Change the Keyboard Layout in Ubuntu: GUI, Terminal, Console

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Switch to a different language or layout in a few simple steps

Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: January 19, 2026 Fact Checked

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Changing in Settings

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Changing in a Terminal

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Changing on Console

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Q&A

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Tips

This wikiHow guide teaches you how to choose a different keyboard layout in Ubuntu Linux. You can select a new keyboard layout in your keyboard settings if you're using the GUI, and the changes will also apply to terminals. If you're signed in remotely or just prefer using terminal commands, you can also select a different layout using the command sudo dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration. If you need to specify a different keyboard layout on console or for virtual TTYs, the steps are a little different.

Quick Steps

Press the Windows key and type "keyboard".
Select Settings > Keyboard from the search results.
Click + Add Input Source.
Select a keyboard layout and click Add.
Switch between layouts by pressing Windows key + Spacebar.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Changing Keyboard Layout in Settings

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1
Open your keyboard settings. To do this, press the Windows key (aka the Super Key) on your keyboard, type keyboard, and select Settings > Keyboard in the search results.^{[1]
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This opens a list of keyboard layouts and languages.

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3
Select a layout. Choose the language associated with the keyboard layout you want to use.
- If you don't see the correct layout, close the window for now. Then, open a terminal window and run this command: gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.input-sources show-all-sources true.^{[2]
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- Once you run the command, you can go back to your keyboard layout settings. This time, you'll have the full list of keyboard layouts to choose from.
- Depending on the language, you may have more than one layout from which to choose. For example, for English, you'll see English (US), English (Australia), English (Canada), English (United Kingdom), etc. Another example is for Cameroon—you'll find Cameroon Multilingual (Dvorak) and Cameroon Multilingual (QWERTY).
It appears at the top-right corner once you select a layout. This adds the layout to the Input Sources list.
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Move your preferred default layout to the top of the list. The first layout in the Input Sources section is the layout Ubuntu associates with your keyboard by default. If you'd like to choose a different default layout, select the layout, then drag it to the top.
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Assign different layouts to different windows. If you need different keyboard layouts for specific windows–for example, you're writing in Spanish for one project, and English in another–click the Options button above the input list to view your settings for multiple inputs.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Changing Keyboard Layout in Terminal

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1
Type sudo dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration and press ↵ Enter. This command will open a terminal-based menu that allows you to select a different keyboard layout.
- If you're using a virtual terminal or are logged in on console, jump to Changing Keyboard Layout on Console to learn how to change your keyboard layout.
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Select your preferred layout and then OK. Use the arrow keys to select your layout. Once selected, press Tab ↹ once to move the focus to the OK option, then press ↵ Enter to select it.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Changing Keyboard Layout on Console

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1
When you're signed in on console, type sudo dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration and press ↵ Enter. This command will open a menu that allows you to select a different keyboard layout.
- This method also works on virtual terminals/TTYs.
- You will need sudo privileges to use this command.
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Select your preferred layout and then OK. Use the arrow keys to select your layout. Once selected, press Tab ↹ once to move the focus to the OK option, then press ↵ Enter to select it.
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Run the command sudo setupcon -k. This applies the changes to the current console or virtual terminal session. However, the changes are not yet permanent.^{[3]
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Run the command sudo update-initramfs -u. This command ensures your new keyboard layout is loaded automatically on console and in virtual terminals.
- Until you reboot, future virtual TTYs will not use the new keyboard layout. So, if you're using a virtual terminal and think you'll want to open new sessions, go ahead and give your system a reboot.

Community Q&A

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Question

How can I create a keyboard shortcut to a specific keyboard layout without having to cycle over all layouts?

flying 8lack

Community Answer

You have to setup Settings to point to keyboard driver through kernel mod, then set the shortcut in Settings.

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How can I change the keyboard configuration in Ubuntu?

Windows_Linux Pro

Community Answer

Reinstall Ubuntu, then select your keyboard layout. If you are afraid of losing your files, just back them up.

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Tips

To remove a keyboard layout you don't want to use anymore, click the three dots on the keyboard layout and select Remove.^{[4]
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Not all layouts are compatible with standard keyboards. Make sure that your keyboard is set up for your preferred layout before selecting the layout.

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