How to change keyboard from AZERTY to QWERTY ?

If you’ve noticed that your keyboard keys are reversed, with the letter A being switched with Q and vice versa, it could be due to a switch from the QWERTY layout (French keyboard) to the QWERTY layout (American keyboard).

Difference between AZERTY and QWERTY Keyboards

The layout of keyboard letters varies from country to country. In France and Belgium, the keyboard is known as AZERTY, named after the first six letters of the upper alphabetical row. However, this layout is not the norm globally, with countries like the United States, England, Spain, and Northern Europe using the QWERTY keyboard, which was inherited from the era of typewriters. The letters were arranged in this layout to avoid the blocking of the typewriter rods.

Finding yourself lost when using a keyboard that has its letters, numbers, and punctuation arranged differently can be disorienting.

Here’s a simple trick on how to switch between AZERTY and QWERTY keyboards using Windows (Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, etc.).

Why switch between AZERTY and QWERTY keyboard layouts ?

People might switch between AZERTY and QWERTY keyboard because the layout of keyboard letters varies depending on the country. In France and Belgium, the keyboard is called AZERTY, while in many other countries such as the United States, England, Spain, and Northern Europe, the QWERTY keyboard is used. If a person finds themselves using a keyboard where the letters, numbers, and punctuation are not arranged as they are used to, they might switch to the keyboard layout they are familiar with. The switching process is simple and can be done using key combinations or by adjusting language settings in Windows.

Instructions to Switch Between Keyboard Layouts

To switch between keyboard layouts, simply use one of the following key combinations:

• SHIFT + ALT
• SHIFT + ALT Gr
• ALT + SHIFT

The SHIFT key is used to type in uppercase letters and is located above the Ctrl key, represented by an up arrow.

If none of these key combinations work, you’ll need to check your Windows language settings. You can do this by using the language bar in Windows 10. Simply click on the language bar and choose the keyboard.

Changing the Default Keyboard and Language in Windows 10

You can also change the default language in Windows 10 by going to the Settings:

1. Click on the Start menu
2. Go to Settings
   
3. Click on Time and Language
   
4. Select Region and language
   
5. Choose the desired language in the Language section. If it’s not available, click on Add a language.
6. To change the keyboard, select the default language and click on Options.
   
7. In the Keyboards section, select the desired keyboard. If it’s not available, click Add Keyboard and choose the layout.