Convertible and detachable Chromebooks show a virtual keyboard automatically once you fold or detach into tablet mode. You can also turn it on manually on any touch Chromebook, even in laptop mode, if you want it available on demand.
Quick answer: Go to Settings > Accessibility, find “Keyboard and text input,” and turn on On-screen keyboard. Once enabled, tap the keyboard icon in the bottom-right corner of the shelf to open it manually, or it will appear automatically whenever you tap a text field in tablet mode.
How to Turn On the On-Screen Keyboard
- Click the time in the bottom right, then the Settings gear.
- Go to Accessibility in the left menu.
- Under Keyboard and text input, toggle on On-screen keyboard.
If your Chromebook is a 2-in-1, the keyboard will also appear automatically once you fold the screen back into tablet mode and tap into any text field, without needing to enable this setting manually.
Using the Keyboard
- Tap the small keyboard icon in the shelf to open or close it manually
- Switch between a full-width docked keyboard and a smaller floating keyboard using the layout options in the keyboard’s top bar
- Long-press keys for accented characters and symbols, the same as on a phone keyboard
- Use the built-in emoji picker, handwriting input, and gesture typing options available directly in the virtual keyboard
- Tap the microphone icon on the keyboard to switch to voice typing instead of tapping letters
Still Having Trouble?
- Keyboard doesn’t appear automatically in tablet mode: confirm the device is actually registering tablet mode — see our guide on ChromeOS being stuck in or out of tablet mode.
- Physical keyboard not working and want the on-screen one as a backup: enabling it manually through Accessibility settings works even if the physical keyboard has failed — see our keyboard not working guide for the hardware side.
- Keyboard covers the text field you’re typing into: switch to the floating keyboard layout and drag it to a different part of the screen.
FAQ
Does the on-screen keyboard work with an external keyboard also connected?
Yes, both can be active at once. The virtual keyboard just won’t pop up automatically if you’re actively typing with a physical one.
Can I resize the on-screen keyboard?
Yes, switch between the full-size docked keyboard and a smaller floating version from the keyboard’s layout menu, and drag the floating version to resize or reposition it.
Does it support languages other than English?
Yes, it follows whatever input languages you’ve added in language and keyboard input settings, including non-Latin scripts and handwriting input for supported languages.
