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

Anonymous

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

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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Anonymous

2014-06-26T12:14:58+00:00
Have this issue on my son's account on home PC, all other accounts are fine. No amount of hunting and poking in the UI works to fix the keyboard in UK English. He is learning to use the computer, but all the symbols are in the wrong place.

Doubling baffling that just one account is affected and not all.

Managed to fix this after much hunting around:

Go to Settings -> Change PC Settings -> Time and Language -> Region and Language -> Click "English United Kingdom" and add UK extended keyboard.

In the language click US as the primary language.

Now click UK as the primary language.

Now remove the US language.

Log out and log in again.

Tried quite a few variations on this, but this is the path that worked here. Absolutely bonkers :-)
Thank you for this which worked for me.

I concur with the comments that others have made about how Microsoft has made a simple task into an awful pain. It has taken about 8 hours of work to get this far with a new Win8 computer.

MostlyWrong
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Anonymous

2014-06-26T12:04:37+00:00

I was wondering if anyone can tell me to access temporary use of the british pound key I can see it on my key board on number 3 key but I don't know steps to use to access it. Can anyone help me with this?

As you appear to have a UK keyboard, the £ sign can be inserted by pressing Shift and 3 together. If that doesn't work - and a scrambled keyboard is why I am here - turn on NumLock, hold down the Alt key and, using the number pad, type 0163. Release the Alt key and voila!

You can google "alt codes" for further details.

MostlyWrong
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Anonymous

2014-06-19T15:30:58+00:00

I Had the same problem, but I went out to the nearest Apple Store, and they were able to provide me with a Mac Book Air. Had no problems what so ever to get the Swedish keyboard working on that machine, running Mac OS X, did not even need to restart.
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Anonymous

2014-06-10T23:28:09+00:00

I was wondering if anyone can tell me to access temporary use of the british pound key I can see it on my key board on number 3 key but I don't know steps to use to access it. Can anyone help me with this?
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