How to switch the KeyboardLayout for all Application at once

Question

I'm using Kubuntu at work for quite a while now and been using multiple keyboard layouts , German, English, Romanian. When I switch the layout on Kubuntu it changes globaly.

Is there an option for that on Windows 7 ? currently the layout changes in a per-application way, which might be considered a feature, but I would like it to be system wide.

edit:

To explain a little more with an example: I have 2 application open Notepad and Firefox when I change the layout for Firefox it's only switched for Firefox, when I go to Notepad it switches to the layout whatever was setted there.

I would like that if I switch the layout for 1 application to switch it for all the rest as well

Answer 1

From the research I did, I found no way to do this through windows; I think it is hard-coded.

However I found an application that provides this behaviour: Keyla. It is even open source, so you can be sure there is no funny business going on.

Answer 2

Switching the keyboard layout for all applications simultaneously is the default behavior in Windows 8, so that might be a reason to upgrade.

Answer 3

1. Choice

Mahou can set keyboard layout globally.

---

2. Behavior

I have 2 keyboard layouts on my Windows: Russian and English.

If:

    I set Russian keyboard layout in any program,

    if:

        I move to window with another program, Russian keyboard layout stay for me anyway.

If:

    I set English keyboard layout in any program,

    if:

        I move to window with another program, English keyboard layout stay for me anyway.

---

3. Demonstration

Note: I switch between keyboard layouts, use CapsLock

---

4. Tune-up

Left-click to Mahou icon in tray → Layouts → tick One layout for all programs:

Apply → OK.

Changes must be applied.

Answer 4

If you want to change the system language; Microsoft does not deliver this settings for every version of windows. Only the Ultimate Version of Windows 7 is capable of this.

Take a look at the following links:

• http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_programs/language-in-windows-7-ultimate/eb2fba1f-bbb9-424a-a3da-770ea0df4da6

• http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972813

If you only want the keyboard layout changed this question is duplicate of the question answered here:

• How to switch the KeyboardLayout for all Application at once

Answer 5

You'll need to perform the steps below:

1. Go to Control Panel and Click on Change Keyboard or other input methods link
2. Under administrative tab click on Copy to reserved accounts
3. Check both the check boxes.
4. Click Apply to apply the changes.
5. Click Ok to confirm the changes

Source: Shinmila H answer on answers.microsoft.com

Answer 6

Kubuntu

You may want to have access to more than one keyboard layout. This is useful if you write in more than one language.

To add new keyboard layouts:

1. Choose: K-Menu->System Settings->Regional & Accessibility->Keyboard Layout

2. In the Layout tab, check the Enable Keyboard Layouts box.

3. Choose the country in which the keyboard layout you want is used, and click Add. The country should appear in the Active Layouts list.

4. Click the country in the Active Layouts list, and choose the appropriate Layout variant for the country selected. This is important for countries where more than one language are commonly spoken.

5. Click on Apply to save your settings.

A flag icon should now appear in the system tray showing the current keyboard layout being used. Click the flag icon to switch to the other keyboard layout.

Source: http://linux.about.com/od/kubuntu_doc/a/kubudg38t11.htm

---

Windows

1. Click Start and then Control Panel

2. In Control Panel, if you are in Classic View, click on Control Panel Home (top left corner)

3. Open Clock, Language, and Region

4. Click on Regional and Language Options.

5. Click the Keyboards and Languages tab and then click Change keyboards.

6. Under Installed services, click Add.

7. In the Add Input Language dialog box, select the keyboard layout you would like to add from the list available and click OK.

8. The keyboard layout you added will be included in the list. To set the new layout as your default, select it from the list. Click OK to save your changes

9. You can switch between different input languages (= keyboard languages) by clicking on the Language Bar button or by pressing the Alt + Shift keys