Windows Keeps reenabling ENG-US keyboard layout every restart

tiit ehasoo 0 Reputation points
2025-11-10T13:41:54.3666667+00:00

Hello

This issue has bugged me for YEARS upon years since windows 10 but no matter how mutch i edit the registry or windows settigngs either an update or restart IT ALWAYS ENABLES ENG-US and to disable it i need to add it then remove it but it gets anoying when typing an essay and my ENG-ET turns to ENG-US and suddenly shift 2 gives me @ not " and frankly it makes me insane atleast is there a way to turn off the windows + spacebar combo so it wont interupt me during gameplay this system is probably the most infuritating thing that has migrated from windows 10 funny thing is my laptop dosent have this issue but my desktop does

Thank you for your time

EDIT: fixed some small typos hopefully i got them all

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Input and language
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  1. IGYQ 22,340 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-11-10T14:51:08.9966667+00:00

    Hi!

    Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

    Please let me know if you've done the step already so we can skip it.

    I'll provide you steps that will help regarding this phantom layout that appears no matter what you do.

    Step 1: You need to remove it from the language list.

    1. Settings → Time & language → Language & region
    2. Make sure English (United States) is not listed.
    3. Keep only your desired layout (English (Estonia) etc.).
    4. If ENG-US keeps appearing, click it → Language options → Remove keyboard → US.

    Step 2: Force your layout as default for all users

    • Press Win + R, type control /name Microsoft.RegionAndLanguage → Enter.

    Click Administrative tab → Copy settings.

    • Tick Welcome screen and system accounts and New user accounts, then OK.
      • This overwrites the system-wide default with your preferred layout.

    Step 3: Delete the US layout registry key. (do not skip this step)

    • Run regedit and navigate to:
      • HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT\Keyboard Layout\Preload
    • Delete any value whose data is 00000409.
    • Do the same under:
      • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Keyboard Layout\Preload
      • and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Keyboard Layout\Substitutes

    Reboot you computer once done.

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  2. Vladislav Sorokin 10 Reputation points
    2026-10-25T16:55:40.5133333+00:00

    The usual advice (Settings, "Remove keyboard", Preload registry edits) didn't help me either: I don't have English (US) installed at all, yet "ENG US" kept showing up in the Win+Space switcher.

    Settings shows your user profile, while Win+Space shows what is loaded in your session, so a layout that is loaded but missing from the profile can't be removed from Settings.

    What works is your own trick: add it, then remove it. In PowerShell:

    $l = Get-WinUserLanguageList
$l.Add("en-US"); Set-WinUserLanguageList $l -Force
$l.Remove(($l | Where-Object LanguageTag -like 'en-US')); Set-WinUserLanguageList $l -Force

    It came back for me too after a couple of weeks, so I automated the check and the fix in a small free, open-source tool (a ready-made EXE, no PowerShell needed; it backs up your language list first): https://github.com/loglux/KeyboardLayoutFixer/releases/latest

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  3. AI answer

    2025-11-10T13:42:39.3833333+00:00

    To address the issue of Windows re-enabling the ENG-US keyboard layout upon restart, you can try the following steps:

    1. Remove the ENG-US Layout: Go to Settings > Time & Language > Language. Under Preferred languages, click on your language (e.g., English) and select Options. Remove the ENG-US keyboard layout if it is listed.
    2. Check Language Preferences: Ensure that your preferred keyboard layout (ENG-ET) is set as the default. You can do this by clicking on Add a keyboard and selecting your preferred layout, then removing any unwanted layouts.
    3. Registry Edit: If the problem persists, you might need to edit the registry. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layouts and check for any entries that may be causing the ENG-US layout to reappear. Be cautious while editing the registry, as incorrect changes can affect system stability.
    4. Disable Windows + Spacebar Shortcut: To prevent the Windows + Spacebar shortcut from changing your keyboard layout, you can disable it through the Settings. Go to Settings > Devices > Typing > Advanced keyboard settings and uncheck the option that allows you to switch input methods using the shortcut.
    5. Update Windows: Ensure your Windows is up to date, as updates can sometimes resolve persistent bugs related to language and input settings.

    If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider checking for any third-party software that might be interfering with your keyboard settings.

    References:

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