Windows 10 – Changing Input Language / Keyboard Hot Keys

When you use more than one language, it’s ever so handy to be able to quickly switch between them while typing. There is a setting in Windows to set up Language Input Hot Keys. It’s buried deeply. And they change the details of how to find it with every Windows update. Here is what works now. If your Windows 10 system doesn’t flow exactly like this, it should be similar:

  • Go to the Control Panel
  • Time and Languages
  • Language
  • Spelling Typing and Keyboard Settings
  • (scroll way down to) Advanced Keyboard Settings
  • Check the Box (if not already checked) for “Use the desktop language bar when it’s available”
  • Language Bar Options
  • Tab: Language Bar — Select Docked in the taskbar (so that it’s always available and visible)
  • Check “Show text labels on the Language bar.”
  • Tab: Advanced Key Settings
  • (Highlight) Between Input Languages
  • Change Key Sequence
  • Here you can make your own choices. Here are some ideas:
  • Decide if you want to toggle between languages or keyboards. (Like if you have 2 keyboards installed for Yiddish to try them out, but you only have two languages — say Yiddish & English. Do you want to use the hot keys (a/k/a shortcut keys) to toggle between 2 things (Yiddish & English) or between 3 things (each of the three keyboards — one English and two Yiddish). I find it most helpful to toggle between languages. I can always select my other keyboards from the little language bar in the System Tray (at the bottom of the screen, usually lower right, to the left of the computer clock). The Language bar in the system tray looks like this:
  • So, I am suggesting Switch Input Language
  • I like Left Alt & Shift
  • Hit OK
  • Restart the computer