How to Change the Keyboard Language Shortcut in Windows 11?

Do you know that 17% of individuals are multilingual and 43% of people are bilingual? That should come as no surprise given how interconnected the world is and how frequently people relocate within countries.

Switching the keyboard language on Windows 11 and typing in several languages are crucial in a multilingual environment like this. However, it is crucial to ensure that you have updated HID Keyboard Device Drivers installed on your computer.

So, if you’re a bilingual person and need to chat or write in many languages on your Windows 11 computer, you might want to know how to customize the language keyboard shortcut.

Although you can quickly switch to a different keyboard layout by using the language button in the system tray, it is always quicker to use a keyboard shortcut for language.

Continue reading to learn about Windows 11’s default keyboard language shortcuts and how to customize them.

Default Change Language Shortcut in Windows 11?

Before we go into how to modify keyboard language shortcuts, you need to be familiar with the usual shortcuts.

• Windows + Spacebar: This shortcut navigates to the next choice in the list of installed keyboard languages or layouts. 
• Left Alt + Shift: In Windows 11, this is the usual shortcut for changing keyboard languages.
• Ctrl + Shift: This shortcut switches between the keyboard layouts available in the current language. 

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How to Modify Windows 11’s Keyboard Language Shortcuts?

Now that we are aware of the Windows 11 default keyboard layout and language shortcuts, let us see how to modify them:

Step 1: Navigate to the Advanced Key Settings

1. Use the keyboard shortcut Win + I to launch the Settings app. 
2. From the sidebar on the left, choose Time & Language.
3. On the window’s right side, click Typing.
4. Scroll down to the Advanced keyboard settings entry on the Typing settings screen, then click on it.
5. This brings up the Advanced Keyboard Options page in the settings. You should be able to see the “Input language hot keys” link at the bottom. Tap or click on it.
6. The “Text Services and Input Languages” box appears, with the Advanced Key Settings tab taking center stage right away. You can adjust the keyboard language shortcuts that Windows 11 uses in the “Hot keys for input languages” section.

Step 2: Modify the Keyboard Shortcuts for the Default Languages

As you are aware, Left Alt + Shift is the standard keyboard shortcut for switching between languages in Windows 11. Ctrl + Shift is the key that switches between keyboard layouts.

These shortcuts work well most of the time. Nevertheless, you must either disable or modify the hotkeys used to switch the language and layout if you wish to utilize one or both of these keyboard commands for other purposes. To achieve that, follow these steps:

1. Select the “Between input languages” option under “Hot keys for input languages.”
2. Click or tap the “Change Key Sequence” button, which is at the bottom.
3. Windows 11 launches a new window with the same name when you click the “Change Key Sequence” button. 
4. It contains two panels containing alternate keyboard shortcuts for the “Switch Keyboard Layout” and “Switch Input Language” keys. You can select from four default alternatives for each, but you are unable to define your own keyboard shortcut for any of them.
5. To disable a keyboard language shortcut, select Not Assigned. Alternatively, select the Grave Accent (~) to change the language or layout with a single keystroke. 
6. Once finished, click OK.

NOTE: You cannot change the keyboard layout and input language using the same keyboard shortcut.

1. Clicking OK returns you to the “Text Services and Input Languages” window’s “Advanced Key Settings” tab. 
2. To save the updated changes, click Apply.
3. You can now modify the keyboard layout and language by using the new shortcut(s) you have set.

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How to configure a keyboard shortcut to enable a particular input language on the keyboard?

Using the default keyboard shortcuts to switch between languages or keyboard layouts might get tedious if you type in numerous languages or enjoy using multiple layouts. Thankfully, Windows 11 now lets you use hotkeys to quickly switch between previously installed languages or layouts.

1. Choose any layout from the list of “Hot keys for input languages” in the “Text Services and Input Languages” box.
2. To change the key sequence, click on it.
3. Select the “Enable Key Sequence” option from the popup that appears.
4. Then, select your preferred keyboard shortcut using the two drop-down menus:
   • From the menu on the left, select the first key sequence by choosing Ctrl, Ctrl + Shift, or Left Alt + Shift.
   • Choose the tilde (\), the grave accent ({), or one of the numbers 0–9 from the keyboard shortcut’s second half.

1. After selecting your preferred keyboard language shortcut, click OK.
2. To confirm your selection once more, click Apply or OK.
3. The language associated with the new keyboard shortcut is now enabled instantly each time you use it.

NOTE: If you want to later disable this kind of custom shortcut, follow the same steps and make sure the “Enable key sequence” box is unchecked in the “Change Key Sequence” window.

Wrapping Up

You can improve your whole computing experience by adding new languages or changing layouts by customizing the language settings on your keyboard. So, follow these steps to customize your keyboard settings for any language you desire.

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