How To Use the United States-International Keyboard Layout in Windows XP

This step-by-step guide describes how to use the United States-International keyboard layout in Windows XP.

With the United States-International layout, you can type international and special characters by using combinations of keys.

How to Use the United States-International Keyboard

Adding the United States-International Keyboard Layout

To add the United States-International keyboard layout, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Under Pick a category, click Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options.
3. Under or pick a Control Panel icon, click Regional and Language Options.
   
   The Regional and Language Options dialog box appears.
4. On the Languages tab, click Details.
   
   The Text Services and Input Languages dialog box appears.
5. Under Installed services, click Add.
   
   The Add Input language dialog box appears.
6. In the Input language list, click the language that you want. For example, English (United States).
   
   NOTE: When you use the United States-International keyboard layout, you should also use an English language setting.
7. In the Keyboard layout/IME list, click United States-International, and then click OK.
8. In the Select one of the installed input languages to use when you start your computer list, click Language name - United States-International (where Language name is the language that you selected in step 6), and then click OK.
9. In the Regional and Language Options dialog box, click OK.
   
   Notice that the Language bar appears on the taskbar. When you position the mouse pointer over it, a ToolTip appears that describes the active keyboard layout. For example, United States-International.
10. Click the Language bar, and then click United States-International on the shortcut menu that appears.
    
    The United States-International keyboard layout is selected.

Creating Extended Characters

The United States-International keyboard layout assigns new functions to the right ALT key (the ALT key on the right side of the keyboard). Use the right ALT key in combination with other keys to create extended characters.

The following table illustrates characters that you can create by using the combination of the right ALT key plus another key, as well as those that you can create by using the right ALT key plus the SHIFT key plus another key:

Key on United States keyboard	Character Made with Right ALT+Key	SHIFT+Right ALT+Key
1	i	¹
2	²	N/A
3	³	N/A
4	¤	£
5	€	N/A
6	1/4	N/A
7	1/2	N/A
8	3/4	N/A
9	'	N/A
0	'	N/A
-	¥	N/A
=	×	÷
Q	ä	Ä
W	å	Å
E	é	É
R	(r)	N/A
T	þ	Þ
Y	ü	Ü
U	ú	Ú
I	í	Í
O	ó	Ó
P	ö	Ö
[	<<	N/A
]	>>	N/A
\	Not Sign	¦
A	á	Á
S	ß	§
D	ð	Ð
L	ø	Ø
;	Pilcrow Sign	°
'	´	¨
Z	æ	Æ
C	(c)	¢
N	ñ	Ñ
M	µ	N/A
,	ç	Ç
/	¿	N/A

Creating International Characters

When you press the APOSTROPHE ( ' ) key, QUOTATION MARK ( " ) key, ACCENT GRAVE ( ` ) key, TILDE ( ~ ) key, or ACCENT CIRCUMFLEX,. also called the CARET key, ( ^ ) key, nothing is displayed on the screen until you press a second key:

• If you press one of the letters designated as eligible to receive an accent mark, the accented version of the letter appears.
• If you press the key of a character that is not eligible to receive an accent mark, two separate characters appear.
• If you press the space bar, the symbol (apostrophe, quotation mark, accent grave, tilde, accent circumflex or caret) is displayed by itself.

The following table shows the keyboard combinations that you can use to create the desired character.
In other words, when you use the US-International keyboard layout, Windows automatically accents letters that customarily receive an accent but does not automatically accent letters that do not customarily receive an accent.

This table contains accented characters that cannot be displayed.

How to Use StickyKeys

Key combinations require you to press and hold down two or more keys at once. Single-handed typists or users who use a mouth-stick have difficulty doing this. StickyKeys enables you to press a modifier key (CTRL, ALT, or SHIFT), or the Windows logo key, and have it remain active until another key is pressed.

To turn on StickyKeys, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Under Pick a category, click Accessibility Options.
3. Under or pick a Control Panel icon, click Accessibility Options.
   
   The Accessibility Options dialog box appears.
4. On the Keyboard tab, click to select the Use StickyKeys check box, and then click OK.