How to Customize the Windows 11 Touch Keyboard Layout in Time and Language Settings

How to Open Time and Language Settings in 🪟 Windows 11

Everything starts in the Settings app. The quickest way in is to press the Win and I together. If you prefer the mouse or touch, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button on the taskbar🖥️. The Start menu⊞ opens.
2. Click the Settings icon, which looks like a small gear. The Settings⚙️ window opens. If the icon is not among the pinned apps, type “Settings” into the Start menu⊞ search box🔍 and open it from the results.

3. In the Settings⚙️ window, click Time & language in the menu on the left. The page on the right now shows date, time, language and typing options.
4. Click Typing. The path is Settings › Time & language › Typing.

You should now be on the Typing page, which is the starting point for every touch keyboard setting in this guide.

This page holds the controls for text suggestions, autocorrect and the touch keyboard. The exact list of toggles varies a little between Windows 11 versions. Don’t worry if yours has a few more or fewer than the screenshot below.

Exploring Touch Keyboard Layout Options

Windows 11 offers four touch keyboard layouts. Each one changes how the keys are arranged on screen so they match your hardware and your habits.

• DefaultThe standard layout. It looks and acts like a normal physical keyboard, with numbers across the top row and the usual punctuation keys. Start here if you aren’t sure.
• SmallA compact version of the default layout, suited to one-handed use. It takes up less of the screen, which helps on a smaller tablet or when you want to see more of the app or webpage behind the keyboard.
• SplitThis layout divides the keyboard in half and pushes the keys toward the left and right edges of the screen. It is designed for tablet users who hold the device with both hands and type with their thumbs.
• TraditionalThis layout mimics older desktop keyboards. It gives you an expanded set of keys, which suits advanced users who need quick access to function or navigation keys.

Step-by-Step: Changing Your Touch Keyboard Layout

Changing the layout does not need a restart. There are two places to look. The Settings page controls when and how the keyboard appears, while the layout picker is on the keyboard itself.

First, check the touch keyboard options in Settings:

1. Open the Settings⚙️ app by pressing the Win plus I.
2. Click Time & language in the left menu.
3. Click Typing.
4. Click the Touch keyboard section to expand it. The options for when the keyboard appears are now visible. On most builds, Show the touch keyboard lets you choose Never, When no keyboard attached or Always.
5. Look for any option that controls the keyboard size or layout and choose your preferred style. Some builds don’t list the layout here. If yours doesn’t, use the second method below.

That’s it for the Settings route. You now control when the touch keyboard appears, and on builds that list a layout option, which style it uses.

Second, change the layout directly while the touch keyboard is open. This method works on every build:

1. Tap inside any text box to make the touch keyboard appear. If it doesn’t show up on a desktop PC, set Show the touch keyboard to Always as described above.
2. Tap the Settings icon (a small gear) in the top-left corner of the touch keyboard. A menu pops up.
3. Select Keyboard layout from that menu. Icons for the available layouts appear.
4. Choose your preferred layout icon: Default, Small, Split or Traditional. The keyboard changes its appearance immediately.

That’s it. The touch keyboard now uses the layout you picked. To undo the change, repeat the same steps and pick the layout you had before. Windows remembers your last choice.

Third, and optionally, add a keyboard icon to the taskbar so you can open the keyboard whenever you want:

1. Open Settings › Personalization › Taskbar.
2. Expand Taskbar corner icons. A list of icons you can show in the taskbar🖥️ corner appears.
3. Next to Touch keyboard, choose Always, When no keyboard attached or Never.

You should now see a keyboard icon in the taskbar corner, near the clock, unless you chose Never. Tap it to open the touch keyboard. Set the option back to Never to remove the icon.

Customizing Keyboard Themes, Sizes, and Transparency

Themes, size and key appearance are not on the Typing page. They live under Personalization. Changing them makes the keys more readable and more comfortable to press on a touchscreen.

1. Open the Settings⚙️ app using the Start menu⊞ or the Win plus I.
2. Click Personalization in the left-hand menu. The personalization options appear on the right.

3. On the right side of the screen, click Touch keyboard. On newer Windows 11 builds this page may be called Text input instead. It is the same page with the same controls.
4. Look at the preview of your current keyboard and the pre-made themes beside it.
5. Click a theme to apply it. The preview and the real keyboard update right away. Choices include dark themes, bright colorful themes, and themes with custom background images.
6. Scroll down and drag the keyboard size (scale) slider to make the keyboard bigger or smaller.
7. Toggle Key background on or off. With it on, each key gets its own backing, so the keys stand out against your background.

That’s it. The touch keyboard now has the theme, size and key style you chose. If a theme makes the keys hard to read, go back and select the default theme, or drag the size slider back to its original position. Nothing here needs a restart.

Advanced Tip: Adding and Switching Multiple Typing Languages

To type in another language, add it under Time & language. Windows then pairs the touch keyboard layout with the right dictionary and lets you switch languages quickly.

1. Open the Settings⚙️ app and click Time & language.
2. Click Language & region.
3. Under Preferred languages, click the Add a language button. A window opens with a list of languages.

4. Type the name of the language into the search🔍 box, select it from the results and click Next.
5. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the💿 language pack. If the installer offers a checkbox for basic typing, leave it checked so you get the keyboard. The download needs an internet connection and can take a minute or two.
6. Once the language is installed, click the language abbreviation (for example, ENG) at the bottom-right of the taskbar🖥️ to switch between languages. Pressing the Win plus the Spacebar does the same. The touch keyboard keys change to match the language you pick.

You should now have a second language installed, with a matching touch keyboard layout ready to use. To remove a language you no longer need, go back to Language & region, open the menu next to that language and choose to remove it.

Unique Expert Tip: Creating Shortcuts and Using Voice Typing with Your Custom Layout

Before you start, know what it needs. Voice typing (Win plus H) uses online speech recognition, so it needs an internet connection. The Online speech recognition privacy setting must also be turned on, which you can check under Settings › Privacy & security › Speech. A working microphone is required as well.

1. Tap inside any text box to bring up your touch keyboard.
2. Tap the Microphone icon at the top-left of the touch keyboard. On a physical keyboard, press the Win plus H instead. A small voice typing panel appears and shows when it is listening.
3. Speak clearly into your computer’s microphone. Windows transcribes your words into text in real time.
4. Tap the microphone icon again, or press the same shortcut, to stop listening.

That’s it. You can now dictate text into any text box. If nothing is transcribed, check that the microphone is connected and not muted, that the internet connection is working, and that Online speech recognition is on.

Combining the Split layout for thumb typing with voice typing makes a fast mobile setup for answering emails, writing documents and chatting on the go.

Summary

Customizing the Windows 11 touch keyboard lets you control how you type on a touchscreen. You can change the layout, adjust the theme and size, add languages and use voice typing. Set these options in Settings and on the keyboard itself to match your device and your daily typing routine.