Change keyboard language on macOS

Updated March 3, 2026 · 4 min read

Got a Mac with a keyboard in a different language? Or do you need to type in multiple languages? This guide shows you how to add, remove, and switch between keyboard languages on macOS in 5 steps.

Before you start: if you don't know which layout matches your physical keyboard, use FindMyKeyboard to identify it in seconds.

The 5 steps

Open System Settings

Click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner of the screen, then click "System Settings".

On versions prior to macOS Ventura (13), this is called "System Preferences".

Go to Keyboard

In the left sidebar, click "Keyboard".

Edit Input Sources

Click "Edit" next to "Input Sources". The list of currently installed layouts appears.

Click the "+" button at the bottom left to add a new input source.

Search and add the language

In the window that opens:

Type the name of the desired language (e.g. "French", "English", "Spanish")
Select the desired layout (e.g. "French" for AZERTY, "ABC" for QWERTY, "Spanish - ISO" for the Spanish keyboard)
Click "Add"

Verify and switch

You can now switch between keyboard languages in two ways:

Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + Space or Fn + Space (depending on your macOS version)
Menu bar: click the input source icon (flag or character) in the top-right corner of the screen

Tip: if the input source icon doesn't appear in the menu bar, go back to System Settings > Keyboard and check "Show Input menu in menu bar".

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove an input source?

Go back to System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources > Edit. Select the source you want to remove and click the "-" button at the bottom left.

My physical keyboard doesn't match the configured language

This is a common issue! For example, you have a QWERTY keyboard but macOS is set to AZERTY. The keys you press won't match what appears on screen. The fix: add the input source that matches your physical keyboard, not the language you want to write in.

The Ctrl + Space shortcut doesn't work

On recent macOS versions, the default shortcut may be Fn + Space. You can check and change this shortcut in System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Input Sources.

Using Windows? Check out our dedicated guides: Windows 11 or Windows 10.

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Not sure about your keyboard layout? Our free tool identifies it in a few clicks.

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