Input languages do not switch on the keyboard in Windows 10

Those users who have their computers running on Windows operating system have long been accustomed to switching input languages in the system by pressing Alt + Shift, or Ctrl + Shift. These combinations were present in the operating system from the moment of its inception, and so far many users have retained the habit of using them. But in Windows 10, Microsoft also implemented a new way to switch language on the keyboard, using Win + Space keys. And sometimes it happens that the new combination works, but the usual Alt + Shift or Ctrl + Shift do not change the input language on the keyboard. In this article we will are going to tell you how to fix this.

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Table of contents:
1. The Alt + Shift or Ctrl + Shift combination does not work
2. Language does not switch on the keyboard in Windows 10

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The alt+shift or ctrl+shift combination does not work

Any user may once in a while face this problem – when the Alt + Shift or Ctrl + Shift combination stops working and it does not change the input language in Windows 10. Even if these shortcuts have previously performed the necessary actions just fine, at some point settings may simply “fly off”. At the same time, it is very difficult to find the options in the system that are responsible for these settings. Let’s find out how to set the Alt + Shift or Ctrl + Shift combination if they stopped working:

1. First of all, left-click on the current input language displayed in the lower right corner of the screen. There will open a menu where you need to select “Language preferences”;
2. There will open the operating system parameters. You will need to go to the accopmanying parameters at the right sidebar by clicking on “Additional date, time & regional settings”;
3. Once you find yourself in the in the time, language and region settings, click on “Change input methods” in the “Language” section;
4. Next, at the left side of the screen, go to “Advanced Settings”;
5. In the “Switch input methods” section, click on the “Change language bar hot keys” option;
6. After that, in the “Advanced key settings” tab, click “Change key sequence”;
7. At the left side of the new window you can select which of the standard combinations will be responsible for switching the input language on the keyboard in the system. Available options are: Alt + Shift, Ctrl + Shift or Grave Assent.

When the desired combination is configured, confirm the changes made by clicking “OK” in the previously opened options.

Language does not switch on the keyboard in Windows 10

If the language on the keyboard in Windows 10 does not switch at all in any way, it indicates problems much more complex than just the incorrect settings. You need to make sure that startup contains the parameter that is responsible for this functionality, and also check that there are no glitches in the registry. We recommend that you follow the instructions below:

1. A certain utility – ctfmon.exe – is responcible for the function of switching the input language in the system. If for some reason this utility does not start automatically, you should try to turn it on manually and see if the problem is fixed after that. To do this, go to the System32 folder, which is located in the system drive in the Windows folder, and activate the ctfmon.exe utility;
2. If after activating this parameter the input switch on the keyboard started working normally, but after restarting your PC you are facing problems again, it means that the utility did not turn on automatically after reloading. In this situation, you need to go to the / Users / User Name / AppDate / Roaming / Microsoft / Windows / Main Menu / Programs / Startup folder on the system drive and add a shortcut for the ctfmon.exe utility. Then restart your computer and check if the language switching function has been adjusted;
3. In case this method did not help, you may need to check settings in the registry. To do this, start the Registry Editor using the Win + R key combination to run the “Run” line and then use the “regedit” command. In the Registry Editor, follow this path:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / Software / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / Run

4. It is necessary to check whether the parameter related to ctfmon.exe is present in the “Run” folder. If it does not exist, you need to create it. To do this you need to right-click at the empty space and select “New” – “String Value”.
5. You can give any name to the parameter, and the value should be written as follows (necessarily in the form shown below with quotation marks):

   "ctfmon" = "CTFMON.EXE"

Save this parameter and restart your computer to check whether the error with switching input language is corrected.