Change your keyboard language through System Settings

Open System Settings, then go to Keyboard. Select Input Sources from the left menu. Click the plus sign at the bottom of the list, find the language you want, and click Add. Your new keyboard language appears in the Input Sources list and in the menu bar at the top of your screen.

Once you have added a second language, you can switch between them by clicking the flag or language icon in the menu bar and selecting the one you want. You can also set a keyboard shortcut — Control + Space or Control + Option + Space are common choices — to flip between languages without opening the menu.

Key Takeaways

  • Input Sources in System Settings is where you add, remove, and manage all keyboard languages on your Mac.
  • You can switch between languages using the menu bar icon or by setting a keyboard shortcut for faster toggling.
  • Removing a language from Input Sources does not delete it from your Mac, only stops it from appearing as a keyboard option.
  • The language you set in System Settings affects only your keyboard layout, not the language of your Mac's menus and apps.

Finding Input Sources in System Settings

The path depends on your macOS version. On macOS Sonoma and newer, open System Settings, click Keyboard in the sidebar, then select Input Sources. On older versions, go to System Settings, click General, then Keyboard, then Input Sources.

If you cannot find Input Sources, your Mac is running an older version of macOS. On those machines, open System Preferences instead of System Settings, click Keyboard, then click the Input Sources tab at the top.

Adding a new keyboard language

In the Input Sources list, click the plus sign at the bottom left. A window opens showing all available languages and keyboard layouts. Scroll to find the language you want — for example, Spanish, French, German, or Japanese. Some languages offer multiple layouts, such as QWERTY or AZERTY for French. Select the one you need and click Add.

The new language now appears in your Input Sources list and in the menu bar. If you do not see it in the menu bar right away, close and reopen System Settings. The language icon or flag will appear next to the time and date.

Switching between keyboard languages while you type

The quickest way to switch is through the menu bar. Click the language icon or flag at the top right of your screen and select the language you want from the dropdown. Your keyboard layout changes when ready, and the next character you type will use that language's layout.

For faster switching without using the menu, set a keyboard shortcut. In Input Sources, look for the option to set a keyboard shortcut for switching languages. Control + Space is the default on many Macs, but you can change it to any combination you prefer. Once set, you can hold that key combination to cycle through your languages without touching the mouse.

Removing a language you no longer need

Go back to Input Sources in System Settings. Find the language you want to remove in the list, select it, and click the minus sign at the bottom left. The language disappears from your Input Sources list and from the menu bar.

Removing a language from Input Sources does not delete it from your Mac or affect any documents you have written in that language. It only stops that keyboard layout from being available when you type. You can add it back at any time by clicking the plus sign again.

What to do if your keyboard layout does not match the language

Some languages have multiple keyboard layouts. If you added Spanish but your keys do not match what you expect, you may have the wrong layout selected. Go back to Input Sources, remove that language, and add it again — this time choose a different layout option when the window opens.

You can also check which layout is currently active by clicking the language icon in the menu bar. It shows the name of the layout you are using. If that is not the one you want, remove it and add the correct version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my keyboard language change the language of my Mac's menus and apps?

No. Keyboard language and system language are separate settings. Changing your keyboard language only affects the letters and symbols that appear when you type. Your Mac's menus, apps, and system messages stay in whatever language you set in System Settings under General > Language & Region.

Can I use more than two keyboard languages at the same time?

Yes. You can add as many languages as you want to Input Sources. They all appear in the menu bar, and you can switch between them using the menu or your keyboard shortcut. The more languages you add, the longer the menu becomes, but switching still takes one click or one key combination.

What if I cannot find my language in the Input Sources list?

Scroll through the full list carefully — some languages are grouped by region. If your language truly is not there, your Mac may not have that keyboard layout built in. Check Apple's support pages for your macOS version to see which languages are available. You may also be able to read additional layouts from third-party sources.

Will my keyboard shortcut for switching languages work in all apps?

The shortcut works in most apps, but some programs that use keyboard shortcuts heavily — like video editors or games — may override it. If your language-switching shortcut stops working in a specific app, try using the menu bar icon instead, or change your shortcut to a combination that app does not use.