Use a keyboard layout for a specific language
You can use specialized keyboard layouts to type text in specific languages. If you have more than one keyboard layout installed, you can switch between them.
Install keyboard layouts for specific languages in Windows XP
- On the Microsoft Windows Start menu, click Control Panel.
- Click Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options.
- Click Regional and Language Options.
- Click the Languages tab, and then click Details under Text services and input languages.
- In the Default input language list, click the keyboard layout you want, and then click Apply.
- If you want to be able to switch keyboard layouts by using the Language bar, click Language Bar under Preferences, and then select the Show the Language bar on the desktop check box.
Install keyboard layouts for specific languages in Windows 2000
- On the Microsoft Windows Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
- Double-click Keyboard.
- Click the Input Locales tab, and then do one of the following:If the Text Services icon is available
- Double-click Text Services, and then click the Settings tab.
- Under Installed Services, click Add.
- In the Input Language box, click the language you want, and then click OK. The keyboard language you selected appears in the Installed Services box.
- If you want to be able to switch keyboard layouts by using the Language bar, click Language Bar under Preferences, and then select the Show the Language bar on the desktop check box.
If the Text Services icon is not available- Double-click Keyboard, and then click the Input Locales tab.
- Click Add.
- In the Input locale list, click the language you want, and then click OK.
- If you want to be able to switch keyboard layouts by using the Windows taskbar, make sure the Enable indicator on taskbar check box is selected.
- After you install the keyboard layouts you want to use, on the Language bar or Windows taskbar (at the lower right of the screen), click the keyboard layout indicator, and then click the layout you want.
The two letters shown are the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) code for the keyboard language.
You can also use shortcut keys to switch between keyboard layouts while you type. You can press ALT+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW to switch between all of the installed keyboard layouts. You can also specify shortcut keys for keyboard layouts when you install those layouts.
Note To type East Asian text, you must use an Input Method Editor (IME) instead of a traditional keyboard.