How to Add or Remove a Keyboard Language or Layout in Windows 11

You want to type in another language — or clean up a layout you no longer use — but the Settings layout isn’t obvious.

Why: Windows 11 separates two things: a language (which can include its display text and spellcheck) and the keyboard layouts that sit under it. You can add either. Everything lives in Settings > Time & language > Language & region.

Fix 1: Add a whole new language

Use this when you want a different language for typing (and optionally for menus):

1. Open Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
2. Next to Preferred languages, click Add a language.
3. Search for and select the language, click Next, then Install. A default keyboard layout for that language is added automatically.
4. To type in it, press Win + Space to cycle layouts, or click the input indicator (e.g. ENG) in the taskbar.

Fix 2: Add an extra layout to an existing language

Some keyboards (e.g. UK vs US, or Dvorak) are layouts within one language:

1. Open Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
2. Click your language, then Language options.
3. Under Keyboards, click Add a keyboard and pick the layout from the list.
4. Switch to it with Win + Space.

Fix 3: Remove a layout you don’t use

1. Open Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
2. Click the language that holds the layout, then Language options.
3. Under Keyboards, click the layout, then (…) > Remove.
4. Note: you can’t remove the only keyboard for a display language — add a different one first if needed.

Fix 4: Remove an entire language

1. Open Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
2. Click the three dots (…) next to the language and choose Remove, then confirm Yes.
3. Note: you can’t remove the current Windows display language. To remove it, first set another language as your Windows display language (top of the same page), sign out and back in, then remove the old one.

FAQ

Where did the taskbar language switcher go? It only appears when you have two or more layouts installed. With one layout it’s hidden.

Does adding a language change my menus to that language? Not unless you also set it as your Windows display language at the top of Language & region. Adding it just gives you the keyboard.

Sources: Microsoft Support — Manage the language and keyboard/input layout settings in Windows