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To open the handwriting panel in Windows 11, open the touch keyboard, select its Keyboard settings icon, then choose Handwriting panel. You can write with a pen or, if fingertip writing is enabled, your finger.

Open the handwriting panel

  1. Tap the text box where you want to enter text. On a touchscreen, the touch keyboard may appear automatically. If it does not, select the Touch keyboard icon in the taskbar system tray.

  2. On the touch keyboard, select the Keyboard settings icon in the upper-left corner.

  3. Select Handwriting panel. The keyboard switches to a writing area where you can enter text with a pen or fingertip. Microsoft’s touch keyboard guidance describes the layout and its input options.

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Show the Touch keyboard icon if it is missing

You can make the taskbar button available through the Windows 11 taskbar settings:

  1. Right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.

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  2. Open Personalization > Taskbar > System tray icons.

  3. Set Touch keyboard to Always or When no keyboard attached, then select its taskbar icon to open the touch keyboard. Microsoft documents these visibility options in its touch keyboard instructions.

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Always keeps the icon available whether or not a physical keyboard is attached. When no keyboard attached shows it only when no wired, wireless, or Bluetooth keyboard is connected. Never hides the icon and disables the touch keyboard through this control.

Enable writing with your fingertip

If you want to write directly on the panel with a finger, open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Pen & Windows Ink. Expand Handwriting, then select Write with your fingertip. The handwriting layout also accepts a pen.

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Handwriting panel vs. On-Screen Keyboard

The handwriting panel is a layout inside the touch keyboard; it is not a separate keyboard app. The On-Screen Keyboard (OSK) is a different accessibility tool and does not require a touchscreen. To open the OSK, go to Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard. That route opens the OSK, not the touch keyboard’s handwriting layout. See Microsoft’s OSK instructions.

Windows key + H opens the dictation toolbar for speech input; it does not open the handwriting panel.

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If the steps look different

Windows settings labels and when the touch keyboard appears can vary with device state and software release. Microsoft’s support instructions cover Windows 11, but do not list build-specific exceptions. If a label differs on your device, search Settings for touch keyboard or Pen & Windows Ink. Microsoft also documents touch keyboard taskbar customization in its Windows taskbar guidance.

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