Change your keyboard language in Settings
Open Settings on your Chromebook by clicking the time in the bottom right corner, then selecting the gear icon. In the left menu, click Languages and input. Under the "Input method" section, you'll see Add input methods—click it to see the list of available languages and keyboard layouts.
Find the language or keyboard layout you want to add and click it. A checkmark appears next to your selection, and it's now installed on your Chromebook. You can add as many languages as you need. Once you've added them, close Settings and your new keyboard will be ready to use. The process takes less than a minute, and you don't need to restart your Chromebook for most languages to work when ready.
Key Takeaways
- Go to Settings, then Languages and input, then Add input methods to install a new keyboard language on your Chromebook.
- You can add multiple languages and switch between them using the keyboard icon in the taskbar or by pressing Ctrl+Space.
- Removing a language is done in the same Settings menu—click the three dots next to the language name and select Remove.
- Your keyboard language choice stays on your account, so it will be there when you sign in on any Chromebook.
Switch between keyboard languages while you type
Once you've added a second language, a keyboard icon appears in the taskbar at the bottom right of your screen. Click it to see all your installed keyboards and select the one you want to use. The icon shows which language is currently active, so you always know which keyboard you're typing with.
You can also switch languages without using the mouse: press Ctrl+Space to cycle through your keyboards one at a time. This is faster if you're typing and don't want to reach for the trackpad. The language name briefly appears on screen to confirm the switch. If you have three languages installed, pressing Ctrl+Space three times will cycle back to the first one.
Remove a keyboard language you no longer need
Go back to Settings, then Languages and input. Find the language you want to remove in the list. Click the three dots (menu button) next to it and select Remove. The language is deleted from your Chromebook when ready, and you won't see it in the keyboard switcher anymore.
If you remove all but one language, the keyboard icon disappears from the taskbar since there's nothing left to switch between. You can always add it back later by following the same steps in the Add input methods menu. Removing a language doesn't affect any text you've already typed in that language.
Set a default keyboard language
Your Chromebook uses the first language in your list as the default. If you want a different language to be the default, go to Settings, then Languages and input. Find the language you want to be default, click the three dots next to it, and select Make default. This moves it to the top of your list.
The default language is what appears when you first start typing on a new page or text field. You can still switch to other languages at any time using Ctrl+Space or the keyboard icon in the taskbar. Setting a default is useful if you type in one language much more often than the others.
Add special keyboard layouts for the same language
Some languages have multiple keyboard layouts. For example, English has QWERTY, Dvorak, and Colemak options. When you add a language in the input methods menu, you may see several layout choices listed under it. Click the specific layout you want to use.
If you add both QWERTY and Dvorak English, they appear as separate options in your keyboard list. You can switch between them the same way you switch between languages—using Ctrl+Space or the keyboard icon in the taskbar. This is helpful if you're learning a new keyboard layout or if different people use the same Chromebook.
Troubleshoot when a keyboard language won't appear
If you added a language but don't see it in the keyboard list, restart your Chromebook. Sometimes the system needs to refresh to show newly installed keyboards. After restart, check the taskbar icon again to see if your language now appears in the list.
If a language still doesn't appear after restart, go back to Settings, Languages and input, and look for the language in the Add input methods list. It's possible it was added but not activated. Click it again to make sure it has a checkmark. If you still have trouble, sign out of your Chromebook and sign back in—this refreshes your account settings and often resolves display issues with newly added keyboards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my keyboard languages stay if I sign into a different Chromebook?
Yes. Your keyboard languages are saved to your Google account, not to the individual Chromebook. When you sign in on any Chromebook with the same account, all your languages and your default choice will be there.
Can I change the keyboard layout for a language I already use?
Yes. Go to Settings, Languages and input, and remove the current layout. Then go to Add input methods, find the same language, and select a different layout from the list. Both layouts can exist at the same time if you want to keep the original too.
What if I accidentally remove my main language?
You can add it back when ready. Go to Settings, Languages and input, click Add input methods, find your language, and click it. Your typing will work normally again right away.
Does changing keyboard language affect the language of the Chromebook itself?
No. Keyboard language and system language are separate. Changing your keyboard language only affects what characters appear when you type. To change the language of menus and buttons, go to Settings, Languages and input, and look for "Languages" at the top of the page.