Keyboard.
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Click Options, select the Use Text Prediction check box, and then click OK.
If you don't want to automatically add a space after you insert a word using text prediction, clear the Insert space after predicted words check box, and then click OK.
Notes
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Text prediction is only available in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. To enable text prediction in a specific language, you must first install additional language files for that language. For more information, see Install or change a display language.
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Text prediction isn't included in Windows 7 Home Basic.
