The Touchscreen Interference
If you install Ubuntu Linux on a 2-in-1 convertible laptop (like a Lenovo Yoga or Dell XPS 2-in-1) that features a touchscreen, the GNOME desktop environment attempts to be helpful. The moment you tap any text field, search bar, or terminal window with your finger, a massive on-screen virtual keyboard slides up from the bottom of the screen. While useful in tablet mode, this feature often triggers accidentally even when you are using the laptop in standard clamshell mode with the physical keyboard right in front of you, violently shifting your windows and ruining your layout.
How to Disable the Virtual Keyboard
If you prefer to exclusively use your physical keyboard and never want the software keyboard to interrupt your workflow, you can disable it entirely in the Accessibility settings.
1. Open the main Ubuntu Settings application.
2. In the left-hand sidebar, scroll down and click on Accessibility.
3. In the main pane, look for the section labelled “Typing.”
4. Locate the toggle switch labelled Screen Keyboard.
5. Click the toggle switch to turn it Off.
How to Prevent Automatic Launching (Extensions)
If you actually do want the on-screen keyboard available for occasional tablet use, but you just hate how it pops up automatically without asking, you will need to use a GNOME extension. The default settings do not offer a “manual only” mode. You must install the “Block Caribou” or “Improved OSK” extensions from the GNOME Extensions website. These extensions intercept the automatic trigger signal, preventing the keyboard from appearing unless you explicitly swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen, giving you total control over when the keyboard appears.