How to Use Your Computer without a Keyboard

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A guide to using your PC or Mac's mouse to type on an on-screen keyboard

Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: February 24, 2025

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For a Mac: Use a Mouse

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For a PC: Use a Mouse

It is 2 AM. You have an important project due tomorrow and have gone into hyperdrive. You should have never waited so late, but the adrenaline has spiked and you are sailing though the typing like a professional keyboardist, when, all of a sudden, you have nothing. You are typing along, but nothing is going on the screen. Oh no! - A disaster of the first order. - Your keyboard has gone out. - What can you do? - Call a friend and ask them to bring you a keyboard and a cup of java? - Not hardly! - Just suck it up and access your on screen keyboard with a mouse.Note: If you have more time, you can train your computer to respond to voice commands.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

For a Mac: Use a Mouse

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Transition to a virtual on-screen keyboard

Put the keyboard in a safe place for repair, refurbishing or reuse. Don't throw it away until you have had time to troubleshoot the problem. It may just be the connector or an intermittent short.
2
Open the on-screen keyboard.
- Click on the icon in the menu bar next to the day of week.
- Click Show Keyboard Viewer from the drop down menu.
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Transition back to the traditional, physical keyboard

2
Exit the on-screen virtual keyboard.
- Click the red button near the top left corner (next to the yellow and green buttons).

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

For a PC: Use a Mouse

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Windows XP

Start → All Programs → Accessories → Accessibility → On-Screen Keyboard.
2
Configure the virtual on-screen keyboard control options. On the virtual keyboard, click Options and select one of the following radio buttons, then click OK:
- 1) Click on keys - letters, numbers and special keys are selected from the virtual keyboard by a mouse click.
  
  2) Hover over keys - letters, numbers and special keys are selected from the virtual keyboard by hovering over a virtual key for the specified duration.
- Set Hover duration between 0.5 and 3 seconds.
  3) Scan through keys - Uses advanced look ahead.
- Set Scanning speed between 0.5 and 3 seconds.
Choose to display the numeric keypad or not.
Position the cursor within your document and sequentially select the keys using the mouse to control the cursor position on the virtual on-screen keyboard.
You may drag the keyboard to another part of the screen, minimize it, or close it out.
6
Configure the virtual on-screen keyboard to start upon reboot (if desired).
- Under Explore all settings select
  Use the computer without a mouse or keyboard.
- Tick the box to the left of Use On-Screen Keyboard and click Apply, then OK.
  The virtual on-screen keyboard will come up each time you start your computer.

Windows Vista

Start → All Programs → Accessories → Ease of Access → Ease of Access Center → On-Screen Keyboard.
2
Configure the virtual on-screen keyboard control options. On the virtual keyboard, click Options and select one of the following radio buttons, then click OK:
- 1) Click on keys - letters, numbers and special keys are selected from the virtual keyboard by a mouse click.
  
  2) Hover over keys - letters, numbers and special keys are selected from the virtual keyboard by hovering over a virtual key for the specified duration.
- Set Hover duration between 0.5 and 3 seconds.
  3) Scan through keys - Uses advanced look ahead.
- Set Scanning speed between 0.5 and 3 seconds.
Choose to display the numeric keypad or not.
Position the cursor within your document and sequentially select the keys using the mouse to control the cursor position on the virtual on-screen keyboard.
You may drag the keyboard to another part of the screen, minimize it, or close it out.
6
Configure the virtual on-screen keyboard to start upon reboot (if desired).
- Under Explore all settings select
  Use the computer without a mouse or keyboard.
- Tick the box to the left of Use On-Screen Keyboard and click Apply, then OK.
  The virtual on-screen keyboard will come up each time you start your computer.

Windows 7

Start → All Programs → Accessories → Ease of Access → On-Screen Keyboard.
2
Configure the virtual on-screen keyboard control options. On the virtual keyboard, click Options and select one of the following radio buttons, then click OK:
- 1) Click on keys - letters, numbers and special keys are selected from the virtual keyboard by a mouse click.
  
  2) Hover over keys - letters, numbers and special keys are selected from the virtual keyboard by hovering over a virtual key for the specified duration.
- Set Hover duration between 0.5 and 3 seconds.
  3) Scan through keys - Uses advanced look ahead.
- Set Scanning speed between 0.5 and 3 seconds.
Choose to display the numeric keypad or not.
Position the cursor within your document and sequentially select the keys using the mouse to control the cursor position on the virtual on-screen keyboard.
You may drag the keyboard to another part of the screen, minimize it, or close it out.
6
Configure the virtual on-screen keyboard to start upon reboot (if desired).
- Under Explore all settings select
  Use the computer without a mouse or keyboard.
- Tick the box to the left of Use On-Screen Keyboard and click Apply, then OK.
  The virtual on-screen keyboard will come up each time you start your computer.