Customise on-screen keyboard

Question

How would one go about customising the on-screen keyboard on a Microsoft Surface Pro? I've noticed that it doesn't have an alt or Esc key and I can't think of any good reason why those keys, among others, should not be there. In particular I want to use keys such as [ and ]. Also there are no up and down arrow keys.

I already have a type cover but sometimes I'd like to use those keys without having the type cover attached.

Ideally I'd like a way to enable those missing keys and perhaps to remove the ones that I don't want, such as the emoticon key.

Solution 1

Windows 8 has several different views of the keyboard. Sounds like you just need to change to a different one. Here's the MS site for touch keyboards that I'll be explaining about.

In the bottom-right corner of the standard OSK (on-screen keyboard), there is an icon that looks like a keyboard for changing the style of keyboard. Notice the slightly different icon in the bottom-right corner of the second example OSK .

(My apologies if MS decides to change the link locations.)

Solution 2

Although this doesn't answer the question specifically, it addresses the issue the OP is unable to use some of the standard keys present in the physical keyboard but missing in the Windows 8 standard onscreen keyboard.

Answer is reported at http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfpro-surfhardware/key-board-has-no-up-or-down-arrow/bf67308d-69c8-4afb-84bb-353ea2a88ba6:

"open pc settings in the settings charm select general scroll to touch keyboard enable "make the standard keyboard (...)"

When you invoke the onscreen keyboard options in the system bar, you will have a fourth layout available to you which presents all the keys found on the physical keyboard.

Comments

[user88311]

I'll look into it more, not that experienced with tablets/windows 8.

[fixer1234]

Please don't post an answer to confirm that another answer worked. The site's Q&A format reserves answers for solutions to the question, and each answer should contribute another solution. The way to indicate that an answer was useful is to invest a little time in the site and you will gain sufficient privileges to upvote answers you like. With a little more rep, you will also be abler to post a comment that a solution also works for another version of the OS.

[Ramhound]

@user1863152 This appears to be commentary indicating you also have the problem. Please edit your answer, to include the solutation you recomend the author take, to resolve the problem.

[CJBS]

"(My apologies if MS decides to change the link locations.)" -- looks like it's happened :-)