How to Switch Keyboard Input Language on Windows and Mac

Tap a device to see the setup steps.

Windows

Add the languages you want to use under Settings, then Time & Language, then Language & region, and switch between them quickly with the Windows key plus Spacebar.

Mac

Add input sources under System Settings, then Keyboard, then Input Sources, and switch between them with Control plus Spacebar (or the Globe/fn key, depending on your keyboard) -- Command plus Spacebar is reserved for Spotlight search by default.

Changing the switch shortcut

If the default shortcut conflicts with another program, you can usually change it to a different key combination from the same language settings menu.

When a dedicated language key stops working

If a keyboard's dedicated input-switch key is not being recognized, it is often a driver issue -- try updating your keyboard driver, or fall back on the operating system's built-in shortcut above in the meantime.

Switching languages smoothly keeps your workflow uninterrupted

Whether you are writing documents in another language or handling multilingual material, setting up convenient keyboard-language switching means you can keep typing without breaking your flow, which makes the whole task noticeably more efficient.

Combine it with spell check for cleaner writing

Alongside switching input languages, running a spell check pass on longer documents helps catch typos you might miss while typing quickly, and is a good habit to build into any writing workflow.

Frequently Asked Questions

The shortcut behaves differently in another program.

Some programs use the same key combination for a different function, so if you notice a conflict, changing your language-switch shortcut to something else usually resolves it.

Can I register more than two languages?

Yes -- once you have added multiple languages, each press of the switch shortcut typically cycles to the next one in the list you set up.