Change Input Language and Method on Windows 10 PC

Windows 10 as the latest Windows OS allows users to customize many aspects of the system to suit their needs. In this article, we will talk about how to add new language, set new default language, change input language and method in Windows 10. The system language and input method is essential when you are use multiple languages in the computer system and want a multilingual user interface.

How to add a new language to Windows 10?

If the Windows 10 PC you bought does not come with your preferred language in the system, you can go to install your own language on it. Click the Start menu, then choose Settings >> Time & language >> Region & language, you can then see the list of all installed languages on your Windows 10 PC. Click on the “Add a language” button at the top of the languages list to find and install a new language in Windows 10.

How to change default or primary language in Windows 10?

Go to Settings >> Time & language >> Region & language, you can also select an existing language and click “Set as default” button to set it as your default or primary language in Windows 10.

When you set a new language as the default or primary language in Windows 10, the default input language and method will be changed to this new language accordingly.

On some computers however the Windows 10 version pre-installed may not allow you to change the Windows display language. You can contact the PC seller for more information. Also you have different methods to change default language in Windows 10. Except the above mentioned methods, you can also access your Control Panel >> Clock, Language, and Region >> Change input methods to add new language, change new primary language, change input method and language, etc.

Click the ‘Change input methods’ link from above screen, you will open a window like below.  You can also add new language to your language list, move a language to the top of your language list to make it the new primary language, and your default input method and language will be changed to the primary language by default.

Change default input language or method on Windows 10

When you follow above steps to change primary language in Windows 10, your default input language will be changed accordingly. Sometimes however we may need the Windows system language or Windows display language to be different from our primary or default input language. For example, your Windows display language is English, but you may change the default input language and method to be another language, such as Finnish, Chinese, or else.

In such case, you can go to the Windows 10 Control panel >> Change your language preferences >> Advanced settings.

From the Language and Input methods advanced settings screen in Windows 10, you can choose a different language to override Windows display language determined by the order of your language list in Windows 10 language preferences. You can also select a different input method that is different than your default or primary language, or the first one in your language list in Windows 10. For example, if your system primary language in Windows 10 is English, you can set the default input language and method to Chinese, Japanese, Finnish, or else.

Hot Keys to change input language or method in Windows 10

If you do not like to change the primary language in Windows 10, or change default input language in Windows 10, you can click on the Language icon at the bottom right corner of your Windows screen, then choose and change input language in Windows 10.

DEFAULT HOT KEY  to switch input language, method in Windows 10

The default shortcut or hot key to change input language in Windows 10 is Left Alt+Shift. Press on these two hot keys, you can quickly change input languages in Windows 10. To change the input methods or input languages hot keys, you can go to the Windows 10 language and input advanced settings screen, browse to the “Switching input methods” section, then click on the “Change language bar hot keys“, you will open below “Text Services and Input Languages” dialogue. Select the current Hot keys, then click on the “Change Key Sequence” button to set new hot keys to switch input languages.