A quick fix: if your on-screen keyboard won’t open, most of the time the problem is a disabled service or a settings toggle — get the On-screen keyboard doesn’t work in Windows 10 running again by checking the Ease of Access settings and starting the Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service or by launching osk.exe or TabTip.exe manually.
This article explains common causes (services, settings, drivers, system file corruption, policies and more) and provides step-by-step solutions so you can restore the on-screen keyboard (both the legacy On-Screen Keyboard and the touch Touch Keyboard) on Windows 10.
Key Takeaway
If the on-screen keyboard doesn’t appear, first check Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard and ensure the keyboard service (Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service) is running; if that fails, run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, update drivers, and perform a clean boot to isolate third-party conflicts.
Quick Fix Guide
Quick Fix Guide
| Reason for the Problem | Quick Solution |
|---|---|
| Ease of Access setting is turned off | Turn on Use the On-Screen Keyboard under Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard. |
| Touch Keyboard service stopped | Start Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service and set it to Automatic in services.msc. |
| Corrupted system files | Run Command Prompt (Admin) and run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. |
| Tablet mode or touch keyboard settings conflict | Toggle Tablet mode and enable Show the touch keyboard button on taskbar or Settings > Devices > Typing options. |
| Conflicting third-party app or startup item | Perform a Clean Boot or boot into Safe Mode to identify and disable conflicting software. |
| Group Policy or Registry disabled OSK | Use gpedit.msc or Registry Editor to remove policies blocking the on-screen keyboard. |
| Outdated Windows or drivers | Run Windows Update and update touchscreen/HID drivers via Device Manager. |
| Touchscreen/HID driver issues | In Device Manager, update or reinstall HID-compliant touch screen and Human Interface Devices drivers. |
| Keyboard layout/input method conflicts | Verify keyboard layouts in Settings > Time & Language > Language and remove unneeded input methods. |
Detailed Fixes for “On-screen keyboard doesn’t work in Windows 10”
1) Ease of Access setting is turned off
Why this causes the problem
- Windows has a specific toggle that enables the built-in On-Screen Keyboard (OSK). If this option is off, the OSK won’t appear even when you try to open it.
Step-by-step solution
- Open Settings (press Windows key + I).
- Go to Ease of Access > Keyboard.
- Under Use the On-Screen Keyboard, toggle it On.
- If you prefer the touch keyboard (smaller, pop-up style), go to Settings > Devices > Typing and enable Show the touch keyboard when not in tablet mode and there’s no keyboard attached.
Notes
- Turning the toggle on launches osk.exe immediately. If it still won’t appear, proceed to the service check below.
2) Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service is stopped
Why this causes the problem
- The touch keyboard in Windows relies on the Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service (service name: TabletInputService). If it is stopped or set to Manual, the touch keyboard may not function.
Step-by-step solution
- Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
- In Services, find Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service.
- Right-click it → Properties.
- Set Startup type to Automatic.
- If the service status is Stopped, click Start, then OK.
Notes
- If the service cannot start, check Event Viewer for errors (open Event Viewer → Windows Logs > System) and note error codes for further troubleshooting.
3) Corrupted OS or keyboard files (system file corruption)
Why this causes the problem
- If core Windows files used by the keyboard apps are missing or corrupted, the OSK or touch keyboard may crash or refuse to open.
Step-by-step solution
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator: press Start, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, choose Run as administrator.
- Run: sfc /scannow
- Wait for SFC to complete and follow any prompts.
- If issues persist, run DISM to repair the component store:
- DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- After DISM completes, run sfc /scannow again.
Notes
- These commands may take 10–30 minutes. If DISM needs Windows Update, ensure you have internet access.
4) Tablet mode or touch keyboard settings conflict
Why this causes the problem
- Tablet mode or specific touch keyboard settings control when the keyboard appears. Incorrect settings can hide or prevent the touch keyboard from showing when expected.
Step-by-step solution
- Open Settings > System > Tablet (or Tablet mode on some builds).
- Toggle When I sign in or Make Windows more touch-friendly… to your preference; test both options.
- Right-click the taskbar and enable Show touch keyboard button to add a keyboard icon to the taskbar for manual access.
- Test the keyboard by clicking the taskbar keyboard icon or switching to Tablet mode.
Notes
- The legacy On-Screen Keyboard (osk.exe) behaves differently from the touch keyboard (TabTip.exe). Adding the touch keyboard button gives quick manual access in all modes.
5) Conflicting third-party apps or startup items
Why this causes the problem
- Some security or custom shell applications may block or interfere with OSK components or the touch keyboard process.
Step-by-step solution (Clean Boot)
- Press Windows key + R, type msconfig, press Enter.
- On the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all.
- On the Startup tab, click Open Task Manager and disable all non-essential startup items.
- Restart the PC and test the keyboard.
- If the keyboard works, re-enable services/startup items one-by-one to find the culprit.
Notes
- You can also test in Safe Mode (hold Shift while choosing Restart → Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart > choose Safe Mode) to see if a third-party app is causing the issue.
6) Group Policy or Registry has disabled the on-screen keyboard
Why this causes the problem
- On managed devices or ones where policies were changed, Group Policy or Registry settings might prevent the on-screen keyboard from running.
Step-by-step solution
- Open gpedit.msc (note: only available on Pro/Enterprise/Education editions): press Windows key + R, type gpedit.msc, press Enter.
- Use the search box or navigate to policies related to “On-Screen Keyboard” or “Tablet PC” under User Configuration or Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → All Settings.
- If you find policies that Disable or Prevent the On-Screen Keyboard, set them to Not Configured or Disabled.
- If you don’t have gpedit, open Registry Editor: regedit.
- Backup the registry first: File > Export.
- Search for keys tied to on-screen keyboard policies (or ask your admin). Remove or rename keys that explicitly disable OSK.
Notes
- Editing Group Policy or Registry can affect system behavior. If this device is managed by an organization, contact your IT admin.
7) Outdated Windows or missing updates
Why this causes the problem
- Bug fixes and driver compatibility updates are delivered via Windows Update; missing updates can leave bugs that affect UI components like the keyboard.
Step-by-step solution
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
- Click Check for updates and install all recommended and optional updates.
- After updates install, restart the PC and test the keyboard.
Notes
- Some fixes are included in cumulative updates; keep the system fully updated for the best stability.
8) Touchscreen or HID driver problems
Why this causes the problem
- The touch keyboard relies on touchscreen drivers and HID drivers; if those are outdated or corrupt, the keyboard may not respond or appear.
Step-by-step solution
- Open Device Manager: press Windows key + X → Device Manager.
- Expand Human Interface Devices.
- Right-click HID-compliant touch screen (or similar), choose Update driver → Search automatically for drivers.
- If updating doesn’t help, right-click and choose Uninstall device, then reboot — Windows should reinstall the driver.
- Also check Keyboards and Mice and other pointing devices sections.
Notes
- If the touchscreen device is missing, click Action > Scan for hardware changes.
9) Keyboard layout, input method, or focus issues
Why this causes the problem
- The touch keyboard may not pop up if Windows thinks a physical keyboard is attached, if an input method is misconfigured, or if the application focus prevents the keyboard from showing.
Step-by-step solution
- Open Settings > Time & Language > Language.
- Select your language and click Options to confirm the correct keyboard layouts are installed and remove unwanted ones.
- To force the touch keyboard manually: press Windows key + R, type C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\ink\TabTip.exe, press Enter (this launches the touch keyboard).
- To run the legacy On-Screen Keyboard: press Windows key + R, type osk, press Enter.
- If the keyboard still doesn’t pop up when tapping text fields, right-click the taskbar and ensure Show touch keyboard button is enabled, then click the icon.
Notes
- Some apps (desktop apps with special input handling) might prevent the touch keyboard from appearing. Manually launching TabTip.exe is a practical workaround.
Additional troubleshooting & prevention tips
- To always have a keyboard available at sign-in: at the sign-in screen click Ease of Access (bottom-right) and enable the On-Screen Keyboard, or go to Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard and enable Use on-screen keyboard so it appears at the login screen.
- Create a desktop shortcut to osk.exe or TabTip.exe for quick access:
- Right-click desktop → New > Shortcut → enter C:\Windows\System32\osk.exe or C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\ink\TabTip.exe.
- If your device is managed (company laptop), always check with IT before changing Group Policy or registry keys; they may intentionally disable these features.
- Keep regular system backups (System Restore points) before making registry or system changes.
FAQ
What is the difference between the On-Screen Keyboard (osk.exe) and the Touch Keyboard (TabTip.exe)?
The legacy On-Screen Keyboard (osk.exe) is a full-screen accessibility keyboard with more options; the Touch Keyboard (TabTip.exe) is the compact pop-up keyboard optimized for touchscreens. Both can be useful depending on use case.
Can I make the on-screen keyboard appear automatically at the sign-in screen?
Yes — enable Use the On-Screen Keyboard in Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard or click the Ease of Access icon on the sign-in screen and turn on the on-screen keyboard manually.
My device has no touchscreen — can I still use the touch keyboard?
Yes. You can launch TabTip.exe manually or use osk.exe. For the touch keyboard button, right-click the taskbar and enable Show touch keyboard button to manually open it.
The keyboard appears but some keys don’t work — what should I do?
Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, update drivers in Device Manager, and test in another user account to rule out profile corruption.
Is it safe to disable the Touch Keyboard service if I don’t use it?
If you don’t use the touch keyboard, disabling the service is possible, but it might affect handwriting recognition or touch features. It’s usually best to leave it set to Automatic and simply not use the feature.
Conclusion
Most on-screen keyboard failures in Windows 10 are caused by disabled settings, stopped services, driver issues, or corrupted system files — the fastest fixes are enabling Use the On-Screen Keyboard, starting the Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service, and running sfc /scannow and DISM. Following the steps above should restore functionality for the On-screen keyboard doesn’t work in Windows 10 and help you prevent the issue from recurring.
