Open System Settings and find the keyboard menu

To change your keyboard language on Mac, start by opening System Settings. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, then select System Settings from the dropdown. On newer Macs running Sonoma or later, you'll see System Settings as the main preferences app. On older versions, this was called System Preferences.

Once System Settings is open, look for the Keyboard option in the sidebar. Click it to open the keyboard preferences panel. You should see several tabs at the top: Key Repeat, Delay Until Repeat, and Input Sources. The Input Sources tab is where you'll manage your keyboard languages.

Add a new keyboard language in Input Sources

Click the Input Sources tab. You'll see a list of languages and input methods already installed on your Mac. Below that list is a plus button (+). Click it to add a new keyboard language.

A window will open showing all available languages and input methods. Scroll through the list to find the language you want to add. You can type the language name in the search box at the top to find it faster. Once you've found your language, click it to select it, then click Add.

Your new keyboard language is now installed. You'll see it appear in the Input Sources list. If you want to remove a language you no longer use, select it in the list and click the minus button (−) below.

Key Takeaways

  • Open System Settings, click Keyboard in the sidebar, then select the Input Sources tab to manage keyboard languages.
  • Click the plus button to add a new language, search for it in the window that opens, and click Add to install it.
  • Switch between keyboard languages using the Input menu in the top menu bar, or press Control + Space if you've enabled that shortcut.
  • You can remove unused languages by selecting them in Input Sources and clicking the minus button.
  • Some languages have multiple input methods available — choose the one that matches how you type in that language.

Switch between keyboard languages using the menu bar

Once you've added a keyboard language, you need a way to switch between them. The easiest method is using the Input menu in your Mac's menu bar. Look at the top-right corner of your screen — you should see a flag icon or language abbreviation (like "EN" for English). This is the Input menu.

Click the Input menu and you'll see a list of all your installed keyboard languages. Click the one you want to use, and your keyboard will switch to that language immediately. The menu bar icon will update to show which language is now active.

If you don't see an Input menu in your menu bar, go back to System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources and check the box that says "Show Input menu in menu bar." It may be labeled slightly differently depending on your macOS version, but the option is always there.

Use a keyboard shortcut to switch languages faster

Clicking the menu bar every time you want to switch languages gets tedious if you use multiple languages regularly. Mac lets you set a keyboard shortcut instead. In System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources, look for an option called "Select the previous input source" or "Select next source." These options let you assign a keyboard combination like Control + Space or Command + Space.

Once you've set a shortcut, you can switch languages without touching your mouse. Press your chosen shortcut and your keyboard language will cycle to the next one in your list. Press it again to cycle to the next, and so on. This is much faster if you're typing in multiple languages throughout the day.

You can also customize the order of your languages in the Input Sources list by dragging them up or down. This determines which language comes next when you use your keyboard shortcut.

Choose the right input method for your language

Some languages have more than one input method available. For example, Chinese can be entered using Pinyin (phonetic), Cantonese Jyutping, or handwriting recognition. Japanese offers Hiragana, Katakana, and Romaji methods. When you add a language, you may see multiple options for how to type it.

If you're not sure which input method to choose, pick the most common one — usually the phonetic or romanized version. You can always add the same language again with a different input method later if you need it. Each input method will appear as a separate entry in your Input Sources list, so you can have both Pinyin and Cantonese installed at the same time.

Check your keyboard layout matches your language

Changing your keyboard language doesn't automatically change your keyboard layout. If you have a physical keyboard that's labeled in English but you're typing in French, the keys will still be in English positions. This matters because some languages use different key positions — French AZERTY keyboards, for example, have a completely different layout than English QWERTY.

If you have a keyboard physically labeled in your target language, you should also change your keyboard layout in System Settings. Go to Keyboard > Input Sources, find your language in the list, and look for layout options. Select the layout that matches your physical keyboard. If you're using an English keyboard to type in other languages, you can leave the layout set to English — the language setting handles the character input.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same keyboard for multiple languages at once?

Yes. You can install as many keyboard languages as you want in Input Sources, and switch between them using the menu bar or your keyboard shortcut. Your Mac will remember which language you were using last and return to it the next time you restart, though you can change this behavior in System Settings.

What if my language isn't showing up in the Input Sources list?

Most languages are built into macOS, but some regional variants may not be. Try searching for the language by country name instead — for example, search "Portuguese" if you're looking for Brazilian Portuguese. If it still doesn't appear, your Mac may not have that language installed, and you may need to download additional language support through System Settings > General > Language & Region.

Does changing keyboard language affect my system language?

No. Your keyboard language and your system language are separate. You can type in French while your Mac menus and apps remain in English. If you want to change your entire system language, that's a different setting in System Settings > General > Language & Region.

How do I remove a keyboard language I don't use anymore?

Open System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources, find the language you want to remove in the list, click it to select it, then click the minus button (−) below the list. The language will be removed from your Input Sources, though you can add it back anytime by clicking the plus button.

Can I set different keyboard languages for different user accounts?

Yes. Each user account on your Mac has its own System Settings. If you log in as a different user, you can set up completely different keyboard languages and shortcuts. The settings won't affect other users on the same Mac.