Why is my keyboard typing the wrong language or symbols?

You'll be able to: Fix keyboard language switching and correct input layout confusion

The steps

1. 1

   Look at the bottom-right corner of your taskbar near the clock. You will see a three-letter language badge (such as ENG or ARA).

   Why did my typing switch?

   Pressing key combinations accidentally while typing can instantly switch Windows between installed languages or different keyboard layouts (such as Arabic 101 vs Arabic 102).

2. 2

   Press Alt+Shift on your keyboard (or press Win+Space). A small pop-up list of installed keyboard languages appears, and the active language switches immediately.

   

3. 3

   If a language has multiple layouts installed, hold Win and tap Space until your preferred layout is highlighted, then release the keys. The taskbar badge updates to your desired language and your keyboard types the correct characters again.

It looks different on my screen

You can also click directly on the language abbreviation badge in the taskbar with your mouse and click your desired language from the list.

Updated 2026-08-29اقرأ بالعربية