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

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 know it sounds ridiculous - but I've tried everything to solve this and couldn't either.

So, in the end, added English Keyboard (Irish) and everything seems fine now.

As you say - irritating problem!

I think I know what has been happening. When people like Dell prepare an image they should set the system and default locales according to where the system is to be shipped otherwise it will inherit the settings of the retail image used. Even if Dell are doing this, and if they redistribute stock to cover shortfalls in other regions the systems will be shipped with the wrong settings.

In Windows 7 initial set up it is too easy to just change the user locale if it is wrong and not change the system and default locales. Finding the place to do this change after the event is fairly obscure but it can be done.

In Windows 8 I am not sure I had the opportunity of setting the system and default locales on initial setup. At the moment, I am convinced that I didn’t, but I will find out when I have set up a few more systems. If this step is missing, this would be the source of the problems.

If the system and default locales are incorrect in Windows 8 it is very obscure how to reset them after the event. If the default locale hasn’t been set then any new users settings will be wrong.

If the default locale is US and the initial user set up on the system is UK the new user appears to be set up with a Language and keyboard for UK, but in practice the keyboard is US. The new user doesn’t get the opportunity of changing this as the PC settings option of the Metro interface thinks that only one keyboard is installed and doesn’t show the settings option to change this.

To rectify this you will need to go to the advanced options of the language settings in control panel. Under options you will see that there is an update to install for the language pack. What an obscure place to hide an update!! Once installed you will need to add another keyboard to the UK language settings (English UK Extended). This will now give the user the opportunity of changing the keyboard layout in the PC settings option of the Metro interface as there is now more than one.

Whilst still looking at the language settings under advanced options under the heading “Overide Windows Display Language” you will see a link called “Apply language settings to Welcome, System and New User”. This is the traditional page where you can copy the current user locale to the system and default locales.

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 know it sounds ridiculous - but I've tried everything to solve this and couldn't either.

So, in the end, added English Keyboard (Irish) and everything seems fine now.

As you say - irritating problem!

quite likely  AND perhaps keeping the English (US layout )as first in the list of language preferences. This is poor MS testing as everyone has commented on already.

I think I have cured the problem on the non-admin account on my Win8.1 PC that was persistently reverting to English (US) keyboard as default. I selected the language choice toolbar to show in Taskbar which showed both English (UK) and English (US). I selected English (UK) and the toolbar then disappeared. However, English (UK) appears to be selected as default and matches the hardware. So that is a result.

I am just amazed and infuriated how this keyboard language 'feature' arose in the first place. The PC was set to UK Region in Win 8 and subsequent upgrade to Win8.1. Also Office set to English UK.

I have been using Windows since it replaced MS-DOS. I only signed up to this community since deploying Win8, as I had no need to seek help or Windows work-rounds prior to this version.   

Ed