How to Enable Tablet Mode On-Screen Keyboard as Default

Summary: Learn how to set the tablet mode on-screen keyboard as your default keyboard when no physical keyboard is connected, even with tablet mode turned off.

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.

Instructions

Affected Products:

  • Latitudes
  • Precision Mobile Workstations
  • Dell Plus Laptops
  • Dell Pro Laptops
  • Dell Pro Max Laptops
  • Dell Pro Plus Laptops
  • Dell Pro Premium Laptops
  • Dell Pro Rugged Laptops

Windows 11 Tablet Mode

Duration: 00:02:49 (hh:mm:ss)
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By default, the on-screen keyboard is disabled in Windows and must be enabled through accessibility settings.

How to enable on-screen keyboard through accessibility settings

There is also a tablet mode keyboard that is by default only enabled when switching to tablet mode. Users can enable the tablet mode keyboard to be the default on-screen keyboard when there is no keyboard attached to the computer.

To enable the tablet mode keyboard as the default on-screen keyboard, follow these steps below:

  1. Search for Typing in Windows search.
    Search for Typing in Windows search
  2. Once Typing settings is open, scroll down to Touch keyboard.
  3. Enable Show the touch keyboard when not in tablet mode and there is no keyboard that is attached.
    Turn on Show the touch keyboard when not in tablet mode and there is no keyboard that is attached

Additional Information

Affected Products

Dell Plus, Dell Pro, Dell Pro Max, Dell Pro Plus, Dell Pro Premium, Latitude, Dell Pro Rugged, Mobile Workstations
Article Properties
Article Number: 000128227
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 08 Sep 2025
Version:  16
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