Automatic keyboard layout windows 10

There are times when you may need to change your keyboard layout in Windows, such as when you need to type something in a foreign language. You can easily change your keyboard layout from Russian to English, US to UK by changing a few settings in Control Panel. You can do this by changing the settings. Changing it is very easy using the panel that automatically appears when you add another language.

Changing the keyboard layout

Open Control Panel and click Language.

Click the "Add" button.

Windows 10 has a much better interface compared to Windows 7 and earlier versions. You will see certain symbols in the preview.

Select your language and click the "Add" button at the bottom. You should now see it installed. You may also receive some messages as the system installs necessary files.

You can click "Options" to download the required package. You can also add additional input methods.

Using the language bar.

When you install a new language, the language bar is automatically enabled. This is really useful for quickly switching in Windows. You probably won't be typing in one language in the app, so the panel makes it easy to switch.

You will see a language bar in the taskbar with letters to represent it. If you click on it, a list will appear and you can simply click on another language to select it.

You can now open an application such as Word, select your language, and start typing. You should see characters appear as you type.

Using hotkeys

Windows 10 allows you to enable a keyboard shortcut that lets you cycle through all your input languages. The OS also allows you to switch to a specific keyboard layout using a keyboard shortcut. This is an added feature of the Language Bar, but it is not enabled by default, even if the Language Bar itself is enabled. Here's how to enable a keyboard shortcut to change your keyboard layout.

Make sure you have added at least two keyboard layouts. Remember that layouts are different from input languages. Open Control Panel and go to Control Panel > Clock, Language, and Region > Language and click "Advanced settings" in the sidebar. In the Advanced Options window, scroll down to the Switch input methods section and click Change keyboard shortcuts.

The Languages ​​and Text Input Services window opens. Here you can see the shortcut to toggle and below the different keyboard shortcuts you've added.

All you have to do to switch keyboard layouts is enter the appropriate key combination. If you are looking for a way to change the keyboard shortcut to change the input language, you can do so from the same window. Click "Switch input language" and click "Change keyboard shortcut." Select a different key combination from the listed presets. The keyboard shortcut options to change are limited and you may want to stick with the standard ones.

If your native language is not English, then when working with a computer you will have to regularly change the keyboard layout from your native language to English and vice versa. In this article we will talk about how to change the layout in the Windows 10 operating system, as well as how to configure the layout change in such a way that it is as convenient as possible.

Standard way to change keyboard layout

By default, in order to change the keyboard layout in Windows 10, two key combinations are used. These are the key combinations:

  • Alt-Shift;
  • Windows spacebar.

If you haven't changed any settings, then you can change the keyboard layout using either of these two key combinations. If the settings have changed in the past, then most likely only the Windows + Spacebar combination will work for you, since the second key combination has been changed. In addition, you can always switch the keyboard layout using the mouse. To do this, you need to left-click on the language icon in the lower right corner of the screen and select the layout you need in the menu that appears.

Changing keyboard layout settings

If the key combinations described above do not suit you or you want to change the list of languages ​​available for typing, then you can change the settings through the “Control Panel”. To do this, first open the Start menu and enter “ ” into the search query. After that, open the desktop application you found.

After opening the “Control Panel”, you need to go to the “Change input method” settings section.

This will take you to a window with a list of available languages ​​for keyboard input.

To add an additional language to the list, click on the “Add language” button and select the desired language from the list that appears.

In order to delete one of the languages, select it with the mouse and click on the “Delete” button.

You can also change the order of languages ​​in the list. To do this, select the language and click on the “Up” or “Down” button.

In order to change the key combination with which you change the keyboard layout, you need to go to the “Advanced options” subsection. The link to this subsection is to the left of the list of languages.

After this, you will see a large list of additional parameters. Here you need to click on the link “Change language bar keyboard shortcuts”.

As a result, a small window will appear in which you can select a key combination to change the keyboard layout in Windows 10.

Select the desired key combination and close all windows by clicking on the “Ok” button to save the settings.

This time we will look at the problem when the language on the keyboard with Windows 10 does not switch and what to do in this case.

This problem is common. The cause of the problem lies in a damaged system file or incorrect system settings. Therefore, we suggest considering ways to solve the problem.

Ways to solve the problem with the keyboard layout

If on a computer running Windows 10 you cannot switch from Russian to English or vice versa, it is worth checking the ctfmon.exe file for functionality. It is he who is responsible for displaying the language bar and its functioning. To do this, go to the “C/Windows/System32” drive and find the “ctfmon.exe” file.

We run the file and look at the result. You may need to restart your system and scan your PC for viruses.

It is also worth noting that the layout does not change if the same file is missing from startup. To do this, do the following:

  • Find the file "ctfmon.exe". Right-click on it and select "Copy".

  • Next, go to the address: “C:/Users/Username/AppDate/Roaming/Microsoft/Windows/Main Menu/Programs/Startup”. Right-click on an empty space and select “Paste.”

  • Reboot the PC.

If after these manipulations the switching still does not work, you should make a change to the registry. To do this we do the following:

  • Press “Win+R” and enter “regedit”.

  • The registry will open. Go to the branch “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Run”. Let's see if there is a parameter in the "Run" directory with the value "ctfmon.exe". If it is not there, right-click on an empty space and select “Create”, “String parameter”.

  • Give the parameter any name. We enter the value “ctfmon”=”CTFMON.EXE” (quotes are required!).

  • Save the parameter. Close all windows and reboot the system.

You can also change the registry value by creating a .reg file with the following content:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

"CTFMON.EXE"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\ctfmon.exe"

After running the file, the layout will change as usual. If the Russian language is not available, you will have to download the language pack and make changes to the keyboard layout settings.

To learn how to change the keys to change the language using the keyboard layout, watch the video:

“How to change the keyboard layout on Windows 10?” – this question is asked quite often. In this article we will try to describe in detail and answer basic questions about how to change the language, keyboard layout and keyboard shortcuts.

How to switch keyboard layout in Windows 10

During the installation process or when you turn on a Windows 10 device for the first time, the user is given a choice of keyboard language. Most often we choose the language corresponding to the installed system - Russian. It becomes the main language, and English becomes a secondary language. To add a new language layout, you need to add it to the system.

To do this, follow these steps:

  • Opening OptionsWindows.
  • Go to the menu Time and Language.
  • Click on Add language.
  • Select the required package and install it.

Select keyboard layout

The system uses the keyboard shortcut Shift+Alt to change the default language. You can also change the key combination in Windows 10 to change the keyboard layout to Ctrl + Shift. To do this, open Options and do the following:

  • Open the settings Devices and select a tab Enter
  • Choose Additional keyboard options
  • Then we go to Language bar options
  • Next, a window familiar to all of us opens Text input languages ​​and services, where you can already change the keyboard shortcuts.

Previously, changing the keyboard shortcut could be done in Control panels, but, as we all know, Microsoft has set its sights on moving everything from Control panels V OptionsWindows and successfully implemented part of her plan in build 1803. On the one hand, many people do not really like such changes, since the old interface was convenient, logical and easy to remember. On the other hand, system developers not only transfer, but add and rework previously created options for system development.

Note! Regardless of your choice, there is an alternative keyboard shortcut that is always available - Win+Space. When you hold down the key Win and press Space, a small panel will appear where you can see the language switching.

Configure automatic keyboard layout switching in Windows 10

Often we enter text, and then look at the monitor and notice that we forgot to switch the layout. I have to reprint everything again. You can configure automatic switching for each window.

For example, in Google Chrome you write a letter in English and at the same time fill out a table in Excel in Russian. The following setting will help ensure that when switching between windows the language also changes.

To do this, in the previous window we just need to check the box Allow input method to be selected automatically.

Also, if you want the language to change intelligently, depending on the text you type, a wonderful application will help you - Punto Switcher. No more "ghbdtn"! The application will automatically correct the message and change the language to the required one. It is very convenient if the text contains inclusions of a foreign language.

And there is always an alternative in the form of applications - Keyboard Ninja and Orfo Switcher.

The keyboard layout icon has disappeared in Windows 10

If the keyboard layout icon suddenly disappears, then in this case it is worth checking the settings in Personalization. To do this, follow these steps:

  • Open Options
  • Go to Personalization and open the tab Task bar
  • Press Turn system icons on or off
  • Turn on Input indicator

Windows 10 keyboard layout does not change

There are several reasons why it is impossible to change the layout:


Keyboard layout missing in Windows 10

If the system is damaged, some options disappear or refuse to work correctly. The ctfmon.exe application, which is located in the Windows/System32 directory, is responsible for the language bar in the system. Sometimes, due to system damage, this application may be lost or stop running along with the system. To possibly resolve this issue, follow these steps:

  • Correction or restoration of system integrity. You can find out how to restore the system in.
  • Sometimes, when a simple recovery (SFC /scannow or DISM) does not help, you can try to create a new profile in which, perhaps, everything will work correctly.
  • Another option is to autorun ctfmon.exe.

To add the ctfmon service to the startup list, open a Command Prompt or PowerShell window as an administrator and enter the command:

reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" /v CTFMON.EXE /t REG_SZ /d C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe

Then restart your computer and check the system.

Have a great day!

Today, as part of the article, we will look at what methods of changing the layout were created by Microsoft, and how they are configured.

Available options for changing the layout

Most users of modern computers in Russia use at least two languages ​​in the operating system. We are talking about Russian and English languages, without which it is difficult to imagine comfortable PC management. Despite the standards used in the production of keyboards, there are different ways to quickly change the language in the system, and in the Windows 10 operating system they can be reduced to three main ones:

It is worth noting that the standard method for switching the language on the Windows 10 keyboard is the first combination. It is relevant for use immediately after installing the operating system, and makes it impossible to use “Ctrl” + “Shift” to change the layout.


In addition, the latest version of the operating system from Microsoft has implemented an additional solution for quickly switching to the second (third, etc.) layout. We are talking about the combination “Win” + “Space”, available for use regardless of the default keyboard shortcut used. Users of Apple technology will certainly notice this as a possible “plagiarism” on their MacBook laptops, where in the OS X operating system the language is changed in a similar way. True, instead of the Windows key, it uses an analogue of Command.


You can also note manually changing the layout using the mouse, in which Windows 10 uses virtual language switching keys. You can switch between language settings like this:


This method is very simple, but not the most convenient when it comes to typing quickly or working with word processors, where typing speed is the most important aspect of productivity, and using a mouse is a waste of time.


There is also the possibility of customizing the settings for switching between languages ​​available in the system, but we will return to this option a little later.


How to change language switching keys in Windows 10

If the method of switching between available languages ​​in Windows 10 does not suit you, you can always change it, and for this purpose you need to follow 12 simple steps:


  1. Click on the "Start" button.
  2. Go to the settings section by clicking on the corresponding gear icon.
  3. In Windows Settings, move to the Time and Language category.
  4. In the menu on the left, select "Region and Language".
  5. Under the Related Settings heading, click the hyperlink to go to additional settings that allow you to toggle the keyboard shortcut to change the language in Windows 10.
  6. Select "Language" in the window that appears.
  7. In the menu on the left, click on the “Advanced options” button.
  8. In the options window, find the hyperlink to change the Windows 10 language switching keyboard shortcut and click on it.
  9. In the settings window that appears, click on the “Change keyboard shortcut” button.
  10. Choose the switching option that is most convenient for you. Please note that the system also offers the ability to change the language switch to the “`” character, where the letter “Ё” is also located.

  11. Having placed the marker in the position you are interested in, click on the “OK” button to close the panel.
  12. Click the OK button again in the Languages ​​and Text Input Services window, and then close all displayed windows.

How to change the Windows 10 language switching keys to any others

As we said above, specialists from Microsoft also made sure that users had the opportunity to optimize the language switching settings and set some other combination of keyboard buttons. Users have the opportunity to set different combinations of buttons to enable each of the languages ​​installed in the system separately.


This is done as follows:



Now you know how to change the language switching keys in Windows 10, and you can easily set one of the standard parameters, or create your own scheme and use it in the future. If the individual settings you set turn out to be inconvenient or overlap with other hotkeys in any software, you can always change or delete them all in the same “Languages ​​and text input services” menu.