News
Google Chrome enhances pen input on Windows for easier browsing
Top 3 Key Points:
- Native Handwriting Input: Chrome will soon allow direct pen input in text fields on Windows, eliminating the need for extra handwriting software.
- Improved User Experience: This feature will benefit users with pen-enabled devices like Microsoft Surface, Lenovo Yoga, and HP Spectre x360.
- Ongoing Development: Google is actively working on this update, though the exact release date is still unknown.
Google is making surfing the web with a stylus more convenient for Windows users. In its continuous effort to improve the Chrome browser, Google is now focusing on enhancing pen input, a feature that will be especially useful for those who own devices that support pen input.
Currently, you can navigate and interact with Chrome using a stylus, but writing directly into text fields often requires additional handwriting recognition software. Google plans to change this by integrating better native support for handwritten input directly into Chrome on Windows.
This improvement is powered by the Windows Text Services Framework (TSF) Shell Handwriting API. This interface enables Chrome to recognize handwritten text and insert it directly into text fields without needing a keyboard. For example, when filling out forms or taking notes in a web app, you won’t have to switch between your pen and keyboard anymore.
With this upcoming feature, users will be able to write directly in text fields using their stylus. Chrome will detect where the pen is placed and convert the handwritten input into text using the TSF API, automatically displaying it in the text field.
This update will be particularly beneficial for users of devices such as the Microsoft Surface, Lenovo Yoga, or HP Spectre x360. However, any Windows 10 or Windows 11 device with pen support will be able to take advantage of this new Chrome feature.
The exact timing for when this improved pen input will be available in a stable version of Chrome is still uncertain. However, given Google’s consistent updates to its browser, users likely won’t have to wait long to enjoy this new functionality.