For Seniors: Make Your Laptop Keyboard Easier to Use

Laptop keyboards are often difficult to type on. Through its Ease of Access Center, Windows 7 lets you modify how you interact with your keyboard, in order to make it easier to avoid problems such as accidental or multiple keypresses.

1. Choose Start→Control Panel→Ease of Access and then click the Change How Your Keyboard Works link.

   The Make the Keyboard Easier to Use dialog box appears.

   

2. To control your cursor using the arrow keys, select the Turn on Mouse Keys option.

   If you turn on this setting, click the Set Up Mouse Keys link to specify settings for this feature.

3. To make it easier to create keystroke combinations (such as Ctrl+Alt+Delete), select the Turn on Sticky Keys option.

   Sticky Keys allows you to press the keys in a combination one at a time, rather than simultaneously.

4. To have Windows play a sound when you press Caps Lock, Num Lock, or Scroll Lock, select the Turn on Toggle Keys option.

   This is a good option for people who find that they accidentally press these locking keys by mistake.

5. To have Windows ignore repeat keystrokes, select the Turn on Filter Keys option.

   If you sometimes press a key very lightly or press it so hard that it activates twice, you can use this setting to adjust repeat rates to account for that. Use the Set Up Filter Keys link to fine-tune settings after turning on this option.

6. To make menus and dialog boxes easier to use, select the Underline Keyboard Shortcuts and Access Keys option.

   Windows underlines keyboard shortcuts and access keys on menus and in dialog boxes so you can select options using the keyboard rather than the mouse. Simply press Alt plus the underlined letter to activate the menu or control you want.

7. To prevent windows from automatically snapping to the edge of the screen, select the Prevent Windows from Being Automatically Arranged When Moved to the Edge of the Screen option.

   The option prevents windows from shifting automatically when you move them close to the edge of your screen.

8. To save the new settings, click OK, and then click the Close button to close the Ease of Access Center.

You can click the Learn about Additional Assistive Technologies Online link to go the Microsoft web site and discover add-on and third-party programs that might help you if you have a visual, hearing, or input-related challenge.