I was completely frustrated with Languge toolbar as it was enabled in some computer and not enabled in other computer. I tried many methods and after some trial and error, I found few things which might help you get your Windows Language Toolbar back. This solution is given for Windows XP user.
Method 1
Right click on the Taskbar and go to toolbars. If Language Bar option is there check it by clicking it. and you will get Language Toolbar.
Method 2
Go to Start menu > Control Panel > Regional and Language Options > Languages Tab > Text Services and Input Languages Box> Details… > Settings Tab > Preferences Box > Language Bar…
Now tick the option “Show Language bar on desktop” and you will get Language bar on your task bar.
Make sure that Start menu > Control Panel > Regional and Language Options > Languages Tab > Text Services and Input Languages Box> Details… > Advanced Tab > System Configuration Box
Make sure that Turn off advanced text service is unchecked.
Method 3
Language bar is a core component in Windows XP. When you are opening any Office XP application, this program starts running. Sometime, this program runs on startup. If you want to check if this program is running or not, to to task manager by clicking ctrl+Shirt + Esc or by right clicking on Taskbar and choosing Task Manager > Processes tab. Check if the process ctfmon.exe is running or not. If it is not running, go to Start > Run… Type ctfmon and press Enter. This will start the process and you will be able to see Language Bar.
Method 4
Go to Start > Run… type regedit. This will open up registry. Browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\CTF\LangBar
Here you will see following registry keys
- ExtraIconsOnMinimized = 1
- Label = 1
- ShowStatus = 4
- Transparency= ff
Out of these four options, ShowStatus is very important and it is responsible for actually showing the Language Bar on Taskbar. If you dont have this option set to 4, set it 4, close regedit browser, kill the process ctfmon.exe if it is there and start it by following steps in Method 3.
I hope now you would have got your Language Toolbar.
Click here for Video Tutorial on How to Enable Language Toolbar in Windows
Thank you for this explanation on how to convince Win. XP to show the languages tab on the taskbar. Somehow I have managed to make it disappear and couldn’t make it show again (while “alt+shift” somehow didn’t change the keyboard language).
awesome answer sir!
everywhere they give all the three methods but nowhere the last method was given. i fixed my problem with the last method, as it was not set to 4 instead it was set to 0.
thanks a lot sir.
Thanks!!!
You are my hero! The combination that worked for me is (in the following order): step 4 – step 3 – step 2. Couple of restarts as required. Thank you unknown hero!
Awesome is the word! The combination that worked for me is (in the following order): step 4 – step 3 – step 2. Couple of restarts as required. Thank you unknown hero!
awesome, all the steps are very clear and in the right order, it took me to the Method 3 and i got the language toolbar back on the Taskbar. Thanks a lot, guru!
retype ctfmon.exe and it will return — same thing happened to me when I chose settings and then ok out of that area.
created a shortcut on my desktop to keep ctfmon and named it language bar in case I do it again
thanks a lot! the video tutorial method 4 really help me !
beside “regional option” there is “languages”, under “supplemental language support” only one check box can be seeing ,the other one “instal files for east asian language” is hiden, so i can’t check it.
tried method 3 and i see the language bar occurred for a second then after i press minimize , it disperser ,can’t find it again.
man you are the best!
thank you!
awesome dude u have got a genuine brain just keep on helping other.
Thanks a lot man..
tanks alot. it is help me.
Thank you
thanks
Thanks Team
Thanks a lot!
Wooo.. U guys are really awesome….
Thanks π
thanks the information is helpful thanks a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooot
YESSS! Thank you sooo much!!!
Really helped. I was so angry, thanks.
Thanks alot,this was very helpful!!!!
Thanks alot for your post…It’s really helpful…! my problem get resolved! Thanks indeed.
Thanks for your post..!!! It is really helpful…!!
thank you !
Thanks a lot!
Thanks for your helpful post. I have solve my prob by ur post. But Still I cant set shot cuts for the language bar. The Key Settings button adjacent to Language Bar in the Text Services and Input Languages dialog box is DISABLED.
Please help me to enable this. Other gimme any other alternate way to set the shortcut for changing languages.
Thanks in advance…
Thank you so very much. Your blog told me exactly what to do…thanks again.
kasbaba
Thank you so much .. method 2 worked .. sweet π
“Make sure that Start menu > Control Panel > Regional and Language Options > Languages Tab > Text Services and Input Languages Box> Detailsβ¦ > Advanced Tab > System Configuration Box
Make sure that Turn off advanced text service is unchecked.”
Thanks again.
Thanks a lot…it worked for me…
That is OK. I have worked it out. I just need to tick the Extend support of advanced text services to all programs
Thanks very much. I did get back the language bar. But I still have another problem. I have installed a Chinese Data Entry program. But it does not show up in the language bar in the task bar as another input method.
thanks. i did it.
Thanks a bubch. i used a combination of method 3 & 4. My lang bar is up.
o no no luk at all again with my computer
me too lol adrian
ah nice it worked on my laptops but not on my other computer its sad but it was still helpful
π
This is a great compilation of solutions. But I am still having trouble. When i RUN ‘ctfmon’ a pop-up window appears saying that “Windows cannot find ctfmon…blablabla”, the same problem others above me has.
I read in other websites that ctfmon.exe is needed to make language bar come out, so i think that’s the problem. And i tried EVERYTHING in the Text Services and Input Languages thing and the Preferences “Language Bar…” is clickable but everything inside wasn’t.
I need help. I want the language bar soooo bad xD
Thanks!!
I have language bar on my desktop, but I can’t minimize him in the toolbar. When I push minimize button, the language bar disappear. After that I have to complete method 2, but it still shows on my desktop, not in my toolbar. How to fix that?
Thanks!
That really helped, thanks!
Thanks man, this is rare info
was indeed helpful and very simple language used to explain.
Thanks a lot.
by the way, maybe you would informed me that i type it incorrectly due to my wrong spelling on the first message. i did type ctfmon, still it does not work. thanks
Hi! I followed your method 4 but as I type the regedit the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\CTF\LangBar is not on the list. As for method 3 as I type ctfomon it pops up a message that can’t find “ctfmon”. I can’t use the other languages since on the regional language setting even though I have uncheck the turn off advance text service still it does not apply. After I restart my computer it the turn off advance text would still have a check on the box. Hope you could help. Thanks.
thanks for this, it really helped me. NOw my problem is solved.
Cool,
I Know how to use it in xp but unfortunately it has changed for vista does any one have any idea how it works for vista?
Thanks for writing about it
I have same problem as Nick. I made language bar appear in task bar, but even after I changed language bar to different language, it doesn’t let me type in different language. Whatever I type is still in English. Can you help me in this situation?
Thank you for all the methods you have mentioned.
I cannot try the method 1 and 2 because the “Language Bar” on my computer is unavailable (can not be clicked) under the Preferences Box. When I tried the method 3 to run the ctfmon, I got message: “windows cannot find ctfmon.” I did the method 4 successfully, but it still does not work. I checked the task manager, there is not ctfmon process running.
Any idea about the situation I have would be really appreciated.
Thank you! This is more helpful than the Microsfot KB I found.
this helped to me too! thank you!
thank you very much ^-^
Thank you very much for your advance and complete guide.
I used your method easily to solve my problem and so I would like you know that I appreciate your good work.
Regards,
oops!! I forgot to thank you buddy.
sometimes due to any antivirus software or spyware removal tool ctfmon.exe becomes ctfmon.exe.backup or some other extension change it to ctfmon.exe in the windows/system32 folder (anywhere else it is a virus in disguise) and language bar will appear instantly. In all other cases above methods are miracle.
Method three did the trick. Thank you so much!
thank man !!!
u r realy best ~!!!!!!
good
I have the language bar but it does not let me to switch between the languages (nothing happens when I click on the other than EN option). Everything in the Control Panel > ….> CTRL+SHIFT or ALT+Shift I have already tried. Please help!
i tried to run ctfmon but nothing happened
Thanks it helped me 2!
the best summary on the net on this thorny subject
Thanks!
Thanks man
still no language bar, I deleted it from the registry once…
Thanks. This helped.
It’s exactly what I am looking for. I found my Language Bar by the second method you described. Many Thanks!
I searched forever to find out how to fix this problem. Thank you so much for posting a solution that actually works!!!
very helpful, thanks
First make sure ctfmon.exe runs. If not, start it. Then use method 1 or 2, both worked after that for me.
Method 4 did it for me π
Thank you!
thank you thank you thank you
god bless you ummah
looking for this,thank you!