Spain, the United States, or Latin America? The difference is obvious to most people, but Windows still has its problems, especially when it comes to configuring keyboards. The changes between layouts are subtle, yet broad enough to leave you without your @ symbol, the euro sign, or even worse, the letter ñ.
Today we will review the exact process for configuring a keyboard in Windows 10, whether to set the correct layout, add secondary ones, or remove the ones you don't need.
Why configuration matters
Keyboard configuration in Windows has never been very intuitive, to say the least. I admit the situation improved a bit in recent editions of the OS, but many users simply skip the whole process with the classic “Next, Next,” and honestly, I can't blame them.
Maybe there's something to learn from Linux distro installers, which even offer a test space to verify that the symbols work perfectly.
The problems are very common: the @ sign appears in a different place, the euro symbol is nowhere to be found, the backslash moves from one end of the keyboard to the other, and in more serious cases, the letter ñ goes on vacation.
All we need to do is configure the keyboard in Windows 10 according to its physical layout, but first, we have to find the corresponding section in the menu...
(Editor's note: This guide is based on Windows 10 version 2004. Considering the modifications the OS receives with each major upgrade, the exact process may change in the future.)
Configuring a keyboard in Windows 10
- Go to Windows Settings and click on Time & Language.
- Select Language on the left, and scroll down to the Preferred languages section.
- Click on the installed language, and then click Options.
- Scroll down to the Keyboards section, click Add a keyboard, and choose a layout. Alternatively, click on an existing one, and then Remove.
- If you have more than one layout configured, you can switch it from the system tray.
We have located all the options, but if you're wondering what the correct layout of your keyboard is, here are three images to compare.
How to Identify a Keyboard
- If the @ sign appears under the 2 (or to its right), the keyboard is Spanish or Spanish (Spain). The euro symbol is invoked with Alt Gr, using the 5 or the letter E.
- If the @ sign appears under the Q and the backslash is under the question mark, the keyboard is Spanish (Latin America) or simply Latin America. The @ sign is invoked with Alt Gr.
- The absence of ñ and the @ sign above the number 2 confirm that the keyboard is English (United States), or United States (international). The @ sign is invoked with Shift.
Conclusion
Of course, there are more exotic keyboard formats, and we can't forget the possibility of editing specific layouts to add custom symbols, but if you only wanted to know how to configure a Windows 10 keyboard, or how to configure the @ sign, here you have the basics to achieve it. Good luck!
