How to change keyboard language on Mac

Control-Space

The main shortcut for switching the keyboard language on a Mac. If it doesn't work, see “If the language doesn't switch” below.

• Control-Space: go back to the language you used before. Handy when you have two.
• Control-Option-Space: the next language in the list.
• Hold Control and keep pressing Space: a list of languages appears. Let go on the one you want.

The globe key (fn)

If your keyboard has a 🌐 or fn key, you can set it to switch languages:

1. Choose Apple menu › System Settings › Keyboard.
2. In “Press 🌐 key to” (or “Press fn key to”), choose “Change Input Source”.
3. Press the key to move to the next language. A list of languages appears next to the cursor.

Caps Lock

In the input settings you can turn on switching with Caps Lock between a Latin input source (English) and a non-Latin one (Russian, Greek, Hebrew). The setting is called “Use the Caps Lock key to switch to and from…”. The path to it is below, in the section on adding a language.

From the menu bar

At the top right of the menu bar is the Input menu: an icon for the current language. Click it and choose a language. The menu appears on its own once you add a second language.

How to add a keyboard language on Mac

1. Apple menu › System Settings › Keyboard.
2. Under Text Input, click Edit.
3. Click “+” at the bottom of the list and find your language.
4. Choose a layout and click Add.

Some languages have more than one layout. Russian, for example, has a plain Russian layout and one marked PC. In the plain one the comma is on Shift-6 and the period on Shift-7; the PC layout puts them where a Windows keyboard does. If you're used to Windows, pick the PC one.

If the language doesn't switch

The shortcut does nothing

If the same shortcut is assigned to another command, it won't work. Open System Settings › Keyboard › Keyboard Shortcuts: a warning icon marks shortcuts that conflict. Change one of them.

The 🌐 key opens emoji or dictation

“Press 🌐 key to” is set to another action: “Show Emoji & Symbols” or “Start Dictation”. Choose “Change Input Source”.

The language changes by itself when you switch windows

“Automatically switch to a document's input source” is on: your Mac remembers the language for each document. Turn it off in Keyboard › Text Input › Edit.

The Input menu is gone from the menu bar

Turn on “Show Input menu in menu bar” in the same place, Text Input › Edit.