How to Change Layout Keyboard: Complete Guide

In the digital age, globalization and variety of devices make the need to adapt our tools to different language and typing needs common. Buying a notebook with a foreign keyboard or wanting to lend your device to a friend using a different layout are just some of the scenarios where keyboard customization becomes fundamental. Fortunately, most modern operating systems offer simple and intuitive tools to change the keyboard layout, from patterns like QWERTY, the most popular in Italy and the Anglo-Saxon world, to variants such as QWERTZ (German) or AZERTY (French) with few simple steps.

This comprehensive guide has been created to accompany you through the necessary procedures on all major platforms: Windows, macOS, Android and iOS/iPadOS. We will show you how to access the appropriate settings and configure the layout that best suits your needs, ensuring a smooth and seamless typing experience, regardless of the language or the layout of the keys you are used to. Prepare to find out how to make your digital writing experience more comfortable and personalized than ever.

Understand Keyboard Layouts: QWERTY, AZERTY, QWERTZ

Before entering into specific procedures, it is useful to understand what the terms QWERTY, AZERTY and QWERTZ mean. These names are derived from the first six letters found in the upper row of the alphabetic keyboard keys. The layout QWERTY is undoubtedly the most widespread globally, standard for English and widely used in Italy and many other countries. Its origin dates back to the first typewriters, designed to slow down the typing and prevent jamming.

The layout AZERTYIt is the standard in France and Belgium. It has a different layout of some key letters, with the ‘A’ and ‘Q’ exchanged place compared to QWERTY, and the ‘M’ often located right of the ‘L’. It also includes more direct access to accent characters typical of the French language.

The layout QWERTZ is commonly used in Germany and some parts of Central Europe. The most obvious difference to QWERTY is the exchange between ‘Z’ and ‘Y’, in addition to the presence of specific characters for the German language such as vowels with dieresis (ä, ö, ü) and the ‘ß’ symbol.

Each layout is optimized for the specific language and typing needs of the region where it is most used. Changing the keyboard software layout basically means saying to the operating system that when you press a certain physical key, you have to interpret it as a different character. It is important to remember that the modification of the software layout does not change the engraving on the physical keys; if your keyboard is imported, you may want to consider buying stickers for the keys for a more accurate visual correspondence.

Change Layout Keyboard on Windows PC

The Windows operating system offers different ways to change the keyboard layout, depending on the version installed on your computer. The general procedure provides access to the language settings and selection of the desired layout. Let's see the detailed steps for the latest versions.

Windows 11

On Windows 11, the keyboard layout editing process is integrated into the modern settings panel. Follow these steps:

1. Right-click the button Start (the flag icon) in the application bar and select Settings.
2. In the Settings window, select the tab Date/time and language from the side menu.
3. Next, click on Language and geographical area.
4. Locate the language installed on your system (for example, Italian) and click on the icon of the three dots (…) beside it.
5. From the context menu, choose Language options.
6. In the “Tools” section, click on the button Add keyboard.
7. A drop-down menu will open with different layout options. Choose what you want to add (for example, German QWERTZ or French AZERTY).

To move quickly from one layout to another, you can click on the language icon (usually “ITA” for Italian) located in the right corner of the application bar, in the notification area. This will allow you to select the desired layout on the flight.

Windows 10

Also on Windows 10, the layout changes via the Settings panel:

1. Open the menu Start and click on the gear icon to access the Settings.
2. On the Settings screen, select Date/time and language.
3. From the side menu, choose the tab Language.
4. In the “Previous Languages” section, locate the language you want to use (e.g., Italian) and click on the button Options.
5. Next, click on the button Add keyboard.
6. From the list that appears, select the keyboard layout you want to use (for example, French (AZERTY)).

To change layout dynamically, just click on the language icon in the Taskbar, in the bottom right corner, and select the desired option.

Windows 7

For those who still use Windows 7, the procedure requires you to go through the Control Panel:

1. Click the button Start (the flag icon on the bottom left) and select Control panel.
2. In the Control Panel, search and click on Change keyboards or other input methods, which is under the heading “Orologio and international options”.
3. In the opening window, click first on the button Change keyboards.. and then Add...
4. Now, select the layout you want to add (for example, French (France) for AZERTY or German (Germany) for QWERTZ).
5. Expand your voice Keyboard that appears below and affix the check mark next to the corresponding language name.
6. To save the changes, click on Apply and then OK.

Also in Windows 7, you can switch between the different layouts using the language indicator in the notification area, next to the clock, at the bottom right.

An important reminder for all Windows users: when changing the software layout, matching the keys on the physical keyboard does not change. If you have an imported keyboard and want an accurate visual correspondence with the Italian layout, there are on the market sets of keyboard stickers that can be applied on the keys to change their physical appearance. These stickers are easily available online at low cost.

Change Layout Keyboard on Mac (macOS)

Mac users can change the keyboard layout equally intuitively, operating directly from the system settings. Here is how to proceed on macOS:

1. Open the door System Settings. You can do this by clicking on the Gear icon in the Dock or selecting System Settings from the Apple menu (the morsicata apple icon) on the top left.
2. In the Settings window, select Keyboard from the side menu.
3. Next to the item “Input Sources”, click on the button Edit...
4. In the new window, click the button + (more) in the lower left corner.
5. A list of languages will be displayed. Select the language corresponding to the layout you want to add (for example, “Francese” for AZERTY or “Tedesco” for QWERTZ).
6. Finally, click on Add to implement the changes.

Once you add multiple layouts, you can move from one to another quickly. If the flag icon (or another icon representing the current language) is not visible in the menu bar at the top right (by the clock), return to the “Input Sources” section of the Keyboard settings and make sure the option Show menu Keyboard in the menu bar is set to ON. Clicking on this icon, you can select the desired layout “on the fly”.

Change Layout Keyboard on Android Devices

Both on smartphones and Android tablets, the ability to customize the keyboard layout is a standard feature. The procedure may vary slightly depending on the keyboard app you use and the version of Android installed, but the basic principle remains the same: access the keyboard settings and select the desired layout.

Gboard (Google Keyboard)

Gboard is the default keyboard on most Android devices and can be downloaded free of charge from the Play Store. Here's how to change the layout:

1. Open the app Gboard from Home screen or app drawer. If you don't find it, go to Settings > System > Keyboard > Keyboard on screen > Gboard.
2. Touch your voice Languages.
3. Select the currently active language (e.g., Italian).
4. Browse the list of different layouts available and choose what you need (such as QWERTZ or AZERTY).

Microsoft SwiftKey

Microsoft SwiftKey is another very popular keyboard, often preinstalled on Huawei devices or downloadable from the Play Store. To change the layout:

1. Launch the app Microsoft SwiftKey from the Home screen or from the drawer, or go to Settings > System > Keyboard > Keyboard on screen > Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard.
2. In the SwiftKey settings panel, press on the voice Languages.
3. Tap the currently active language (e.g., Italian).
4. In the bottom pane, scroll through the different layouts and select the one of your interest (QWERTY, AZERTY, QWERTZ).

Samsung Keyboard

On Samsung devices, the default keyboard is the “ Samsung Keyboard”. Here's how to change the layout:

1. Open the app Settings (enlargement icon).
2. Go General Management > Samsung Keyboard Settings > Languages and Types.
3. In the screen that opens, tap the voice Italian (or any other language installed).
4. In the pop-up menu, select one of the available layouts, such as QWERTZ or AZERTY.

Celia Keyboard (Huawei)

If you have a Huawei smartphone with the Preinstalled Celia Keyboard, you can change the layout as follows:

1. Open the app Settings.
2. Go System and updates > Language and inclusion > Celia Keyboard.
3. In keyboard settings, tap the voice Language.
4. Press the button Qwerty (or currently active layout) next to the name of the language in use.
5. From the menu that opens, select one of the available layouts (e.g., QWERTZ, AZERTY).

Change Layout Keyboard on iPhone and iPad (iOS/iPadOS)

Apple devices, such as iPhone and iPad, also offer flexible keyboard layout management, making it easy and quick to adapt to your needs. The iOS/iPadOS operating system allows you to change the keyboard layout with few touches:

1. Open the app Settings (the gray icon with gears on the Home screen).
2. Scroll down and select General.
3. Then, touch Keyboard and subsequently Keyboards.
4. Here you will see a list of installed keyboards. If you want to change the layout of a language already present, tap the language name (e.g. Italian).
5. Within the language settings, you can select one of the available layouts, such as QWERTY, AZERTY or QWERTZ.

If you need to add a keyboard for a new language, tap the voice Add new keyboard.. and choose one of the languages from the list. Once installed, you can configure its specific layout as described above.

To move quickly from one keyboard to the other during typing, when the virtual keyboard is active, hold the emoji key or the mapmondo key (located on the bottom left). It will open a menu that will allow you to select one of the languages or layouts installed. By pressing this button briefly, the keyboard will flow between the options installed one after the other. If you want to access the complete settings of a specific keyboard to change the layout again, you can do so by pressing the button of the globe and selecting “Clear Settings”, then navigate the desired section.

Conclusions

As we have seen, the ability to change the keyboard layout is a widely supported feature on all major operating systems, both for desktop and laptop computers and for mobile devices. Whether you need to adapt to a new PC, collaborate with people of different nationalities or simply prefer a different key arrangement, the options are at hand and the procedures have been made increasingly intuitive over the years.

Thanks to these detailed guides, you now have all the information you need to customize your typing experience, moving agilely between QWERTY, AZERTY, QWERTZ or any other layout you need. Just put these tips into practice to optimize your workflow and enjoy greater freedom in the digital world.