Set keyboard Layout with a GPO

Written by Allen White on November 22, 2010. Posted in SBS2008/2011, Server 2003, Server 2008

IT Problem

You need to set the keyboard layout for your domain, so that you can manage your keyboard layout universally and with minimal fuss. this can be done with a GPO

IT Solution

CLASS USER
CATEGORY "Custom Settings"
CATEGORY "Keyboard Layout"
POLICY "Set UK Keyboard Layout"
KEYNAME "Keyboard Layout\Preload"
VALUENAME 1
VALUEON 00000809
VALUEOFF ""
END POLICY ;Set UK Keyboard Layout
END CATEGORY ;Keyboard Layout
END CATEGORY ;Custom Settings

Step 1: Save the above code as keyboard.adm file into the folder “C:Windows \ inf” on the server changing the language to the language of your choice using the table below and change the setting name “Policy” to set your language.

00000402     Bulgarian
0000041a     Croatian
00000405     Czech
00000406     Danish
00000413     Dutch (Standard)
00000813     Dutch (Belgian)
00000409     English (United States)
00000809     English (United Kingdom)
00001009     English (Canadian)
00001409     English (New Zealand)
00000c09     English (Australian)
0000040b     Finnish
0000040c     French (Standard)
0000080c     French (Belgian)
0000100c     French (Swiss)
00000c0c     French (Canadian)
00000407     German (Standard)
00000807     German (Swiss)
00000c07     German (Austrian)
00000408     Greek
0000040e     Hungarian
0000040f     Icelandic
00001809     English (Irish)
00000410     Italian (Standard)
00000810     Italian (Swiss)
00000414     Norwegian (Bokmal)
00000814     Norwegian (Nynorsk)
00000415     Polish
00000816     Portuguese (Standard)
00000416     Portuguese (Brazilian)
00000418     Romanian
00000419     Russian
0000041b     Slovak
00000424     Slovenian
0000080a     Spanish (Mexican)
0000040a     Spanish (Traditional Sort)
00000c0a     Spanish (Modern Sort)
0000041d     Swedish
0000041f     Turkish

Step 2: Create and link a new GPO (Keyboard Layout)

Step 3: Edit the Keyboard Layout GPO

Step 4: In the Group Policy Editor Window; under User Configuration, right click Administrative Templates and choose Add Template

Step 5: select the keyboard.adm template and click OK until you are returned to the Group Policy Editor window

Step 6: with Templates still selected on the left hand side, select view from the toolbar, and filtering

Step 7: make sure the bottom 2 tick boxes (only show configured policy settings and only show policy settings that can be fully managed) are un-ticked

Step 8: Browse to the following setting (using the view on the left hand side) User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Custom Settings > Keyboard Layout

Step 9: Enable the policy setting listed on the right hand side (Set UK Keyboard Layout)

Then click start > run and enter “ gpupdate /force “

Tags: GPO

Allen White

Allen is an IT Consultant and holds the following accreditations. MCSA, MCSE, MCTS, MCITP, CCA, CCSP, VCP 4,5, 6 and HP ASE, AIS - Network Infrastructure.

Comments (4)

Hong, Bryan JJ

November 30, 2011 at 3:48 am | #

Your instruct help me a lot. thanks,
but it works only after log-off & log-on once. right?

Reply
- Allen White
  
  November 30, 2011 at 4:12 pm | #
  
  Thats correct as that is when the GPO is applied.
  
  Reply
Cosmic

March 15, 2012 at 9:30 pm | #

Thanks for the info mate. Any chance to give us a hand with settings 2 different keyboard layouts via GPO?
Would much appreciate that. Thanks.

Reply
- Allen White
  
  March 16, 2012 at 10:47 am | #
  
  Ill do my best , drop me an email on the contact form on the menu bar with what you need and I shall see what I can do 🙂
  
  Reply