Issue switching between keyboard languages

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Level 1

21 points

Issue switching between keyboard languages

I work in both French and English. For some time now, I have been unable to switch between languages. It used to be easy. One just had to go to the upper menu and switch the flag icon. In 2022 that all changed with the launch of Big Sur and this handy menu for bilingual users was removed.

Even though I have Input Sources toggled on and French selected as a second language in the Settings. I can find no menu options for changing keyboard languages in the new flagless keyboard menu or in the settings.

Am I missing something?

Posted on Jun 3, 2024 6:11 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

123,000 points

Jun 3, 2024 8:17 AM in response to Quillnib

Quillnib wrote:

Am I missing something?

It sounds like you failed to add the French input source. That has to be done independent of "language". So go to system settings > keyboard > text input > edit > input sources and go to the bottom of the window and click the + button and add whatever you want with the Add button. Then you should see a choice in the Input Menu at the top right of the screen.

There are also keyboard shortcuts you cand actvate: Globe/Fn or Control Space.

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Answer 2

Jun 3, 2024 10:40 AM in response to Quillnib

As a little addition... you know that you don't need to switch keyboard layouts in order to write in different languages (at least not those with a common script, like English and French).

Actually, I feel it will probably be very confusing to switch between QWERTY and AZERTY.

You can enter all accented characters using an English layout: Option-e followed by letter for acute accents, e.g.

Option-e followed by a for á

Likewise, Option-i and letter for circumflex, Option-` and letter for grave, Option-n and letter for tilde, Option-u and letter for umlaut; Option-c for ç

I write in English and Portuguese, and I stay with the US layout all the time.

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