How to Enable and Use Handwriting Input on Windows 10

Published 2018-07-15

Windows 10 offers us an intuitive environment. The more we use it the more we get to explore new features. So how many of you were aware that we could use handwriting input on Windows 10? Yes, imagining that we could use something other than mouse to navigate Windows 10 is a rare thought. Well, a handwriting keyboard allows you to enter text into any application with a pen or other stylus. You can either use a graphic pen or touch screen controls to use handwriting input on Windows 10.

Guess, it’s time to skip the traditional way of typing using a keyboard and express your cursive style of writing. Let’s try something new and explore how to use handwriting input on Windows 10.

Let’s see how to enable handwriting input on Windows 10.

How to Enable Handwriting Input on Windows 10

Before we proceed any further, first enable touch keyboard on Windows. To do so right click on taskbar and tap on “Show touch keyboard button”.

You will now see a new keyboard icon on right corner of taskbar. Tap on that icon to launch touch keyboard.

This is what touch keyboard on Windows 10 actually looks like. You can use it once in a while if you feel like skipping the traditional way of typing i.e. using keyboard.

Next, tap on that tiny keyboard icon on bottom right, a pop-up menu will appear. Select the pen and piece of paper icon to enable handwriting input on Windows 10.

Once you activate the handwriting keyboard, it’ll eat up almost the entire space of your screen. To shrink it down tap the “Undock” button on left of the “x” on the top right corner of window. Also, touch the title bar of handwriting window to place it anywhere on screen at a suitable position.

Now to stuff words inside this box you can either use a graphic pen or mouse or touchscreen. The text translation of what you wrote will be displayed in a dialog box right above it. As soon as you’ll start writing text, Windows will automatically detect your hand-written text and offer you suggestions based on that.

You can also press the Delete arrow to erase what you’ve written to start afresh.

Once you have accurately written a text, tap the enter key to submit it to system. Say you’re using handwriting input on search engine then you can tap the enter key to submit your request.

How to Make Recognition Better?

Well, only a few of us are blessed with a perfect handwriting but for those who have a bad writing don’t be disheartened. If you think Windows is having a hard time detecting your hand-written text then here’s an easy way how we can make recognition better. We just have to teach Windows 10 about writing patterns so that you don’t have to face any headaches in future.

Here’s what you need to do.

Right Click on start menu and open Control Panel.
Under “Clock, Language and Region” broad category, tap on “Language” option.
Right next to your preferred language, tap the respective “Options” button on right.
A new handwriting personalization window will appear on screen.
Here you will see two options:

Target specific recognition errors: This will allow Windows to understand how you write specific words and shape.
Teach the Recognizer your Handwriting Style: In this option Windows will offer you a few sentences and will ask you it write them in your own writing style to understand it better.