Chromebooks are designed to be simple, lightweight, and fast, but even with their streamlined approach, sometimes you just need an on-screen keyboard. Whether your physical keyboard has stopped working, you’re using your Chromebook in tablet mode, or you simply prefer typing by touch, ChromeOS includes a built-in virtual keyboard that you can enable in just a few steps.
If you’re reading this guide, there’s a good chance you’re trying to figure out where Google hid the on-screen keyboard settings or how to turn it on quickly.
In this detailed step-by-step guide, we walk you through how to enable and use the on-screen keyboard on a Chromebook, along with helpful tips and troubleshooting solutions. Let’s get started!
What Is the On-Screen Keyboard in ChromeOS?
The on-screen keyboard (also called the virtual keyboard) is a touch-based keyboard you can use in many situations. It becomes especially useful when you switch your Chromebook to tablet mode, when the physical keyboard stops working, or when you need accessibility support.
You can also use it on touch-enabled Chromebooks, when typing in other languages, or while using your device in tent or stand modes. The on-screen keyboard supports helpful features like predictive typing, handwriting input, emoji support, swipe typing, and voice typing.
Enable On-Screen Keyboard on Chromebook
To enable the on-screen keyboard on your Chromebook, you only need a device running the latest version of ChromeOS and access to the system settings. The feature is built in, so you won’t have to download any apps or add-ons. Here’s how to do it:
1. Click the Clock in the bottom-right corner to open the Quick Settings panel.
2. Select the gear icon to open Settings.
3. Scroll down, click Accessibility from the left-hand sidebar, and choose Keyboard and text input.
4. Turn on the On-screen keyboard toggle to enable the feature.
5. Once enabled, you’ll see a small keyboard icon appear in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Clicking it will open the virtual keyboard anytime.
Note: Convertible or 2-in-1 Chromebooks automatically switch to the on-screen keyboard when the device is folded back into tablet mode. You don’t have to do anything special. Simply fold the screen back or detach the keyboard (on detachable models), and the on-screen keyboard should appear automatically in text fields.
How to Use On-Screen Keyboard on Chromebook
Once the on-screen keyboard is enabled, using it is incredibly simple. Whenever you tap a text field or click the keyboard icon in the bottom-right corner, the virtual keyboard will appear on your screen.
You can type by tapping the keys, swipe to type faster, or use handwriting input if your Chromebook supports it. It uses the same layout you see on Android phones and offers similar features.
However, the full-size keyboard can take up almost half of your screen, which may feel a bit challenging. If that happens, you can switch to the floating keyboard, which is smaller and can be moved anywhere on the screen. Just tap the float icon to enable it.
Wrapping Up
Enabling the on-screen keyboard on a Chromebook is simple once you know where the settings are located. Whether you’re using your Chromebook in tablet mode, dealing with hardware issues, or simply prefer touch-based typing, the virtual keyboard is a powerful and flexible tool built right into ChromeOS.
Now, if you don’t want to use the on-screen keyboard, you can easily turn it off. Simply navigate to Accessibility, Keyboard and text input settings and turn off the On-screen keyboard toggle.
