Ghost keyboard keeps showing up

Nightshade 5 Reputation points
2026-09-23T09:27:43.8366667+00:00

Hello.

No matter what I do English (United Kingdom) - US standard layout keyboard keeps appearing. Here's what I've tried:

User's image

  1. Checked it doesn't appear in the settings
  2. Added and removed English (United Kingdom). Removed and readded English (United States)
  3. Checked in the registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Keyboard Layout\Preload and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Keyboard Layout\Substitutes - no evidence of any keyboard keys other than US International (the only keyboard I want)
  4. Full restart (with shift to disable fast startup)

Other info: windows Version 10.0.26200 Build 26200 (Windows 11 Pro). I don't have windows backup enabled.

Please help.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Input and language

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Answer recommended by moderator
Nightshade 5 Reputation points
2026-09-23T09:37:43.4133333+00:00

Solved by ensuring everything was set to the same region (including control panel system locale) which make this hidden keyboard appear - which I was then able to delete.

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  1. Vikki-T 11,245 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-23T13:59:36.3733333+00:00

    Hi Nightshade,

    Thank you so much for the update. 

    If you ever have any other questions or run into anything in the future, please feel free to post your question on the Microsoft Q&A Forum anytime. I’ll always be here and ready to assist you. 

    Wishing you a great experience ahead! 

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-23T09:28:01.78+00:00

    This behavior matches a known Windows issue where a fallback keyboard layout such as English (United Kingdom) or English (United States) can reappear even when it is not shown as installed.

    Try these steps in order:

    1. In Settings > Time & language > Typing > Advanced keyboard settings:
      • Set Override for default input method to United States-International.
      • Clear Let me use a different input method for each app window.
    2. Sync is already not the cause in this case because Windows backup is disabled, so the next step is to align the system locale and copied language settings.
    3. Open Control Panel and switch View to Icons.
      • Select Region.
      • Open the Administrative tab.
      • Select Change system locale.
      • Set it to the same language/region used for the system location/language.
    4. Still in language settings:
      • Open Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
      • Select Administrative language settings.
      • On the Administrative tab, select Copy settings.
      • Enable Welcome screen and system accounts.
      • Enable New user accounts.
      • Save the changes.
    5. Restart the PC using Restart, not Shut down.

    If the ghost layout still returns, registry cleanup is the next advanced step. Warning: incorrect registry changes can cause system problems. Back up the registry first.

    Check these keyboard layout registry locations and remove entries that are not the intended layout:

    • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Keyboard Layout\Preload
    • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Keyboard Layout\Substitutes

    Windows can also switch between installed keyboard layouts with Windows logo key + Spacebar, so after the restart, verify that only the intended layout remains in that list.

    References:

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

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