Change your keyboard language in your system settings

You can add a new keyboard language to your device and switch between them without restarting. The exact steps depend on whether you use Windows, Mac, or a mobile device, but all three let you keep multiple languages active at once and toggle between them with a keyboard shortcut or menu.

Most people add a second language for occasional typing — an email to a friend, a search in another language, a document that mixes two languages. You don't have to remove your original keyboard; you just tell your device "I want both available" and then pick which one to use at any moment.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows, Mac, and mobile devices all let you add multiple keyboard languages in their system settings without removing your original keyboard.
  • Once you add a language, you can switch between keyboards using a keyboard shortcut (usually Windows key + Space on Windows, or Control + Space on Mac) or by clicking a language indicator on your screen.
  • Adding a keyboard language is different from changing your system language — you can type in French while your menus stay in English.
  • If you type in a language with different characters (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese), you may need to download an input method, not just a keyboard layout.

How to add a keyboard language on Windows

Open Settings by pressing Windows key + I. Go to Time & Language on the left side, then click Language & Region. Under "Preferred languages," click the Add a language button.

A list of languages appears. Find the language you want — for example, Spanish, French, or German — and click it. Windows will show you options if that language has regional variations (Spanish from Spain versus Spanish from Mexico). Choose the one you want and click Next. On the next screen, you can uncheck "Set as my Windows display language" if you want to keep your menus in English. Click Install.

Once the language installs, go back to Language & Region and click on your new language in the list. Click Language options, then scroll down to Keyboards and confirm the keyboard layout is there. Now you can switch between keyboards by pressing Windows key + Space, or by clicking the language indicator in your system tray (bottom right corner of your screen).

How to add a keyboard language on Mac

Click the Apple menu and go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions). Click Keyboard on the left side. In the main panel, click the Input Sources tab or button (the name varies by macOS version).

Click the plus sign (+) at the bottom left. A list of languages appears. Find your language and click it. If your language has multiple keyboard layouts available, you'll see them listed — for example, French has "French" and "French - PC" options. Select the one you want and click Add. The keyboard now appears in your Input Sources list.

To switch between keyboards, press Control + Space (or Control + Option + Space on some versions), or click the Input Source menu in your menu bar (top right). You can also check the box next to "Show Input menu in menu bar" to make the language indicator always visible.

How to add a keyboard language on iPhone or iPad

Open Settings and tap General. Scroll down and tap Keyboard. Tap Keyboards, then tap Add New Keyboard. A list of languages appears. Find the language you want and tap it. If that language has multiple keyboard layouts, you'll see them listed — tap the one you want.

The keyboard is now installed. When you open any app that lets you type, hold down the globe icon (or space bar, depending on your iOS version) to see all your available keyboards and switch between them. You can also tap the globe icon once to cycle through keyboards quickly.

How to add a keyboard language on Android

Open Settings and tap System or Languages and input (the exact name varies by phone maker). Tap Languages or Language and keyboard. Look for Virtual keyboard, On-screen keyboard, or the name of your keyboard app (like Gboard or Samsung Keyboard).

Tap your keyboard app. You should see an option like Languages or Add language. Tap it and select the language you want from the list. Once added, you can switch keyboards by tapping the language key on your keyboard (usually shows a globe or the current language code), or by swiping the space bar left or right.

The difference between keyboard language and system language

Changing your keyboard language does not change your system language. Your menus, notifications, and app text stay in whatever language your device is set to. You're only changing the language you type in — so you can have an English Windows menu but type in Spanish, Arabic, or Japanese whenever you want.

If you want to change your entire system language (so menus and notifications appear in another language), that's a separate setting. On Windows, go to Time & Language > Language & Region and click on a language, then click Set as default. On Mac, go to System Settings > General > Language & Region and choose a language from the dropdown. On phones, the setting is usually in Settings > Language or Display Language.

When you need an input method instead of just a keyboard layout

For languages that use different character sets — Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Thai, or Hindi — your device may need an input method, not just a keyboard layout. An input method is software that converts what you type into the characters of that language.

For example, if you want to type Chinese, you can't just rearrange the keys on a QWERTY keyboard. Instead, you type using Pinyin (the Roman spelling of Chinese sounds), and the input method converts it to Chinese characters. Most devices come with input methods for major languages, but you may need to download one if your language isn't included. Check your device's app store or settings to see if an input method is available for the language you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a keyboard shortcut to switch languages faster?

Yes. On Windows, press Windows key + Space to cycle through your keyboards. On Mac, press Control + Space. On phones, hold or tap the globe icon on your keyboard. You can also customize these shortcuts in your keyboard settings — on Windows, go to Time & Language > Keyboard > Advanced keyboard settings and look for "Switching input methods."

What if my language doesn't appear in the list?

Some languages are less common and may not be pre-installed. On Windows, search for "Language pack" in Settings to see if your language is available for download. On Mac, go to System Settings > General > Language & Region and check if you can add it there. On phones, check your app store for third-party keyboard apps that support your language.

Do I need to remove my old keyboard to add a new one?

No. You can keep as many keyboards as you want active at the same time. Just add the new language and switch between them whenever you need to. If you later decide you don't want a keyboard anymore, you can remove it from your language settings.

Why does my keyboard layout look different after I add a new language?

Different languages use different key arrangements. When you switch to a French keyboard, for example, the A and Q keys are swapped compared to English QWERTY. The physical keys don't move, but your device interprets them differently. If this is confusing, you can use an on-screen keyboard to see which key produces which character.