Can't find Apple keyboard mapping in Windows 10

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Level 1

25 points

Can't find Apple keyboard mapping in Windows 10

I've used boot camp for years and getting the Apple keyboard mapping for UK keyboards has always been hit-or-miss whenever I buy I new Mac. I bought the last intel iMac last year and am only just getting around to installing boot camp and again am having trouble with the keyboard.

I still have my previous iMac with Windows 10 Pro and double-checked -- the keyboard installed on it is called 'United Kingdom (Apple)'. Googling shows other people saying to install that keyboard, but it simply doesn't appear in my list of available keyboards.

I've tried repairing the drivers by using the support files downloaded from the Boot Camp Assistant to to USB, but still no 'Apple' keyboards appear.

I'm thinking the boot camp assistant might not recognise 21H1 (what I installed) for installing the Apple keyboards and that maybe I should try an installer for an earlier Windows 10 build, but I don't want to waste time if it's something else.

Any ideas?

iMac 27″, macOS 11.4

Posted on Jul 20, 2021 2:40 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

118,704 points

Jul 20, 2021 7:00 AM in response to Jarrad

Jarrad wrote:

I shouldn't need to install something provided by someone other than Apple or MS to get this to work.

Understood. In my experience over the years helping people getting Apple layouts in their Windows, downloading a 3rd party keyboard is usually the easiest fix when what they need is missing for some reason.

http://m10lmac.blogspot.com/2019/10/using-apple-hardware-language-keyboards.html

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Answer 2

Jarrad Author

Level 1

25 points

Jul 20, 2021 11:05 AM in response to Loner T

Ok, I've worked it out. I needed to have the keyboard connect by USB, rather than connected by bluetooth, for the 'Apple' UK keyboard mapping to get installed. Only after connecting it by USB and re-running the Boot Camp drivers repair did the 'United Kingdom (Apple)' keyboard finally appear in my list of available keyboards to add.

I expect it would've appeared in the list from the get-go if I had had it connected by USB during the initial install.

Hopefully others find this helpful if they run into the same issue with a new Win10 UK install.

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Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Jul 20, 2021 9:38 AM in response to Jarrad

On page 2 of Assistance creating hybrid MBR/GPT on Hig… - Apple Community, see item number 9. I will quote it here as well.

Lastly, (for UK people, no idea if this is needed for US) to get the @ and " 
symbols to work correctly on the keyboard, 
I went to Settings, clicked on Time & Language, then
clicked on Region & language on the left hand side. 
At the bottom, under Languages, 
it should say English (United Kingdom) Windows display language. 
Click on this, then click on Options. 
On the next page, click on Add a keyboard, and select United Kingdom (Apple). 
I then deleted the other keyboard.

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Answer 4

Jarrad Author

Level 1

25 points

Jul 20, 2021 6:51 AM in response to Loner T

I've tried a few different installers from Microsoft, including a UK-specific installer from MSDN and the 'English International' consumer installer from the main MS download website. With both of the latter, I chose UK english as the language from the get-go and the keyboard assigned by default was 'United Kingdom', but still no 'United Kingdom (Apple)' keyboard is available after the Boot Camp installer finished with its drivers.

I have this vague recollection from the last time I installed that I needed to be careful with which windows installer. E.g., I think last time I had first tried the MSDN installer, but found the UK Apple keyboard was only an option if I used the consumer download. But I've tried both this time, and it makes no difference...

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Answer 5

Jarrad Author

Level 1

25 points

Jul 20, 2021 6:53 AM in response to Tom Gewecke

Yeah, I came across that when doing my initial googling, but I know I didn't need to do that previously and I shouldn't need to install something provided by someone other than Apple or MS to get this to work.

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Answer 6

Jarrad Author

Level 1

25 points

Jul 20, 2021 11:09 AM in response to Loner T

@Loner - as mentioned, 'United Kingdom (Apple)' wasn't appearing in my list of keyboards to add. This was with English (United Kingdom) as the only installed language. But I've worked it out - see my reply above.

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Answer 7

Jarrad Author

Level 1

25 points

Jul 20, 2021 12:20 PM in response to Loner T

Oh, good point -- I didn't mention that!

Yep, once I saw the UK (Apple) keyboard in the list, I added and switched to it, removed the original 'United Kingdom' keyboard that mixed up various keys like @ and ", disconnected the usb and reconnected via bluetooth, and the keys were all working as expected -- even after reboot. :)

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