Incorrect keyboard identified on boot

Set United States as the only keyboard layout for your English language, then remove United Kingdom; the @ and " keys are swapped because Windows is loading the UK layout rather than the US layout.^1^

Replace the UK layout with US

1. Open Start → Settings → Time & language → Language & region.
2. Next to your English language, select … → Language options.
3. Under Keyboards:
   • If United States is absent, select Add a keyboard → United States.
   • Select … beside United Kingdom, then select Remove.
4. Check every English entry under Language & region because a keyboard layout can be attached either to the display language or to another matching language.^2^
5. Press Windows key + Spacebar and select English (United States) – US.
6. Restart Windows and test Shift+2; on a US layout it should produce @.

If Remove is unavailable, Windows considers UK the only keyboard for that language. Add United States first, select it, and then remove UK.^2^

If UK returns specifically after boot

The welcome/sign-in screen can retain a different regional configuration from your user account. Copy the corrected US settings to the system accounts:

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Set View by to Large icons or Small icons, then open Region.
3. Select the Administrative tab.
4. Under Language for non-Unicode programs, select Change system locale and set it to the same US language/region used by Windows.
5. Select Copy settings.
6. Check:
   • Welcome screen and system accounts
   • New user accounts
7. Save the changes and choose Restart, not Shut down.

This procedure addresses layouts that are correct after sign-in but revert at startup or appear as a hidden layout.^3^

If both layouts are intentionally installed

Set an explicit per-user default:

1. Open Settings → Time & language → Typing → Advanced keyboard settings.
2. Under Override for default input method, select the US keyboard.
3. Clear Let me use a different input method for each app window if applications keep switching independently.^4^

Windows otherwise can determine the default input method dynamically from the current user’s language list; an explicit override prevents that selection from changing automatically.^5^

References

1. Can't get @ symbol on my new surface pro 12 inch keyboard - Microsoft Q&A
2. Manage the language and keyboard/input layout settings in Windows | Microsoft Support
3. Windows 11 keeps showing another keyboard layout that isn't installed. - Microsoft Q&A
4. English keyboard layout keeps appearing - Microsoft Q&A
5. Set-WinDefaultInputMethodOverride-Description