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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →To use more than one keyboard language in Windows 11, add the layouts you need under Settings > Time & language > Language & region, then switch between them from the taskbar or with Windows logo key + Space. The separate Advanced keyboard settings page controls whether Windows shows the taskbar input icon or the older desktop language bar. A keyboard layout does not change the language of Windows menus.
Keyboard layout, language pack, display language, and IME: what changes?
These settings solve different problems. A keyboard layout determines how key presses produce characters. A language pack adds language features and may include capabilities such as displaying Windows in that language. The display language controls the Windows interface. An input method editor (IME) supports language-specific typing and composition, such as choosing or converting characters.
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You can add a keyboard layout without changing the Windows display language, and a full language pack is not always required for a layout. Microsoft notes that changing a layout only changes the layout, not the Windows display language. Microsoft explains the distinction and layout controls here.
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- Open Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
- Under Preferred languages, find the language associated with the layout. Select its three-dot menu, then choose Language options.
- Under Keyboards, check whether the layout is already installed. If it is not, select Add a keyboard and choose the layout.
- If the layout is missing from the current language’s list, check the language that matches the layout. You may need to add that language first.
To add a language, use Add a language beside Preferred languages, choose the language, and select the features you want in the installation dialog. An internet connection is needed to download language features. Installing a language and setting it as the Windows display language are separate choices; if you change the display language, Windows asks you to sign out for the change to take effect. Some Windows editions may limit which display languages are available. See Microsoft’s Windows language-pack guidance.
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Switch between installed layouts
- Taskbar: Select the input-language icon, then select the layout you want.
- Keyboard shortcut: Press Windows logo key + Space to cycle through installed layouts. The taskbar icon indicates the active input.
If Windows logo key + Space does nothing, first check whether at least two layouts are installed. With only one layout, there is nothing to switch to.
Choose the taskbar icon or desktop language bar
Advanced keyboard settings controls which switcher Windows displays. Open Settings > Time & language > Typing > Advanced keyboard settings. Under Switching input methods, clear Use the desktop language bar when it’s available to use the taskbar input icon. Leave the option selected to use the legacy desktop language bar when available. Select Language bar options on the same page for additional settings for that bar.
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If the taskbar input icon is missing, check whether the legacy desktop language bar is enabled; using it hides the taskbar icon. Microsoft’s language and keyboard settings instructions cover both switcher behaviors.
Use an IME for language-specific typing
For some languages, selecting a keyboard layout is only part of the setup. An IME provides language-specific input modes and may offer composition, conversion, or word-dictionary tools. Install and select a supported IME language, then use its taskbar options icon to choose a mode or open its settings. The available controls depend on the language.
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Japanese IME example
Microsoft’s Japanese IME documentation describes choices including Hiragana and full-width or half-width Katakana, along with settings and an Add Word feature for adding words to the IME dictionary. It also documents an optional cloud-suggestion setting that uses Bing to help predict what the user will write. Other IME languages may expose different modes and options. See Microsoft’s guide to advanced input methods for East Asian languages.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check the input layout before signing in
Changing the Windows display language may also change the selected keyboard layout. Before entering a password at the sign-in screen, check the input icon and confirm the active layout; otherwise, keys may produce different characters than expected. Changing a keyboard layout by itself does not change the Windows interface language.
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Fix common setup problems
- The shortcut does not switch layouts: Confirm that two or more keyboard layouts are installed.
- The layout is not listed: Open Language options for the language that matches the layout. If needed, add that language and install the required features.
- The taskbar input icon is absent: Review Advanced keyboard settings and the legacy desktop language bar option.
- Typing looks different after changing display language: Check the active layout, including at the sign-in screen, because the selected keyboard may have changed along with the display language.
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