This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable opening the handwriting panel or touch keyboard with a pen when no keyboard is attached for your account in Windows 11.
The touch keyboard in Windows 11 includes a handwriting panel layout you can use to enter text with a pen or your finger.
When you tap a text field with a pen when a physical keyboard isn't attached for tablet and 2in1 devices, it will open the handwriting panel or touch keyboard to input text by default.
Contents
- Option One: Enable or Disable Open Handwriting Panel or Touch Keyboard with Pen in Settings
- Option Two: Enable or Disable Open Handwriting Panel or Touch Keyboard with Pen using REG file
EXAMPLE: Touch keyboard and handwriting panel
1 Open Settings (Win+I).
2 Click/tap on Bluetooth & devices on the left side, and click/tap on Pen & Windows Ink on the right side. (see screenshot below)
3 Click/tap on Use your handwriting to enter text to expand it open. (see screenshot below step 4)
4 Select When a physical keyboard isn't attached (default - enable) or Never (disable) for what you want in the When I tap a text field with my pen, use the handwriting panel or touch keyboard to input text drop menu.
5 You can now close Settings if you like.
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
2 Enable "When I tap a text field with my pen, use the handwriting panel or touch keyboard to input text"
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Enable_tap_text_field_with_pen_to_open_handwriting_panel_when_no_keyboard_attached.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\TabletTip\1.7]
"EnableDesktopModePenAutoInvoke"=dword:000000013 Disable "When I tap a text field with my pen, use the handwriting panel or touch keyboard to input text"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Disable_tap_text_field_with_pen_to_open_handwriting_panel.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\TabletTip\1.7]
"EnableDesktopModePenAutoInvoke"=dword:000000004 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
