How to change the default keyboard in Windows XP

Here are some brief instructions on how to change the default keyboard in XP (Windows 7 and Vista procedures are very similar)

1. Click Start
2. Choose "Control Panel"
3. Double Click "Regional and Language Options" (Change keyboards and other input methods in W7/Vista)
4. Click the 'Languages' tab
5. Click 'Details"
6. In the drop-down list at the top choose the language you want to use.
7. Click OK
8. Click OK again

This will change the keyboard layout to the language chosen. 

If you need to add a keyboard (so that you can swap between them) then:

1. Follow steps 1 to 5
2. Click 'Add'
3. Choose the language you want
4. Click OK
5. Continue from step 6 above to choose your default

For an easy way to change from one layout to another you should enable the 'Language Bar':

1. Follow steps 1 to 5 above
2. Click "Language Bar..."
3. Tick the "Show the Language bar on the desktop" option
4. Click OK
5. Continue from step 6 above

You will now have something like 'EN' or 'ES' on your taskbar at the bottom of your screen. Click this to change layout as needed.

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