A little known feature of Microsoft Windows XP is the ‘On Screen keyboard’ (or OSK for short).
The OSK was primarily developed for users with disability problems who sometimes find it difficult to use a conventional keyboard. However, the OSK can also be useful for those who have suffered keyboard failure as it does still allow them to use their PC’s in a limited fashion, and for the security minded it can avoid keystrokes being tracked by a keylogger.
To access the OSK
- Click the Start button and select All Programs from the menu.
- Select Accessories and then Accessibility
- From the Accessibility list select On Screen keyboard
For easy access a shortcut can be created, simply right click an empty area of the desktop, select New shortcut type OSK.exe in to the location dialog and click Next, name the Shortcut and you’re done.
