osk.exe

Windows ProcessMicrosoft Corporation

Also called osk, on-screen keyboard, on screen keyboard

WindowsSystem Component

On-Screen Keyboard. It is the accessibility keyboard in System32. It is not TabTip.exe, the touch keyboard.

What you need to know

osk is the accessibility on-screen keyboard, not TabTip.

osk.exe is Ease of Access On-Screen Keyboard. TabTip.exe is the Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel under Common Files\ink. Ending osk does not dismiss TabTip. The reverse is also true.

Safe?: Yes, in System32
Same as TabTip?: No. TabTip is the touch keyboard
Can I end it?: The accessibility keyboard hides

Feex says

If the floating accessibility keyboard is stuck, I end osk. I do not kill TabTip unless the tablet touch keyboard is the one on screen.

What is osk.exe?

osk is the accessibility on-screen keyboard, not TabTip. System32\osk.exe is Ease of Access. TabTip.exe is the finger keyboard in the ink folder. Swapping those names is wrong.

What does it do?

It shows a clickable keyboard for accessibility or a missing physical keyboard. It does not host handwriting the way TabTip does.

Why is it running?

You turned On-Screen Keyboard on, pressed a hotkey, or a kiosk policy started it. Tablet mode by itself usually starts TabTip, not osk.

Is it safe?

Usually safe

System32 osk.exe is Microsoft. An osk.exe in a "keyboard skin" zip is not. This is still not TabTip.exe.

A legitimate copy normally runs from:

C:\Windows\System32\osk.exe

Ease of Access On-Screen Keyboard
Touch keyboard: Common Files\microsoft shared\ink\TabTip.exe
Expected publisher: Microsoft Corporation

Can I end it?

Hides the accessibility keyboard

Ending osk.exe closes On-Screen Keyboard. TabTip can stay. Turning the feature off in Accessibility is the lasting switch.

Can I remove it?

Do not delete osk.exe. Turn On-Screen Keyboard off under Accessibility. Uninstalling "touch keyboard" components does not remove this System32 file, and you should not delete System32.

Should it start with Windows?

Accessibility can start it at sign-in. That is not TabTip's touch-keyboard setting.

Normal resource behavior

These are contextual labels, not universal averages.

CPU: Low
Memory: Small
Disk: Low
Network: None

File information

osk.exe file information
Executable name	osk.exe
Common legitimate path	C:\Windows\System32\osk.exe
Publisher	Microsoft Corporation
Signature expectation	Signed by Microsoft Windows

Common problems

Keyboard covers the screen after they ended TabTip

They hid the touch keyboard. This accessibility OSK is a different window. End osk or toggle it in Accessibility.

A kiosk still shows osk after they disabled the touch keyboard icon

Taskbar touch keyboard is TabTip. OSK is Ease of Access. Two switches.

Troubleshooting

Diagnose before you change anything destructive.

Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard > On-screen keyboard

That toggle is this exe. Time & language > Typing > Touch keyboard is TabTip.

If both keyboards appear, close them by name

osk.exe vs TabTip.exe in Task Manager. Do not delete either file from System32 or the ink folder.

Technical details

osk.exe technical details
Image name	osk.exe
Role	Ease of Access On-Screen Keyboard

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Microsoft Support: On-Screen Keyboard · osk.exe is the accessibility keyboard
Microsoft Learn: touch keyboard · TabTip is the touch keyboard, not OSK
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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