How to use the United States-International keyboard layout in Windows 7, in Windows Vista, and in Windows XP

This step-by-step guide describes how to use the United States-International keyboard layout in Windows 7, in Windows Vista, and in Windows XP.

With the United States-International layout, you can type international and special characters by using combinations of keys.
 

How to use the United States-International keyboard

Adding the United States-International keyboard layout

To add the United States-International keyboard layout, follow these steps:

• Windows 7 or Windows Vista
  1. Click Start , type intl.cpl in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
  2. On the Keyboards and Language tab, click Change keyboards.
  3. Click Add.
  4. Expand the language that you want. For example, English (United States).
  5. Expand Keyboard list, select the United States-International check box, and then click OK.
  6. In the Default input language list, click Language name - United States-International (where Language name is the language that you selected in step 4), and then click OK two times.
  7. In the Regional and Language Options dialog box, click OK.
     
     
     Notice that the Language bar appears on the taskbar. When you position the mouse pointer over it, a ToolTip appears that describes the active keyboard layout.
  8. Click the Language bar, and then click United States-International on the shortcut menu that appears.
     
     The United States-International keyboard layout is selected.
• Windows XP
  1. Click Start, type intl.cpl in the Run box, and then press ENTER.
  2. On the Languages tab, click Details.
  3. Under Installed services, click Add.
  4. In the Input language list, click the language that you want. For example, English (United States).
  5. In the Keyboard layout/IME list, click United States-International, and then click OK.
  6. In the Select one of the installed input languages to use when you start your computer list, click Language name - United States-International (where Language name is the language that you selected in step 6), and then click OK.
  7. In the Regional and Language Options dialog box, click OK.
     
     Notice that the Language bar appears on the taskbar. When you position the mouse pointer over it, a ToolTip appears that describes the active keyboard layout. For example, United States-International appears.
  8. Click the Language bar, and then click United States-International on the shortcut menu that appears.
     
     The United States-International keyboard layout is selected.

For more information about the Language bar, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   

Creating extended characters

The United States-International keyboard layout assigns new functions to the right ALT key (the ALT key on the right side of the keyboard). Use the right ALT key in combination with other keys to create extended characters.

The following table illustrates characters that you can create by using the combination of the right ALT key plus another key, as well as those that you can create by using the right ALT key plus the SHIFT key plus another key:

 

Creating international characters

When you press the APOSTROPHE ( ' ) key, QUOTATION MARK ( " ) key, ACCENT GRAVE ( ` ) key, TILDE ( ~ ) key, or ACCENT CIRCUMFLEX,. also called the CARET key, ( ^ ) key, nothing is displayed on the screen until you press a second key:

• If you press one of the letters designated as eligible to receive an accent mark, the accented version of the letter appears.
• If you press the key of a character that is not eligible to receive an accent mark, two separate characters appear.
• If you press the space bar, the symbol (apostrophe, quotation mark, accent grave, tilde, accent circumflex or caret) is displayed by itself.

The following table shows the keyboard combinations that you can use to create the desired character.

Note If you do not like the keyboard behavior that is described in the following table, you can add an alternate keyboard layout, such as the U.S. keyboard layout. See the Adding the United States-International Keyboard Layout section of this article for steps on how to add a keyboard layout. In this scenario, you should select a keyboard other than United States-International.

Change in Windows 7

In some Central and Eastern European language-locale versions of Windows 7, the United States-International keyboard is installed as the default keyboard layout instead of the U.S. keyboard layout. You may notice different behaviors because of this change. The change is made because the United States-International keyboard has all the keys in the U.S. keyboard and also supports additional accented characters that are used frequently in these locales.

However, if you still want to use the U.S. keyboard layout, see the Adding the United States-International Keyboard Layout section of this article for steps on how to add a keyboard layout.  

How to use StickyKeys

Key combinations require you to press and hold down two or more keys at once. Single-handed typists or users who use a mouth-stick have difficulty doing this. StickyKeys enables you to press a modifier key (CTRL, ALT, or SHIFT), or the Windows logo key, and have it remain active until another key is pressed.



To turn on StickyKeys, follow these steps:

• Windows 7 or Windows Vista
  1. Click Start , and then click Control Panel.
  2. Click Ease of Access, and then click Change how your keyboard works.
  3. Select the Turn on Sticky Keys box.
  4. Click OK.
• Windows XP
  1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Under Pick a category, click Accessibility Options.
  3. Under or pick a Control Panel icon, click Accessibility Options.
     
     The Accessibility Options dialog box appears.
  4. On the Keyboard tab, click to select the Use StickyKeys check box, and then click OK.

Did this fix the problem?

• Check whether the problem is fixed. If the problem is fixed, you are finished with this section. If the problem is not fixed, you can contact support.