Switch your keyboard language in System Settings

Open System Settings on your Mac and go to Keyboard. Click the Text Input tab, then select Edit next to "Input Sources." A list of available languages appears — find the one you want and click the plus sign to add it. Once added, you can switch between languages using the Input menu in your menu bar (the flag or letters icon at the top right of your screen), or by pressing the keyboard shortcut Control + Space.

The language you add becomes an input source, which means your Mac remembers both the language and the keyboard layout together. If you add Spanish, for example, your Mac switches to a Spanish keyboard layout where certain keys produce different characters. You can add as many languages as you use regularly.

After you add a language, it stays in your Input Sources list until you remove it. You do not need to restart your Mac or log out — the change takes effect when ready.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input > Edit to add a new language to your keyboard input sources.
  • Use the Input menu (flag or letters icon) in your menu bar to switch between languages while you type.
  • Control + Space is the default keyboard shortcut to cycle through your active input sources without using the menu.
  • Each language you add includes its own keyboard layout, so keys may produce different characters depending on which language is active.
  • You can remove a language from your input sources by going back to Text Input > Edit and clicking the minus sign next to it.

Use the Input menu to switch languages while typing

The Input menu sits in your menu bar at the top right of your screen. It shows either a flag (if you have one language selected) or letters representing your current input source. Click it to see all the languages you have added, then click the one you want to use. Your keyboard layout switches when ready.

If you switch languages often, the keyboard shortcut is faster than the menu. Press Control + Space to cycle through your input sources in order. Press it once to go to the next language, again to go to the next, and so on until you reach the one you want. You can change this shortcut in System Settings if Control + Space conflicts with another program you use.

Change the keyboard shortcut for switching languages

The default shortcut Control + Space works for most people, but some programs use it for their own features. If you need a different shortcut, go to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts. Click Input Sources on the left side. You will see two options: "Select the previous input source" and "Select next input source." Click the one you want to change and press the new key combination you prefer.

Choose a shortcut you will remember and that does not conflict with programs you use daily. Common alternatives are Command + Space (though this opens Spotlight search by default) or Option + Space. After you set a new shortcut, test it in a document to make sure it works the way you expect.

Set a default language for specific applications

If you use one language in most programs but a different language in a specific app, you can tell your Mac to switch automatically. Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input and look for the option "Allow different input sources for each app." Turn this on. Now when you switch to a particular program, your Mac remembers which language you were using in that program last time and switches to it automatically.

This feature is useful if you write emails in English but use a chat app in another language. You do not have to manually switch back and forth — your Mac handles it. If you turn this off, your Mac uses the same language across all programs until you manually change it.

Add languages that are not in the default list

The languages shown in Text Input > Edit are the ones your Mac system language supports. If you do not see the language you need, check whether your Mac is set to the correct region. Go to System Settings > General > Language & Region and make sure your region is set correctly. Some languages only appear when your region matches.

If the language still does not appear, your Mac may not have the language pack installed. Go to System Settings > General > Language & Region, click the plus sign, and browse available languages. read the one you need — your Mac will add it to the input sources list once the read finishes. This process takes a few minutes depending on your internet speed.

Troubleshoot when your keyboard language will not switch

If the Input menu does not appear in your menu bar, go to System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input and make sure "Show Input menu in menu bar" is turned on. If it is already on, try turning it off and back on again. If the keyboard shortcut does not work, check that you have more than one language added to your input sources — you need at least two for the shortcut to function.

If you added a language but it does not appear in the Input menu, restart your Mac. Sometimes a newly added language does not show up until you log out and back in or restart. If the problem continues, remove the language from your input sources and add it again. Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input > Edit, click the minus sign next to the language, then add it back using the plus sign.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my keyboard language change the language of my Mac system?

No. Your keyboard language is separate from your system language. You can type in Spanish while your Mac menus, settings, and programs remain in English. The keyboard language only affects what characters appear when you press keys.

Can I use multiple keyboard layouts for the same language?

Yes. Some languages have more than one layout option — for example, Spanish has both a Spain layout and a Latin America layout. When you add a language, you can choose which layout you want. Go to Text Input > Edit and look for the language name; if multiple layouts exist, they appear as separate options.

What happens to my keyboard language when I restart my Mac?

Your input sources stay the same. Whatever languages you added remain in your list, and your Mac remembers which one was active when you shut down. The next time you start your Mac, it uses the same language you were using before.

Can I remove the Input menu from my menu bar?

Yes. Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input and turn off "Show Input menu in menu bar." You can still switch languages using Control + Space or by going to System Settings, but the menu icon will not appear. Turn it back on anytime if you prefer the visual reminder of which language is active.