Can't set Windows 8.1 to use a UK Keyboard and English (United Kingdom) as Language Preference

Anonymous
2013-10-20T14:43:22+00:00

Downloaded and installed the UK (English) Language Pack. Can't set Windows 8.1 to use a UK Keyboard. Try to change Languages Preferences to English (United Kingdom)  - and 8.1 won't let you. Try to remove English (United States) and 8.1 won't let you. English (United States) keeps coming back.

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Anonymous
2013-11-13T17:18:56+00:00

I was getting this problem. On one of my accounts it appeared to be using the keyboard set to US English. No amount of changing settings to set it use the UK English keyboard layout worked. If I tried Windows Key + Space nothing happened happened - no selections appeared for choosing the desired keyboard. There was no language icon on the taskbar.

I added the UK English language pack and set the preferred language to UK English via Control Panel, Then via the Charms settings/PC Settings/Change PC Settings/Time and Language/Region and Language.

Selected 'Options' for UK English and Added the UK Extended Keyboard.

After that I could use Windows Key + Space to select the UK keyboard.

To be honest, I have no idea why that worked or which was the critical step. The other account on the PC did not of this problem. I assume I must have missed something when setting the new account.

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-01-12T08:50:41+00:00

    I did this. It worked yesterday. But today when switched on I am back to square one again. How do you get it to stay as the default?

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-11-08T10:52:19+00:00

    Downloaded and installed the UK (English) Language Pack. Can't set Windows 8.1 to use a UK Keyboard. Try to change Languages Preferences to English (United Kingdom)  - and 8.1 won't let you. Try to remove English (United States) and 8.1 won't let you. English (United States) keeps coming back.

    I have only had my Lenovo P C with Windows 8 installed for about a week now. Every time that I re-log in my keyboard setting has gone back to the default English (US). Fortunately it is displayed on my taskbar, so I just resort to having to change it to English (UK) everytime, but it is a bit of a pain. I thought that I had failed to understand or forgotten something during my initial set-up procedures, but clearly this is some sort of problem with Microsoft. I am not a Computer wiz-kid, so after reading a lot of other peoples comments about this particular problem, I am now just resigned to the fact that I will have to continue with just resetting the keyboard language choice every time that I log on. It does seem strange, in view of the obvious problem with their software, that they can't get involved and inform us how to fix it!

    Anom Galaan

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-10-27T22:43:05+00:00

    When I read your line about Windows Key and Space I thought I'd try it. Pop up offering US or UK. Clicked cursor on UK and all was well. Tried lots of variations on "How do I get my UK keyboard back?" went through half an hour of pages. Perhaps Microsoft could stick an option on keyboards in the control panel to save us the hassle next time. Would make things a lot easier.

    Thanks for the lead.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-10-20T16:34:05+00:00

    Yep, same problem! Fixed it by adding UK Extended Keyboard input method to the UK Language pack. I was then able to remove the U.S keyboard.  I followed this with a restart and "hey presto".

    Thanks so much for your response you have been most helpful I will take your advice have a great day! :)

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