An unavailable physical keyboard does not always prevent a short Windows task. The built-in On-Screen Keyboard can accept input from a mouse or another pointing device, without requiring a touchscreen.

This is a temporary input route, not a reason to keep using a recently wet laptop. If keys stopped after a spill, power down and arrange an assessment rather than continuing input tests on potentially damaged hardware.

Open the keyboard and check its layout

In Windows 11, select Settings, Accessibility, Keyboard and turn on On-Screen Keyboard. At the sign-in screen, the Accessibility button in the lower-right corner provides the same tool.

If you see navigation keys but no letters, choose General. Microsoft documents separate Nav and General layouts, and the last-used choice persists when the keyboard is closed. Reopening it does not necessarily restore the letter keys.

In Options, choose Click on keys for deliberate selection. Hover over keys is another method, but it enters a character after the selected delay; try it only when that behaviour fits your needs. The Options panel can also enable a numeric keypad.

Check ordinary text before an important entry

Open a harmless text field and enter a short sentence with a capital letter, a space and punctuation. Correct one character and verify the result. This checks the selected layout and input method without exposing a real password in a visible test field.

For sign-in, use the normal protected password field and keep the screen private. An on-screen keyboard changes how keys are selected; it does not make a shared screen or compromised computer trustworthy.

After the immediate task, record which physical keys or device were unavailable and whether the on-screen method worked. That comparison is useful repair information, but it does not identify the keyboard, connector or software as the definite cause.

Sources: Microsoft On-Screen Keyboard.