How to Override Default Input Method in Windows 11

Why override the default input method?

Windows often resets your active keyboard when you switch apps. A permanent override tells it to stick with your choice instead of picking a layout for each window. The override sets the default only. You can still switch layouts by hand whenever you need to.

What happens when done?

Once you finish these steps, Windows uses your chosen language and keyboard layout as the starting point. You no longer have to switch back to your preferred keyboard each time you open a new program.

If you ever want the old behavior back, return to the same setting and choose Use language list (Recommended). No restart is needed in either direction. The change applies to windows you open afterwards, so an app that is already open may need to be closed and reopened.

Understanding Input Method Editor (IME)

An Input Method Editor (IME) is a tool that lets you type characters for languages that do not fit on a standard keyboard, such as Chinese, Japanese or Korean. It turns your ordinary keystrokes into characters in the target script. If you see typing delays or wrong symbols, the IME is often the cause. You can review the installed input methods under Settings › Time & language.

How to override the default input method

Here is how to set the override in the Settings ⚙️ app:

1. Open Settings and go to Time & language > Typing.
2. Click Advanced keyboard settings. The page shows a drop-down list under Override for default input method.
3. Open the drop-down and pick the language and keyboard layout you want as your main default. The list only shows layouts that are already installed, so add the layout first if it is missing.
4. Close Settings. Windows now uses your choice as the default input for all typing instead of switching layouts on its own.

If the layout you want is not in the drop-down, add it first. Open the language options for each preferred language, and you should be able to add an input keyboard layout. You will find the language list under Settings › Time & language > Language & region. Once the layout is installed, go back to Advanced keyboard settings and select it.

1. Open the Start menu ⊞ and click Settings.
2. Go to Time & language and select Typing.

3. Click the Advanced keyboard settings tile.

4. Under the Override for default input method section, select your preferred language from the drop-down menu.
5. You can now close the Settings app.

A standard user account is enough, and the changes apply to that account only. If you use a work or school PC, an administrator may have locked some language options through policy. In that case a setting can be greyed out, and you need to ask your IT team.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts to Override

You can switch quickly between installed languages and layouts with a shortcut. This is useful when you only need a few words in another language and do not want to change your default.

1. Press Win+Space. A small panel appears near the taskbar 🖥️ and lists your installed input methods.
2. Press Win+Space again, or click an entry, to move to the next one. The language code in the taskbar 🖥️ changes to match.

This is a temporary switch. It does not change the override you set above.

Per-App Input Language Settings

Windows 11 can also remember a different input method for every app window. This helps if you use one language for email and another for coding. Do not combine it with a strict override. If you want one layout everywhere, leave this off.

1. Go to Settings › Time & language > Typing › Advanced keyboard settings
2. Tick the box Let me set a different input method for each app window. On some builds the wording is slightly different, for example “use” instead of “set”.
3. Switch layouts in each window as needed. Windows remembers the choice for that window.

To go back, untick the same box.

Pro Tip: Disable the Language Bar

If the language bar on your taskbar 🖥️ is cluttering your screen, you can hide it.

1. Go to Settings › Time & language > Typing › Advanced keyboard settings
2. Click Language bar options. A small dialog opens. If you do not see this link, turn on the option to use the desktop language bar first.
3. Select Hidden to remove the bar from your desktop.
4. Click Apply, then OK.

Hiding the bar does not remove any layouts. You can still switch with Win + Space.

Registry-Level Overrides (Admin Required)

Run it from an account that can approve the administrator prompt, because the Registry Editor may ask for permission. A wrong edit can cause input bugs, so work carefully.

Forcing a default layout through the registry is also possible. Open the Registry Editor (regedit) and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Keyboard Layout\Preload. You can modify the string values here to set your preferred layout ID. The values are numbered in order, and the entry named 1 is your first layout. Always back up your registry before making changes. In the Registry Editor, use File › Export to save a copy you can restore later. Sign out and back in afterwards so Windows reads the new values.

Summary

Setting a default input method override means your computer always uses the keyboard layout you prefer. Typing in several languages becomes faster, and your settings stop changing on their own. If anything goes wrong, set the drop-down back to Use language list (Recommended), or restore your registry backup if you edited the registry.