How to Manage the Display of Additional Keys Pressed When Using a Pen in Windows 11 When using a stylus on a Windows computer, you can choose whether or not to show extra on-screen keys as you write. For some users, seeing those visual cues makes things clearer and more accessible. For others, it can feel distracting, and they would rather keep the screen clean. In this video, we'll quickly walk through how this feature works and help you decide whether it's right for you. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne's IT Video Hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this. Prerequisites to Keep in Mind The Windows Settings menu gives users a simple, visual way to manage this feature, but for advanced users and IT administrators, there are more powerful options. Before we get started, here are a few prerequisites: This guide applies to all Windows 11 computers, and if you're working in an enterprise setting, having some familiarity with the Registry Editor or PowerShell is recommended, especially in enterprise environments. Method 1: Configure via Settings This approach is perfect for anyone who prefers managing settings through a clean, user-friendly interface. Open Start > Settings. Go to Bluetooth & devices > Pen & Windows Ink. Select Additional pen settings. Turn “Display additional keys pressed when using my pen” on or off. When it’s on, you’ll see keys like Shift, Ctrl, Alt, and Win as you press them. When it’s off, these visuals won’t appear. You can now close Settings, your changes apply right away. Method 2: Modify via Registry Editor This method is intended for advanced users or IT administrators in managed environments. Open the Start Menu, search for Registry Editor, and open it. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\Windows\Pen Locate the PenKeySuppress value, and double click it. If it doesn’t exist, right click Pen, Select New > DWORD, 32-bit Value and name it PenKeySuppress. Set the value: 1 = show additional keys when pressed. 0 = disable the feature. Click OK, then close the Registry Editor. Restart your computer to apply the changes. Method 3: Modify via Windows PowerShell This method works well in enterprise environments. You can deploy the script to all managed devices using your remote PowerShell tool. Open the Start Menu, search for Windows PowerShell. Right-click it and Run as administrator. To enable the feature, enter this command: To disable PenKeySuppress, enter this command: Restart the computer to apply the changes. Users can choose whether to display additional keys pressed when using a pen in Windows 11. This feature can improve accessibility and visual clarity, though some may find the indicators distracting. IT administrators can manage this setting across devices to ensure they align with organizational policies. For more information, check out our official blog post on managing pen settings in Windows 11, linked in the description below.