Touch keyboard not invoking when I try to type in Google Chrome

dream3 · 06 Dec 2015

Hello.

I'm using a tablet for input on my windows 10 desktop pc and while the touch keyboard is invoked fine throughout the system and even Edge, when I try to type stuff in Chrome, nothing happens. I have to manually invoke the keyboard via taskbar icon.

I do have a physical keyboard connected to the pc but as the tablet is placed in front of the keyboard, I want to keep using the touch keyboard.

Any idea how to fix this?If I remember correctly it worked just fine with windows 8.1.

bro67 · 06 Dec 2015

Tablets are not meant to replace the physical keyboard. There are keyboards out there that actually use a touchscreen interface, which are very expensive and will change for certain games. What you are trying to do, is like reinventing the wheel. There is nothing to fix.

dream3 · 07 Dec 2015

I think we are talking about different things.

I'm very aware a tablet doesnt replace a keyboard but Ive always used it like that with windows 8.1. Now with windows 10 the touch keyboard simply wont show up when I use Chrome and that shouldnt be happening.

As I said, it works as expected with Edge and I dont want to change browsers because of what seems to be a minor bug or wrong setting.

bro67 · 07 Dec 2015

It is because Microsoft has made drastic changes with 10 in both Security and interaction with devices. It is the same with Android OS and iOS.

We are not talking about different things. As I stated before. Your use of the tablet to replace the keyboard and mouse, is not what it was meant to do.

There is no bug in anything, but maybe whatever program you are using on your tablet to try and use as a replacement for your keyboard and mouse.

You like others have to look at the device you are using as the problem, not the Operating System.

dream3 · 07 Dec 2015

So maybe I should ask this in the Chrome forums. There has to be a tweak to make it work.

bro67 · 07 Dec 2015

No. You should be contacting the party that wrote that app that you are using on your tablet or find a different one.

dream3 · 07 Dec 2015

Oh man I knew we were talking about different things. There is no app at all. I'm talking about windows 10's native virtual touch keyboard, the one thats invoked in every touch-supported device running windows 8/10.

bro67 · 07 Dec 2015

Yes we are talking about the same thing. The tablet uses an app to communicate with Windows.

If it works with 7 & 8 but not 10. Your tablet is the problem, not Windows 10.

I have been doing this stuff for over 35 years. You are trying to do something that is not normally done, which is why you are having the issue.

Once again it is the tablet that is the problem, not Windows.

NavyLCDR · 07 Dec 2015

dream3 said:

Oh man I knew we were talking about different things. There is no app at all. I'm talking about windows 10's native virtual touch keyboard, the one thats invoked in every touch-supported device running windows 8/10.

I understand what you are saying. It's a programming issue with Chrome, and Firefox, and probably just about every non-Microsoft program out there. When you click in the address bar of Chrome, for example, there would have to be a routine that would run that would check to see if a physical keyboard is connected - if not then that routine would invoke the on-screen keyboard. That routine simply is not written into Chrome (or whatever program is not invoking the on-screen keyboard automatically). Microsoft Edge, at least, has that routine written in. Submit feedback to Google for Chrome.

The solution I use on my tablet is just to not auto-hide the taskbar and keep taskbar set for small icons. I've gotten used to tapping in the address bar of Firefox then tapping the keyboard icon on the taskbar.

Not sure if accessibility settings -> on screen keyboard would change anything or not, didn't think about that until just now.

dream3 · 07 Dec 2015

NavyLCDR said:

I understand what you are saying. It's a programming issue with Chrome, and Firefox, and probably just about every non-Microsoft program out there. When you click in the address bar of Chrome, for example, there would have to be a routine that would run that would check to see if a physical keyboard is connected - if not then that routine would invoke the on-screen keyboard. That routine simply is not written into Chrome (or whatever program is not invoking the on-screen keyboard automatically). Microsoft Edge, at least, has that routine written in. Submit feedback to Google for Chrome.

The solution I use on my tablet is just to not auto-hide the taskbar and keep taskbar set for small icons. I've gotten used to tapping in the address bar of Firefox then tapping the keyboard icon on the taskbar.

Not sure if accessibility settings -> on screen keyboard would change anything or not, didn't think about that until just now.

Thanks, that's exactly what is happening!

The weird part is that it works okay and as expected with Chrome in my surface pro 2 with windows 8.1. Now I'm not sure if it's related to not having a physical keyboard connected to the Surface (and having one connected to my desktop system) or if it's an issue brought by windows 10.

If I'm not mistaken I used to do that fine before fresh-installing windows 10, but it was a long time ago and I might be confusing that with the Surface Pro.