If you are using a 2-in-1 convertible laptop (like a Microsoft Surface Pro or a Lenovo Yoga) and you physically detach or fold away the keyboard to use the device as a tablet, typing suddenly becomes a major problem.
Unlike an iPad, which immediately recognizes it lacks a physical keyboard and aggressively displays a digital one, Windows 11 sometimes fails to automatically trigger the touch keyboard when you tap inside a text box. To guarantee you always have a way to type, you can permanently pin a button for the On-Screen Keyboard directly to your taskbar.
How to Pin the Touch Keyboard Button
- Open the Windows 11 Settings app by pressing
Windows Key + I(while your physical keyboard is still attached). - In the left-hand navigation pane, click on Personalization.
- Scroll down in the main right-hand menu and click on Taskbar.
- Look under the section labeled “System tray icons.”
- You will see a setting named Touch keyboard. Click the dropdown menu next to it.
- Change the setting from “When no keyboard attached” to Always.
The moment you select “Always,” a brand new icon resembling a miniature keyboard will instantly appear in the bottom-right corner of your screen, sitting permanently in your system tray right next to your clock and Wi-Fi icons.
How to Use and Customize the Keyboard
Now, whenever you are using your device in tablet mode and need to type a URL or send an email, simply tap that small keyboard icon with your finger. A massive, fully functional digital keyboard will slide up from the bottom of the screen.
If the default keyboard takes up too much space on your screen, you can shrink it.
- Tap the small Gear icon located in the top-left corner of the digital keyboard itself.
- Select Keyboard layout from the menu.
- Choose Small.
This will instantly compress the keyboard into a tiny floating box (similar to the keyboard on a smartphone) that you can drag anywhere on the screen, allowing you to type with one thumb without obscuring the webpage you are trying to read.