Download ArticleDownload ArticleHow.com.vn is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time.
This article has been viewed 53,936 times.
Learn more...
Typing with an onscreen keyboard can come in handy at times, whether you have a physical disability or perhaps just a broken keyboard. Using an onscreen or virtual keyboard allows you to select all the regular keyboard options with a mouse cursor or other input device. This article will help you activate the onscreen keyboard on a Mac.
Steps
Download Article
Open your Mac's System Preferences. To do this, click the System Preferences icon in your Dock or Applications folder.
Select the Keyboard icon.- If you're using an older version of the Mac software (Mountain Lion and earlier), it won't be called "Keyboard". Click on "Language & Text," instead.
Advertisement
Click on the Input Sources tab.
Add a language/region option if needed. If you already have an appropriate keyboard option in the list (e.g. U.S. or British), then proceed to the next step. If you don't, click + and scroll through the list to select the language you want. Then click Add.- Even keyboards from the same language but different regions can have different layouts, so make sure you're using the one you're familiar with.
Check the Show Input menu in menu bar option towards the bottom. It may be selected automatically or already, but if it isn't, check it.
Locate the Input icon on your Mac menu bar, towards the right-hand side. It may look like a keyboard/symbol icon or it may show the flag of the language you've selected. Click on it and select Show Keyboard Viewer to view the onscreen keyboard.
Use your cursor to select any of the onscreen keyboard keys just as you would on a regular keyboard. You can type with the virtual keyboard in any location on your screen: just click within the desired text box/area and then click on the virtual keyboard, one key at a time, to type.- You can also move the virtual keyboard around as necessary to keep it out of the way. It will float on top of your other windows.
Community Q&A
- QuestionI am unable to type the password for enabling the desktop screen on my Mac Pro as water seems to have seeped into the keyboard. Can I somehow access the virtual keyboard?
Puffy2303Community AnswerUnfortunately, there is no way to do this. The only way that I could think of was attaching a USB keyboard and then typing in the password, but that kind of defeats the purpose.
Video
Tips
- You can close, minimize, or resize the onscreen keyboard like any other window.Thanks
- To reopen the onscreen keyboard after you close it, return to the Input icon on the menu bar and select Show Keyboard Viewer again.Thanks
- To select multiple keys at a time, turn on Sticky Keys, which will keep the modifier keys (such as ⇧ Shift+⌘ Cmd) selected after you click them, until you manually deselect them.
- To turn Sticky Keys on, open System Preferences. Click on Accessibility, select Keyboard, and check the box to Enable Sticky Keys.
Thanks
About This Article
Is this article up to date?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.
