Changing the keyboard layout from US to UK

[Sprocket]

Hello Everyone

This one has me stumped. I have follow every direction I can find and nothing has worked. I simply want to change the keyboard layout to UK. It is currently typing characters from a US layout. The physical keyboard is in fact a UK layout (£, @ etc in UK locations on the board). However, no matter what preference I change it continue to type US symbols. For example, the @ symbol occurs by shifting and type the 2. If I want "2", when I type those symbols I get @2@.

I have been to Preferences>keyboard and changed it to British, but it does not change. On most systems, it called a "UK" layout, but that is not an option on this Mac. Anyone have any ideas?

Many thanks for your help

Bob

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello,

-What version of OS X?
-Did you enable the British keyboard, then drag it to the top of the Keyboard > Input Sources list as shown below?

C

 

[Sprocket]

Yes, thank you for replying. I am running El Capitan (the max on this machine). I have changed it and deleted the US option, but it makes no difference. On the box that you are showing, the "British" is chosen but it will not drag over the keyboard in the picture.

Bob

 

[Cory Cooper]

No worries.

If British is the only option in the list on the left, then it should work. You don't need to drag it over the keyboard on the right.

Try restarting and see if it then works.

C

 

[Sprocket]

Did that twice. Makes no difference, still types in a US layout. In Linux, there is a configuration file I open in a text editor to edit. Is there such a thing on Mac?

Bob

 

[Sprocket]

Here is what the preference looks

 

[Cory Cooper]

Click Keyboard in that preference pane and tick the box next to Show Keyboard, Emoji, & Symbol Viewers in menu bar. Then, click on the flag on the right side of the menu bar and select Show Keyboard Viewer. If the flag in the menu bar shows US flag, select the Union Jack from the same drop-down.

-When in the Keyboard Viewer, does it now match the correct keys physically on your keyboard?
-Is it an Apple Magic Keyboard?

C

 

[Sprocket]

As you can see in the image, it is labelled British, but that is clearly a US layout. I could not figure out how to screenshot the layout with shift pressed, but the @ symbol is above to 2 key and the " symbol is where the @ is labelled.

Its got me baffled. I don't remember ever experiencing this issue.

Bob

 

[Cory Cooper]

Yeah, I meant does your actual keyboard look like the photo?

c

 

[Sprocket]

No, the keyboard I have IS a UK layout, but Mac is picturing a US.

Bob

 

[Cory Cooper]

Understood. The photo I posted is the UK model of the Apple Magic Keyboard.

When I switch to theBritish keyboard on my Mac, it keeps the same photo - the US layout as well. But, when using the Keyboard Viewer as mentioned, It does input the proper British keyboard characters, like the € £ etc, with the corresponding key combinations.

Just to rule it out, do you have English (UK) set in the Language & Region preference pane as well?

C

 

[Sprocket]

Yes, I believe this is correct

 

[Sprocket]

I am beginning to think it is this cheap keyboard and mouse combination that was sent with the computer. It is a UK layout, but this is really a cheap Chinese throw away keyboard. Still, I should be able to set my Mac to the correct keyboard layout.

Bob

 

[Cory Cooper]

Ahhh..then it is not an actual Apple keyboard. That definitely could be part of the issue, especially if it a PC keyboard and not designed for the Mac. Sometimes third-party keys aren't mapped the same as Apple's.

Do you have access to an actual Apple keyboard?

C

 

[Sprocket]

No not at the moment. There is an Apple store in town, so I will them out tomorrow. That might solve it.

Thanks for your help.

Bob

 

[Cory Cooper]

No problem.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

C