Keyboard settings play one of the most significant roles when working with the entire computer system. Who, if not gamers, should know that the convenience of controlling a character or an event in a modern computer game may depend on the purpose of the keys. But let's digress from games and consider keyboard settings from a general point of view, based on the capabilities of Windows operating systems and some additional tools. Actually, there is nothing complicated.
Keyboard Settings (Windows): Basic Settings
In considering this issue, for the most part, we will be interested in several basic parameters. And the very first thing you should pay attention to is the type of keyboard used.
Today, on the market for such devices, you can find quite a few non-standard models that are fundamentally different from ordinary keyboards, although they comply with the single PS / 2 connection standard (meaning their use on PC computers).
Typically, when installing the operating system, the keyboard settings are set automatically in the form of parameters that will be used by default in the future. Changing them during the installation of the system can only be done at the level of adding a language or the initial change of regional standards in the form of time zone parameters, used monetary units, etc.
But many users are not satisfied with the initial settings, because they do not meet the requirements of comfortable switching between languages and layouts, not to mention the consoles of computer games.
Customize keyboard layout and language
First of all, when setting up, you must use the standard “Control Panel”, in which the section of languages and regional standards is selected. The panel itself, depending on the version of the operating system, can be called up through the main Start menu, although in Windows 10 this is quite problematic. Therefore, it is recommended to use the Run console, in which the control command is simply written.
Consider the issues of configuring a keyboard based on Windows 10. After calling the language section from the Control Panel, the user immediately sees the installed language and layouts. Here you can add them or delete. Separately, it is worth noting the new ability to relocate the selected language up or down. This allows you to change the switch in the selected mode from one language to another precisely in the sequence set by the user.
How to add and remove a language or layout?
Actually, when adding a language, you can simultaneously use the installation of the corresponding layout.
As a rule, for English, the value of the United States must be applied, since it is the American version that is, so to speak, international. The layout is usually called QWERTY, which corresponds to a sequence of standard characters on any PS / 2 keyboard. Note that in Apple laptops it can be distinguished quite strongly and does not contain keys or characters familiar to Windows users like Fn, Ctrl, Shift, Win, etc. For Slavic languages, the Russian layout can not be changed.
Change keyboard shortcuts
By default in Windows (in almost all versions), the keyboard keys are configured such that switching between languages or layouts is done using a combination of the left Alt key and the Shift button. For many, this combination is not very convenient (especially for those who worked with the first versions of Windows, where the default switch was set to Ctrl + Shift).
To set your own parameters, just call the language menu, go to additional parameters and use the hyperlink to change the keyboard shortcut (in earlier versions of Windows a special button is provided for this). In this case, setting up the keyboard on the laptop is no different from the actions performed on standard PCs.
Keyboard Fault Testing
Now about one more important point. If anyone does not know when there are suspicions of malfunctions, the keyboard settings can be checked in the simplest software way (you won’t even have to test the contacts, unless the device itself is completely out of order).
For the test, you can use the on-screen keyboard, which is called up from the main Start menu through the accessibility section. Everything is simple here: when you press a certain key on a regular keyboard, the corresponding virtual keyboard key changes color, which indicates that everything is in order with the button. If there is no change, this is a clear sign of damage.
Key Remapping
But even in this case there is nothing particularly catastrophic. Keys can simply be reassigned. For example, a button of a certain letter or a function key does not work. For reassignment, you can download the simplest applets like SharpKeys or MapKeboard. Otherwise, you will have to use the registry editor with editing the Keyboard Layout parameter. The process is quite complicated, especially since the very question of changing the keys on a standard PS / 2 keyboard or some other one that is fundamentally different in layout can be put in a separate topic. And if you take multimedia or gaming keyboards, here, as they say, work is a lot.
But in general, the stock is the result of all of the above, it is worth noting that the basic settings of the keyboard should not cause any particular difficulties. If there are any problems, first check the ctfmon process at startup (it is he who is responsible for switching languages and layouts). In the case when it is deactivated, and the language bar in the system tray may not be displayed.