In Windows 11, add a keyboard layout under Settings > Time & language > Language & region, then switch layouts from the taskbar input icon or with Windows logo key + Spacebar. A layout changes how keystrokes produce characters; it does not, by itself, change Windows’ display language.
How to add a keyboard layout in Windows 11
- Open Start > Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
- Find the language associated with the layout you want, select its … menu, then choose Language options.
- Under Keyboards, inspect the installed layouts first. If the one you need is not listed, select Add a keyboard and choose it.
- If the layout is not available under that language, check the options for the language that matches the layout. Install that language if necessary, then look under its Keyboards section.
A full language pack matching a keyboard layout is not always required: Windows may make layouts for other languages available under a language you already have installed. Adding a layout is separate from changing the Windows display language. See Microsoft’s Windows language and keyboard settings guide.
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How to switch between installed layouts
Use the taskbar
Select the input language icon in the taskbar or system tray, then choose the layout you want from the menu. The icon indicates the active input layout.
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Use keyboard shortcuts
- Windows logo key + Spacebar: cycle forward through installed input options.
- Windows logo key + Shift + Spacebar: cycle backward through input options.
- Windows logo key + Ctrl + Spacebar: switch to a previously selected input option.
The forward and backward switching shortcuts are documented by Microsoft’s Windows keyboard shortcuts guide. If Windows logo key + Spacebar appears to do nothing, check Language options: only one keyboard layout may be installed.
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Keyboard layout versus Windows display language
A keyboard layout determines which characters are produced by the keys you press. The Windows display language controls the language used for Windows interface text. Changing a layout does not change the display language, as Microsoft Support explains. Changing the display language is a separate action and may also change the keyboard layout. Before entering a password at sign-in, confirm that the active layout is the one you expect.
How to remove a keyboard layout
- Go to Start > Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
- Open the … menu for the relevant language and select Language options.
- Under Keyboards, select the layout and choose Remove.
The layout may be listed under the current display language or under the language that matches it. If Remove is unavailable, the selected layout may be the only installed keyboard for the current Windows display language. Add another layout before trying to remove it.
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What to do if the taskbar input icon is missing
Turn on the Input Indicator
Open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Turn system icons on or off and make sure Input Indicator is on.
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If the icon is still missing, open Advanced keyboard settings and clear Use the desktop language bar when it’s available. The desktop language bar is an alternative to the taskbar indicator; if you prefer using it, you can leave the setting enabled.
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