We're calling on all EU-based Mozillians with iOS or iPadOS devices to help us monitor Apple’s new browser choice screens. Join the effort to hold Big Tech to account!

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Keyboard layout is french when I use Firefox, but not Windows programs. Why?

  • 2 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 6 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

aotaoroa
aotaoroa
more options

The quotes symbols work erratically and my punctuation is all guesswork, and trial and error. It also seems that the French have never developed a need for double quotes. ``These are what double quotes look like.`` I`m finding it difficult to even effectively use search engines - and this only happens in firefox. Yes, I am Canadian, but where is it getting the idea that I would like to use FrenchÉ? Is there a way to turn this offÉ? It`s been a week of awkwardness.

The quotes symbols work erratically and my punctuation is all guesswork, and trial and error. It also seems that the French have never developed a need for double quotes. ``These are what double quotes look like.`` I`m finding it difficult to even effectively use search engines - and this only happens in firefox. Yes, I am Canadian, but where is it getting the idea that I would like to use FrenchÉ? Is there a way to turn this offÉ? It`s been a week of awkwardness.

All Replies (2)

Wesley Branton
Wesley Branton
more options

Please ensure that your computer is not set to run your keyboard as French or Canadian.
Also please ensure that you are not running the French version of Firefox.

If you have checked the stuff above, please try Firefox in Safe Mode to see if this issue is still present.More Details
Safe Mode is a troubleshooting mode that can help us to determine if this issue is being caused by an add-on/plugin installed on Firefox.

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Do you have multiple keyboard layouts installed?

It is possible that you have switched the keyboard layout by accident.

Windows remembers the keyboard layout setting per application and you may have changed the keyboard layout by accident via a keyboard shortcut.

  • Make sure that you have the Language bar visible on the Windows Taskbar
  • You can do that via the right-click context menu of the Taskbar: Toolbars > Language Bar
  • Check the keyboard language (keyboard layout) setting for the application that has focus via the icon on the Language bar
  • You need to do that while Firefox has focus because Windows remembers the keyboard layout setting per application
  • The default key combination to rotate the layout is the Ctrl+Shift or Alt+Shift combination that is used in Firefox for menu items, so it is quite possible to change the layout accidentally.
  • To avoid an unintentional switch, assign a specific key sequence (Alt/Ctrl+Shift+number) to select keyboard layouts and remove the key combination to rotate layouts (Alt+Shift or Ctrl+Shift)