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.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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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
    2014-05-07T16:51:18+00:00

    I am a very experienced computer user. I only bought a windows 8.1 computer because my children need office for their school work. I have been using computers since msdos 3.1, windows 3.1 etc. I cannot believe that I am unable to set the keyboard to UK. Like the other posters on here I have changed regional settings, been into control panel, removed American Keyboard and so on. I restart the computer and the American keyboard is back and the default setting is American. Before you ask, there are no error messages - it just doesn't work!

    Microsoft, please look at this site and provide the fix. This is beyond belief. Now back to my proper computer, running a different operating system which allows me to set the keyboard.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-05-07T09:15:29+00:00

    One of these many posts resolved my issue but I cannot tell who/what apart from after about an hour of trying to change what should take seconds its now correct.

    MS really need to do a fix for this, this is essential to have a working keyboard - this is on-going since November and I have all updates installed so is still an issue.

    I should add that most of the time I had a temporary fix but as soon as I rebooted the US would jump back in.  Even if I tried to delete the US language it would somehow reappear without my input.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-05-06T09:01:58+00:00

    Change system locale and restart. 

    have you even read the history on this?. the point is that doing that doesn't work.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-05-06T08:26:22+00:00

    Change system locale and restart.

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