How To Modify Keyboard Strokes On Your Device

Keyboard strokes, or keys, can be reassigned to access different commands, shortcuts, or features to better fit your work style. For example, if you want to achieve accented vowels in Spanish or French, you can change the language setting and use the On-Screen Keyboard. You can also use Microsoft Word, which has hotkeys set up for accented letters. If you want to change your keyboard layout, you can do so by using the appropriate method for your version of Windows. For example, if you have Windows 7 or Windows Vista, you can change the keyboard layout by typing intl.cpl in the Start Search box and then pressing Enter.

How to change keyboard layout in Windows 7 or Windows Vista

To change your keyboard layout in Windows 7 or Windows Vista, follow these steps:

• Open the "Start Menu".
• Click on "Control Panel".
• Click on "Change keyboards or other input methods".
• Click on "Change keyboards".
• Add a new keyboard input by selecting the language you want. For example, expand "French (Canada)" and select "Canadian French".
• Choose your desired layout, such as "United States-Dvorak", and click "OK".
• To check that the layout matches your physical keyboard, click "Start", type "osk" in the Start Search box, and press "ENTER".

Note that when you change your keyboard layout, your primary language may also change. This could affect the keyboard layout used when entering your password to sign in to Windows. Ensure that you are using the correct keyboard layout when signing in, or change your keyboard layout on the sign-in screen by clicking the language abbreviation button in the lower-right corner.

How to change keyboard layout in Windows 11 or Windows 10

Yes, you can change your keyboard strokes by changing your keyboard layout. Here's a guide on how to do it on Windows 11 and Windows 10:

Windows 11:

• Open Windows Settings by clicking the Start menu icon and then the Settings icon.
• Select the "Time & language" section and then press "Language & region".
• Click "Add language" and install the desired keyboard layout. You can also select your desired target language and click "Next" to continue.
• Install the package by clicking the button with the same name.
• After installing the language pack, set the appropriate keyboard layout in the taskbar. The country abbreviation of the currently active keyboard will be shown here. For example, "ENG" signifies the US English layout.
• Click on the abbreviation to view and select the desired keyboard layout.
• To switch between keyboard layouts, you can use the key combination [Win] + [Space].

Windows 10:

• Press and hold the Windows logo key and then press the Spacebar to cycle through your input methods.
• If you have a touchscreen, you can switch the keyboard layout by tapping or clicking the keyboard icon and then selecting the desired layout.
• On the desktop taskbar, tap or click the language abbreviation in the notification area on the far right, and then tap or click the keyboard layout or input method you want.
• To add a new keyboard layout, go to Settings > Time & Language > Language.
• Under "Preferred languages", select "Add a language".
• Choose the language you want to add and then select "Next".
• Review any language features you want to set up or install, and then select "Install".

Note: You can also change the display language used by Windows features like Settings and File Explorer by going to Settings > Time & Language > Language and choosing a language from the Windows display language menu.

How to change keyboard layout to use a different language

You can change your keyboard layout to use a different language by following these steps:

Windows 11/10:

• Go to Start > Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region.
• Select the language that has the keyboard you want, then choose Options.
• Select Add a keyboard and choose the keyboard you want to add. If you don't see the keyboard you want, you may need to add a new language to get more options.
• Return to the Language settings page and go to Preferred languages, then select Add a language.
• Choose the language you want to use from the list, then select Next and review any language features you want to set up or install, and select Install.

Windows 8.1/7:

• Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings and then tap Change PC settings. (If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings and then click Change PC settings.)
• Tap or click Time and language, and then tap or click Region and language, and then tap or click Add a language.
• Browse for the language you want, and then tap or click it to add it to your language list.
• Download and install a language pack: Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings and then tap Change PC settings. (If using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings and then click Change PC settings.)
• Tap or click Time and language, and then tap or click Region and language. If the language says Language pack available, tap or click Options. If you don't see Language pack available, you might be able to download the language pack at the Download Center.
• Tap or click Download and wait for the download process to complete.
• Set a language as your primary language: Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings and then tap Change PC settings. (If using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings and then click Change PC settings.)
• Tap or click Time and language, and then tap or click Region and language.
• Tap or click the language that you want to see Windows in, and then tap or click Set as primary.

Switching Between Keyboard Layouts:

Once you have enabled the keyboard language that you want, you can switch between different languages by using the Language bar. The Language bar should appear on your taskbar near where the clock is. Click the language icon on the Language bar, and then click the language that you want to use. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Alt+Shift to switch between keyboard layouts.

How to achieve accented vowels in Spanish and French

If you're looking to type accented vowels in Spanish and French, there are several methods you can use, depending on your device and the frequency with which you need these letters. Here are some common ways to achieve accented vowels:

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

If you only need accented vowels occasionally, you can use keyboard shortcuts without changing your full keyboard layout. Here are some options:

For PC:

• For accented vowels in Microsoft Office, press and hold Ctrl + ' (apostrophe), then release and type the desired vowel. For example, Ctrl + ' + a = á.
• For the Spanish "ñ", press and hold Ctrl + ~ (tilde), then release and type "n".

For Mac:

• To achieve accented vowels, hold the Option key and press "e". Then, release both keys and type the desired vowel. For example, Opt + e, then "a" = á.
• For the Spanish "ñ", hold the Option key and press "n", then type "n" again.
• To type an umlaut over the "u", hold the Option key and press "u", then type "u" again.

Changing Keyboard Layout

If you regularly type in Spanish or French, you may want to change your keyboard layout to match the language. This will require learning new key placements, but it becomes easy with practice. Here's how you can do it:

For Windows:

• Go to your Control Panel.
• Click on "Clock, Language, Region" or "Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options".
• Click on "Change Keyboards" or "Regional and Language Options".
• Click Add and select the appropriate Spanish or French keyboard layout, such as "Spanish-International Sort" or "Canadian French".
• You may need to download and install a language pack.
• Set the new language as your primary language if desired.

For Mac:

• Go to your System Preferences.
• Click on "International" or "Language & Region".
• Select the "Input Menu" or "Keyboard Preferences" tab.
• Add the desired Spanish or French keyboard layout, such as "Spanish - ISO".
• Note the keystrokes necessary to switch between languages, or select "Show input menu in menu bar" to easily switch between keyboard layouts.

Copy and Paste

If you only need to use accented vowels infrequently, you can simply copy and paste them from a character map or an online source.

On-Screen Keyboards

Online on-screen keyboards, such as TypeIt, allow you to type accented vowels and letters without installing a new keyboard layout. You can edit your text on the website and then copy it to your desired application.

How to reassign hot keys for my keyboard

There are several ways to reassign hotkeys for your keyboard, depending on your operating system and the complexity of your desired changes.

Windows

If you are using Windows, you can use the Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center to reassign some keys to access different commands, shortcuts, or features. First, download and install the Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center. Then, connect the keyboard you want to configure and select the "Start" button, followed by the Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center. From the list of key names, select the key you want to reassign, and then choose the desired command from the command list.

Alternatively, you can use third-party software such as SharpKeys, Keytweak, or MapKeyboard to remap or reassign keys on your keyboard. These applications allow you to select keys and functions from a list and assign them accordingly. For example, with SharpKeys, you can remap one key to another, such as making the Caps Lock key function as the Ctrl key.

For more complex and powerful remapping, you can use AutoHotKeys, which allows you to create scripts to run more intricate actions. With AutoHotKeys, you can create macros to type specific lines of text, run programs, or create shorter shortcuts.

MacOS

If you are using macOS, you can customize existing keyboard shortcuts by going to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts. From there, you can browse and modify existing shortcuts for actions like taking a screenshot, showing the desktop, or using accessibility options. To make a change, simply double-click on the current keys for a specific action and press the new desired configuration on your keyboard.

You can also create custom keyboard shortcuts for your favourite apps by selecting "App Shortcuts," choosing the app, and entering the exact menu command. Additionally, you can enable the use of function keys (F1, F2, etc.) as standard function keys by selecting "Function Keys" in the Keyboard settings.

MacOS also allows you to alter the behaviour of individual modifier keys, such as Caps Lock, Control, Option, Command, and Globe/Function, by going to "Modifier Keys" in the Keyboard settings and changing their functions. For more powerful options, you can explore free programs like Karabiner-Elements and FunctionFlip.

Frequently asked questions