Duplication issue with the correction symbol “^^”

Eren Can 0 Reputation points
2026-11-07T11:12:04.2933333+00:00

I can type an “A” with an accent in Windows or in applications outside the browser. However, when I press Shift + 3 in all browsers, ^^ appears that is, two quotation marks. We’re certain this isn’t caused by hardware or hardware-related software three or four of us are experiencing this issue. I also saw someone else with a similar problem back in September. This seems to be a Windows-related issue. Does anyone have any ideas about this? We’ve tried all resets and reinstallations.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Input and language
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  1. AI answer

    2026-11-07T11:12:22.9066667+00:00

    This behavior matches a keyboard layout or dead-key issue more than a hardware fault.

    Try these checks in order:

    1. Verify the active keyboard layout
      • Press Windows + Spacebar or Alt + Shift to switch layouts.
      • Test in the browser after each switch.
      • If multiple layouts are installed, a non-English layout can make keys behave as accent or dead keys instead of typing the expected character directly.
    2. Check installed keyboards
      • Go to Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region.
      • Under the active language, open Options.
      • Confirm the intended keyboard is installed, such as the correct English layout.
      • Remove unused layouts if they are being switched accidentally.
    3. Review advanced keyboard settings
      • Go to Settings > Time & Language > Typing > Advanced keyboard settings.
      • Check whether layout switching shortcuts are enabled unexpectedly.
    4. Consider dead-key behavior
      • In Windows, some keys are treated as dead keys for accented characters. That means the first key press does not immediately produce the final character and instead waits for the next key.
      • This can explain why a key combination appears to produce repeated accent-like marks instead of the expected symbol.
    5. If the issue is only in browsers after layout checks
      • Test with a different keyboard layout temporarily.
      • If accented input works correctly outside browsers but not inside browsers, compare behavior after switching to a plain English keyboard layout and removing duplicate layouts.

    For accented characters in Microsoft Word, supported shortcuts include:

    • Ctrl + ', then the letter for á, é, í, ó, ú
    • Ctrl + Shift + :, then the letter for ä, ë, ï, ö, ü

    If the key is acting like an accent key, that is consistent with dead-key behavior described in Windows and with layout switching issues reported when multiple languages are installed.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Hendrix-V 20,800 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-11-08T02:14:59.3633333+00:00

    Hi Eren Can,

    Since this happens across browsers but not in other Windows applications, and the keyboard/layout checks have already been covered, I’d next check whether software interacting with browser text fields is involved. Please try these steps:

    • Open an InPrivate/Incognito window.
    • Test Shift + 3 there.
    • If it works normally, temporarily disable browser extensions, especially grammar, translation, keyboard/input, or accessibility extensions, then test again.

    Another useful test is to rule out third-party software that may be interacting with browser input.

    • Perform a Windows clean boot.
    • Restart the PC and test Shift + 3 in a browser.
    • If the duplication disappears, re-enable the disabled services/startup items gradually to identify the conflicting software.

    I hope this helps isolate the cause. Please share the result if you’re able to test it.

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