Entering letters, characters, diacritics, and accents using an English keyboard

Article Id: 1374
September 16, 2025
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You can enter data in multiple languages by changing the language (the input language) you type and the keyboard layout.

For Windows

To change the language:

  1. Click Start, then Settings, then Time & language, and then Language & region.
  2. Select Add a language under the Preferred languages section.
  3. Select the language you want to use from the list, and then choose which region's version you want to use. Your download will begin immediately

    To change the keyboard layout:

    You can configure your keyboard to use different language and keyboard formats. You can add multiple keyboard layouts and switch between them when needed. Use the following steps to add a language, set a default language, and switch between keyboard layouts:

    To add a keyboard language:

    1. Click the Start menu, and select Settings.
    2. Select Time & language.
    3. Click Language & region in the left column.
    4. Select Add a language under Preferred languages.
    5. Choose the language you want to add, and select a country for the language.

    To set a default keyboard layout:

    1. Click the Start menu, and select Settings.
    2. Select Time & language.
    3. Click Language & region.
    4. Under Preferred languages, click the language you want as default, and click Move up to set it as default.

    To switch keyboard layouts:

    • Click the language name in the lower right of your screen (default is ENG).
    • Select the keyboard layout you want to use.
    • Or use the shortcut Windows key + Spacebar to toggle between layouts.

    Tips

    You will need to experiment with all of the keys on the keyboard, especially the different punctuation keys, to understand which keys correspond to which special characters in the foreign language.

    • For additional information about this feature, consult your Windows help files.
    • If you don't see the Language bar, go to Settings > Time & language > Typing > Advanced keyboard settings, and enable Use the desktop language bar when it’s available.
    • Windows 11 Touch Keyboard gives you a visual representation of your physical keyboard that can make it easier to enter the correct characters and punctuation keys for the foreign language.
    • Some languages do not have fonts installed by default on Windows. If you do not have a font, the characters will often show up as squares. A font for the language must be installed to display correctly in FamilySearch.

    Troubleshooting tips

    If the keyboard does not work from a particular Windows account, please check to see if Filter Keys is not enabled. The option is accessible from Start menu, then clicking Settings, then Accessibility, then Keyboard, and toggling Filter Keys off.

    For Mac

    To change the language:

    1. Click the Apple menu, then System Settings, then General, and then Language & Region.
    2. Select Add Language.
    3. Choose the language you want to use from the list, and click Add. You may be prompted to set it as your primary language. If you do, your Mac may need to restart.

    To change the keyboard layout:

    You can configure your keyboard to use different language and keyboard formats. You can add multiple keyboard layouts (called input sources) and switch between them when needed. Use the following steps to add a language, set a default language, and switch between keyboard layouts:

    To add a keyboard language:

    1. Click the Apple menu, and select System Settings.
    2. Select Keyboard in the sidebar.
    3. Go to Text Input, then click Edit.
    4. Click the Add (+) button, search for the language you want to add, and select one or more input sources. Click Add.

    To set a default keyboard layout:

    1. Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input > Edit.
    2. Drag your preferred input source to the top of the list to make it the default.

    To switch keyboard layouts:

    Click the Input menu in the upper-right corner of your screen (near the clock), then select the keyboard layout you want to use.

    Or use keyboard shortcuts:

    • Control + Spacebar to switch to the last used input source.
    • Control + Option + Spacebar to cycle through all input sources.

    You can also set the Fn key or Globe key to switch input sources in Keyboard settings.

    Tips

    • You will need to experiment with all of the keys on the keyboard, especially the different punctuation keys, to understand which keys correspond to which special characters in the foreign language.
    • For additional information about this feature, consult your Mac help files.
    • If you don't see the Input menu, go to System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input, and enable Show Input menu in menu bar.
    • The Keyboard Viewer gives you a visual representation of your physical keyboard that can make it easier to enter the correct characters and punctuation keys for the foreign language.
    • Some languages do not have fonts installed by default on macOS. If you do not have a font, the characters may appear as squares. A font for the language must be installed to display correctly in FamilySearch.

    Troubleshooting tips

    • If the keyboard does not work from a particular macOS account, check if Modifier Keys or Accessibility settings are interfering:
    • Go to System Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard, and review options like Sticky Keys or Slow Keys.
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