Switch between keyboard languages on your Mac

Why it happens

Each keyboard language on your Mac is called an input source. Once you have more than one, your Mac can swap between them with a shortcut or from the menu bar. If you only have one, or the menu is hidden, you need to add the language or show the menu first.

How to fix it

1. Press Control-Space to jump to the keyboard you used last. Press it again to go back. Keep holding Control and tap Space again to step through the list.

2. Or click the input menu near the right end of the menu bar. It shows letters such as ABC or a flag. Choose the language you want to type in.

3. No input menu? Open System Settings > Keyboard, click Edit… next to Input Sources and turn on Show Input menu in menu bar.

   Keyboard›Text Input›Edit…›Show Input menu in menu bar

4. Language missing from the list? In the same Edit… window, click the + button, pick the language and the keyboard for it, then click Add.

   Keyboard›Text Input›Edit…

Still not fixed?

1. Prefer a single key? Set Press 🌐 key to Change Input Source in Keyboard settings. One tap on fn/Globe then switches language.

   Keyboard›Press 🌐 key to

2. Want a different shortcut? Open Keyboard Shortcuts…, click Input Sources, and change Select the previous input source or Select next source in Input menu.

   Keyboard›Keyboard Shortcuts…›Input Sources›Select the previous input source

3. If Control-Space does nothing, make sure that shortcut is switched on in the same Input Sources list, and that you have at least two input sources.

4. If the language switches on its own while you type, turn off Automatically switch to a document's input source in the Edit… window.

   Keyboard›Text Input›Edit…›Automatically switch to a document's input source

5. If the menu bar says one language but the keys type another, test with another keyboard. If the shortcuts and menu still don't work after a restart, contact Apple Support.