Change Keyboard Layout in Ubuntu

Ubuntu has built-in alternative keyboard layouts that you can quickly switch between. You just need to enable the layouts you want, and then you can switch between them using a menu or a keyboard shortcut.

Steps

  1. Click the Settings button in the upper-right corner of the screen. This will open the power and settings menu.
  2. Select "System Settings".
  3. Click "Text Entry". It may also be labeled "Language & Text" or "Keyboard Layout"
  4. Click the "+" button beneath the list of installed keyboard layouts.
  5. Choose the layout that you want to add to Ubuntu.
  6. Click . to add it to your list of layouts.
  7. Note the keyboard shortcuts. The "Switch to next source" and "Switch to previous source" shortcuts allow you to quickly cycle through your enabled layouts. You can select each one and set a new shortcut if you'd like.
    • Note: If you're using a Windows keyboard, the "Super" key is usually mapped to Win.
  8. Change your layout. After enabling the keyboard shortcuts, you have two ways to change the keyboard layout:
    • Click the Language button in the Ubuntu menu bar and select the layout you want from the list.
    • Press the shortcut you assigned to cycle through layouts.
  9. Click the Language button and select "Show Layout Chart". This will show you which keys on your keyboard are assigned to which characters.[1]

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Sources and Citations