Can I disable the "Alt+Shift" shortcut to change language in windows 8.1 (or Windows 10)?

Question

I'm using windows 8.1 with multiple languages. The new pretty shortcut windows+spacebar will pop up a pretty looking selection on the right.

Now, hitting Alt+Shift (left ones) will also change the language.

This 2nd option clashes with some of my other shortcuts (mainly sublime text), and I can't find where/how to disable it. I remember it was possible in previous versions of windows where you could select the shortcut for changing languages.

Any suggestions?

@Ramhound to do what? I've used it to create hot keys for things, but wouldn't the default windows take precedence over it? — Noctis, Jan 07 '14 at 13:42

score 191 · Accepted Answer · edited Jan 08 '14 at 12:09

191

Good golly ... spent too much time on it, but found it eventually.

It's hidding in: Clock,Language, ande Region -> Language -> Advanced Settings -> Change language bar hot keys. (the last is in the "switching input methods").

Here's a website with screenshots .

Once done, you can change or disable it. (which made me realize i have another program that was trying (yet failing) to use those shortcuts :) ).

enter image description here

edited Jan 08 '14 at 12:09

Devid

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answered Jan 08 '14 at 10:39

Noctis

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Windows 10 the path is slightly different, _Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Language\Advanced settings_ – JohnC Apr 25 '17 at 10:00
original question was for 8.1 :) . I guess your comment will help people with ... more modern windows ... – Noctis Apr 25 '17 at 10:26
You solved this annoying feature... when programming I often use ALT and Shift key... so I often switched language by mistake. Thanks!!!! – Matteo Conta May 25 '17 at 09:28
@MatteoConta You're welcome. Being bilingual or multilingual can be a bit of a pain sometimes ;) .Glad it helped. – Noctis May 25 '17 at 10:12
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I can't find the path described by @JohnC. I think Windows 10 has changed its location. – Andre Soares Nov 27 '18 at 22:13
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@Andre-Soares, look at Andrew Ward's answer to this question, I verified that his sequence works on my Windows 10, build 17134.407. In summary, Windows Settings (formerly Control Panel) > Time & Language > Region & language > Advanced keyboard settings > Language bar options > Advanced Key Settings > Change Key Sequence. Way too long a sequence. – JohnC Nov 29 '18 at 02:25
I found the path. But even with all shortcuts disabled, Win+Space still shows the input selection popup. – Andre Soares Dec 03 '18 at 17:10
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Couldn't navigate to it so I searched for `advanced keyboard settings` – CervEd Dec 02 '19 at 16:18

Reed Dunkle · Answer 2 · 2023-08-15T15:12:16.257

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Windows 10 / Windows 11

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This comment reports solution works on Windows 2004 also.

Press the Windows key, type Advanced keyboard settings and then press Enter
Input language hot keys (left)
Change Key Sequence... (for "Between input languages")
Set to "Not Assigned"

I'm going to update the subtitle date when this gets an upvote so that we know it's still working.

(Thanks @bugybunny, @Bassie-c, and @skajfes for improvements.)

edited Aug 15 '23 at 15:12

answered Dec 18 '18 at 07:46

Reed Dunkle

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Confirmed working in february 2019. – Nict Feb 18 '19 at 20:17
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I am on 1809 and connected to a domain and in the settings I had `Region & language` split up. I had to click on `Language`, `Spelling, typing & keyboard settings` on the right (under Related settings) then scroll to the bottom and then on `Advanced keyboard settings`. The rest is the same Edit: just noticed that you can also press Win key and search for “Typing settings” and then find `Advanced keyboard settings` at the bottom. – bugybunny May 14 '19 at 12:26
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Still working!! – Thomas Cheng Oct 14 '19 at 07:56
I don't have the Advanced Keyboard Settings there on screenshot 4 (Windows 10 Pro 1903) – Bassie-c Oct 30 '19 at 22:52
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Ah, I found were it is. I basicly followed @bugybunny 's road I see now. But a quicker way would be to go to `Devices` -> `Typing` and than the `Advanced keyboard settings` are on the bottom. – Bassie-c Oct 30 '19 at 22:56
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@Bassie-c good call. I'll work on updating this. – Reed Dunkle Oct 31 '19 at 20:07
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Tap `Windows key` > type `settings`, press `enter` > choose `Devices` > choose `Typing` (left panel) > choose `Advanced keyboard settings` (text link near bottom) > choose `Language bar options` (link) > go to `Advanced Key Settings` tab > select Action `Between input languages` > Click `Change Key Sequence...` > `Not Assigned` (or as preferred) > `OK` – Wyck Jan 23 '20 at 14:42
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I find search much simpler to use since the settings get moved around much lately. Search for `Advanced keyboard settings` in the start menu. From there click on `Input language hotkeys` which brings you to step 7 described above. – skajfes Apr 29 '20 at 10:30
@skajfes Nice find. Thanks for sharing. I'll update this ASAP. – Reed Dunkle Apr 29 '20 at 14:52
It seems they've upgraded the behaviour at some point between Dec 2019 and May 2020, where sometimes Windows 10 loaded multiple inputs for the same language (e.g. Spanish (International) and also Spanish (Spain)) but showing them without distinction in the language popup, and there was no way to remove one of them. Now is possible. Also, if you press SHIFT+ALT instead of ALT+SHIFT the popup doesn't show up – vegatripy May 20 '20 at 15:36
Hey folks, I understand this can be disabled, but I'm bilingual and really need to switch back and forth constantly... is there any way to assign a DIFFERENT key combination? Using ALT+SHIFT is a pain, since when developing it conflicts with many editor shortcuts. – Jose Cifuentes Jul 13 '20 at 16:47
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@JoseCifuentes I don't know. My advice is to look around the various StackExchange sites, and if there's nothing already answering your question, ask that question as its own question. It's unlikely you'll find an answer here for that question. If you do find an answer elsewhere, or ask your own question, and you're feeling generous, perhaps come back here to leave a comment with a link to that thread. I can even update my answer to help redirect people there. – Reed Dunkle Jul 14 '20 at 17:44
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@ReedDunkle I actually found a way! In W10 open "Advanced Keyboard Settings" (search on Start Menu), click "Language bar options", click tab "Advanced Key Settings", then you can assign a different key sequence to each of "To English" and "To Spanish" individually. For example, I am using "Left Alt + Shift + 9" for English, and "Left Alt + Shift + 8" for Spanish. No conflicts and works nice. – Jose Cifuentes Jul 16 '20 at 20:00
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thanks this works for windows 2004. They removed language from control panel – abhimanyuaryan Sep 11 '20 at 05:38
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After years of bothering with accidental language swapping in Windows, I finally disabled this too. Thanks for one problem less in my life. – Avatar Oct 09 '20 at 08:03
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Thank you! Confirmed working in Win10 21H2. – Shiv Jun 21 '22 at 10:41
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Also works for Windows 11 - thanks! – Paidoo Dec 01 '22 at 10:09

score 52 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 23 '17 at 09:03

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Under Windows 10, another lazier way to achieve the same goal is to run the following command line.

"C:\Windows\system32\rundll32.exe" Shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL input.dll,,{C07337D3-DB2C-4D0B-9A93-B722A6C106E2}{HOTKEYS}

answered Aug 23 '17 at 09:03

Nadge25

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That was the only working way for me to open that dialog. Thank you very much! – yaskovdev Jun 01 '18 at 07:35
This command made my day. I gave up trying to find the dialog in the control panel. Its just complete rubbish, at this point. – birgersp Jan 18 '19 at 22:24
Fantastic, for win 2019 server this was the only way to resolve! Thank You much! – Gennady G Aug 15 '19 at 17:39
Should be marked as answer. It is difficult that Microsoft is moving (and removing) ui elements. – theking2 Apr 09 '20 at 08:26
Worked on my company Laptop where the "Input language hot keys" option was (intentionally or accidentally) disabled, thanks a lot! – A. Markóczy Dec 17 '20 at 10:43

Andrew Ward · Answer 4 · 2018-06-05T16:17:16.143

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The option seems to have moved yet again for the latest Windows 10 update, at least for me (I no longer have a "Language" icon in the Control Panel).

Open the Region & Language settings applet.

Then "Advanced keyboard settings" in Related settings on the right.

Then "Language bar options".

The "Text Services and Input Languages" dialog will appear. Select the "Advanced Key Settings" tab and you'll be shown a Key Sequence list for changing between input languages.

edited Jun 05 '18 at 16:17

answered Jun 05 '18 at 16:05

Andrew Ward

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Hmmm... i still have it no mine. But maybe there's an update coming. Do you have multiple languages set up on your machine ? (I've updated the question title since it seems to be so popular it moved to Win 10 :) ) Cheers. – Noctis Jun 06 '18 at 01:24
I have three keyboard languages installed, currently using English (USA) as language, but different keyboard layout. I went to Settings App->Time & Language->Language->Spelling, typing & keyboard settings (in related settings)->Advanced keyboard settings->Language bar options->Advanced key settings and then set Unassigned in key sequence for the option "Between input languages". – Nict Feb 18 '19 at 20:14
no longer working – theking2 Apr 09 '20 at 08:31

score 3 · Answer 5 · answered Feb 12 '22 at 13:35

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The location has changed in Windows 11.

Once there, the dialogs are the same as in previous versions.

answered Feb 12 '22 at 13:35

jgauffin

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Mo D Genesis · Answer 6 · 2022-04-04T09:11:32.670

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On windows 10 I figured it out:

in the windows taskbar search for language settings

click on choose an input method to always choose as default (at the bottom)

language bar options

advanced key settings tab

select between input languages and press the button change key sequence

press both radio buttons on "not assigned and press ok

then press apply

edited Apr 04 '22 at 09:11

answered Oct 29 '20 at 15:01

Mo D Genesis

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Can I disable the "Alt+Shift" shortcut to change language in windows 8.1 (or Windows 10)?

6 Answers6

Windows 10 / Windows 11

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