Windows 11 keeps switching my keyboard

[nomadreid]

TL;DR Summary

I use several language keyboards, and as I am typing with the English keyboard, the computer inexplicably switches to another language keyboard (mostly German, sometimes French), mostly in Word. I can find nothing appropriate in Settings (Language and Region) or anywhere else.

I have searched on the Internet for a solution to the above problem, without success. I don't want to get rid of the other keyboards (I need them), It happens more and more frequently. I find nothing appropriate in Settings>Language & Region, or anything else in Settings. It is mostly in Microsoft Word (Windows 11).

 

[jedishrfu]

I found this online:

https://support.lenovo.com/nz/en/so...-are-incorrectly-assigned-windows-10-thinkpad

It suggests that the language may be wrong or tat you have some languages you're not using and to check its settings.

In the next reference there is some mention of ctl+alt causing a keyboard switch:

https://superuser.com/questions/976947/keyboard-language-keeps-changing-in-windows-10

 

[nomadreid]

Thanks, jedishrfu

It suggests that the language may be wrong or tat you have some languages you're not using and to check its settings.

I use all five languages frequently. Each one is correct in its settings.

ctl+alt causing a keyboard switch:

This allows one to toggle between languages, but when I switch the keyboards, I go directly to the list (old habits die hard) and don't use the toggle; nor do I accidentally use the toggle when the unwanted keyboard switch occurs (I paid attention to this, and it is not easy to accidentally use the toggle anyway).

However, that last site did give me the idea to go to "Advanced Settings" for the keyboard, where there is the possibility to list one's preferred default (override) keyboard if that is not first on the list. English is the first on my list, so this shouldn't be relevant, but I tried putting in English as the explicit default keyboard. That didn't work; it switched into German anyway.

So I am still at a loss. I lose a lot of time switching back to English.

 

[Hill]

Did you try to uninstall and reinstall the keyboards?

 

[Rive]

Maybe it is not the Windows, but some part of the Office (or other software) is what trying to be to smart for its own good? Based on the languages of documents it touches? (Even just by preview, maybe...)

 

[nomadreid]

Thanks, Hill. You are right, that should have occurred to me. So I started by uninstalling and reinstalling the German keyboard (because it is a lot more effort to uninstall and reinstall the "preferred language" English, so that is Plan B) -- so far that seems to be working, but if it switches again I will go with Plan B. So, I hope it continues to work. Thanks again.

Thanks, Rive, Yes, I suspect it is something trying to "auto-correct" which is just confused by my multiple languages. However, it does not look like a specific software, because the switch happened also in websites in which I was typing, so it looks more like Microsoft.