Word: Switch language with key combination

Switching the language in Microsoft Word using a keyboard shortcut works both with the input locale or with styles.

Change input language using a key combination

Microsoft Word usually recognizes the input language. If you use different languages ​​in your text, speech recognition no longer works and every foreign language word is marked in red.

• To avoid this, change the input language with the key combination [Alt] + [Shift] before the passage with the foreign language.
• You can see the current correction language on the status bar. (see image)

Add input languages

You can only use the key combination to switch between the languages ​​that are set as the input language in Windows. The fastest way to change the input languages ​​is via the Windows taskbar.

• Right click on the "DE" in the task bar and select a further input language via [Settings].
• Alternatively, you can access the keyboard layout and input language in the "Time, Language and Region" category in the Control Panel.
• Keep in mind that this changes the keyboard layout and that the keyboard layout may not match your keyboard.

Language change using styles

Another approach is to create styles in different languages. Then link the style with a key combination.

• To create a new style, for example, right-click on a text passage and select [Style] -> [Save selection as new style ...]
• You can name these, for example, according to the desired language. (here: English)

• A new entry with the name "English" now appears in the bar of the style sheets.
• With a right click on the style you can adjust the style under [Change].

• To assign a language to this style, click on [Format] and [Language] in the "Change style" window at the bottom left.
• Use the [Key combination ...] menu to assign a key combination to the style, which you can use to select the template later.

To be able to switch between languages, you have to assign a style with key combination to each language used.