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.
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 Options, and then, under To use the On-Screen Keyboard, select the mode you want:
Click on keys
In clicking mode, you click the on-screen keys to type text.
Hover over keys
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.
Scan through keys
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Text prediction isn't included in Windows 7 Home Basic.
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