How can we use Touch Keyboard Windows 7 tabtip.exe with Windows 8?

Question

Is there a way that the touch keyboard tabtip.exe (not on-screen keyboard osk.exe) to be programmed in windows 8 to operate like the windows 7 touch keyboard tabtip.exe?

I find the win7 touchscreen keyboard can be reduced in size smaller than the win8 version. Also a small "keyboard" icon automatically appears near a text field when I hover my cursor over a text input field. When I click on that icon the touch keyboard appears allowing me to type. When I move to another area of the display, the touch screen keyboard disappears. How nice that Win7 version is for my use!

In Win8, the tabtip.exe touch keyboard does not have the ability to be a smaller size like the win7 tabtip.exe.

Does anyone any suggestions for a smaller touch screen keyboard for my pc tablet? Or is there a way I can use a third-party type that can make a touch keyboard appear automatically when I insert my cursor into a text input field (such as username input fields)?

Answer 1

You are making win8 unusable as a tabletPC, and persisting in gutting a useful and essential feature for working with pen-only input leaves no option but a return to win7 ...until  you folks come to your senses.

Answer 2

Yes. Please keep us in touch. Why does MS have to screw with the good instead of just fixing the bad?

Answer 3

I just pulled several registry keys from windows 7 Pro related to tabtip.exe (virtual machine) and dropped the whole thing into a win8.1 pro (actual machine - samsung series 7 slate)... I don't know how, but I can tell that I need more files from windows 7 to be ported to win8.1.

i managed to disable the OEM win8 screen keyboard in order to test the old tablet input panel. Windows went to a cyclone of BSoD :'(

I'll try to test it again with a win8.1 preview edition. it's a lot easier to acquire ownership of just about any system file I want.

Answer 4

I agree. Windows 8 is unusable in tablet form without this being fixed.  You cant type text to web browse at all.  I am going to return my tablet due to this.  Sorry if i missed this but did anyone try a direct replacement of tabtip.exe from w7 to W8?

Answer 5

PLEASE: For WIN 8.1 REINSTATE WIN 7-LIKE PEN-INPUT FUNCTIONALITY. It is Superior. Win 8 is supposed to be about touch (and pen) but requires more steps to input pen or keyboard in the desktop.

Thank you.