How to display the language bar. Has the language bar disappeared? Let's put her back in her place! How to install the language bar on Windows 7

After some updates, you might have lost the language bar in Windows 7. What to do if you really want to get it back? Basically, the language bar is like a set of tools for working with language switching, etc. rarely used as many people usually use keyboard shortcuts - Ctrl+Shift or Alt+Shift. However, it is possible that a person works without a keyboard, using a virtual one. Then doing these combinations with the mouse will be difficult and very convenient using the language bar. Especially for you, we have selected several ways to return the language bar to Windows 7.

The first way to return the language bar to Windows 7

This method is standard and quite simple. This method doesn’t even need to be accompanied by screenshots, because... everything is clear without them. And so, let's go to Control Panel, then into the field "Search in Control Panel" enter: language and regional standards. In this window, which will open after clicking on the link in the search, select the item "Languages ​​and keyboards". Check that all the languages ​​you would like to use are installed. If necessary, you can use the “Add” button and select the missing language keyboard layout. Now let's go to point "Language bar" and put the bird in "Show text labels in language bar" and check the box "Pinned to taskbar" Language bar item. Actually, that's all. After this, you will receive a “missing” Windows 7 language bar near the clock.

The second way to return the language bar in Windows 7

Here the method requires support, although the description is much shorter than the previous one. It is recommended to use this method only when you are unable to do anything based on the first option to return the language bar.

In this case, we need to create it ourselves. To do this, right-click RMB and select "Create", and then "String parameter":

We name it according to the one we were looking for, and in the field "Meaning" enter: C:\Windows\System32\ctfmon.exe. After that, confirm everything and restart the computer. Congratulations, the language bar is back in action.

For almost twenty years now, the Windows operating system has existed approximately in the form in which we are accustomed to seeing it. But there is one little thing that the industry giants cannot fix - the disappearance of the language bar!

They probably don’t worry too much about this, because they only use English, and we switch between at least two: English and Russian. We will move from the most banal solutions to more complex ones.

You can watch the video or continue reading the article:

Language bar settings

To get started, do the following:

  1. Go to the menu “Start -> Control Panel -> Change keyboard layout or other input methods”
  2. In the "Regional and Language" window that opens, on the "Languages ​​and Keyboards" tab, click the "Change keyboard..." button.
  3. In the new window “Languages ​​and text input services”, check that the switch is set to “Pinned to taskbar”

In this picture (clickable) you can see all the actions in a visual representation.

IMPORTANT: for the language bar to appear, more than one language must be active in the system!

To check this, go to step 3 and on the “General” tab, make sure that more than one language is present.

Also, some users have noticed that the language bar disappears more often if the default language is “Russian”. If this is your case, then try choosing the English layout as the default. In general, panel problems are usually associated with incorrect operation of applications. If this happens too often, then I advise you to install the Punto Switcher program and disable the standard language bar.

Installing Punto Switcher

There is a radical way to solve the problem - the Punto Switcher program from Yandex.

The program is not intended to return the language bar, but it can replace it and solve problems with switching languages. The main purpose of Punto Switcher is to automatically switch keyboard layouts. That is, if you enter “rjvgm.nth”, the program will automatically switch to the Russian layout and change what you entered to “computer”.

Installing the program is simple and straightforward. You will see a language icon in the system tray. By right-clicking on it, you can turn off auto-switching layouts, and then it will be just an analogue of the language bar. This is exactly how I use this program, i.e. I turn off the language bar and use Punto Switcher.

Another very interesting feature of this program is the ability to change the keyboard shortcut to switch layouts, which helps a lot if the language switching is difficult. I use one button - right Ctrl. It is very convenient to switch the layout with one button. To do this, right-click on the program icon and select “Settings”. Right in the “General” tab, select “Switch layout by right Ctrl”, for example.

If several languages ​​are installed on the system, and you mainly have to switch between Russian and English, then simply check the “Russian/English only” box. Then the right Ctrl will switch only between Russian and English, and the rest of the layouts using a standard keyboard shortcut, a very convenient function.

Restoring the language bar using the registry

If nothing works, then we will make changes to the system registry. In previous versions of Windows, the language bar was controlled by the regular program “ctfmon.exe”. But in Windows 7 it can also be used, only to do this you need to add it to startup:

  1. Launch Registry Editor: Press “Win ​​+ R” and type “regedit”
  2. Find a thread
  3. In the right part of the window, right-click on an empty space and select “New -> String Parameter”, give it the name “CTFMON.EXE”
  4. Double-click on it and set the value to “C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe”

In the end it should look like this

Reboot and check. If it doesn’t work again, then perhaps the “ctfmon.exe” file itself is missing. Download the archive with the file from me and unpack it into the folder “C:\Windows\System32”, where C: is the operating system drive.

Restoring the Windows 7 Task Scheduler

In Windows 7, unlike XP, the scheduler is responsible for launching the language bar. Accordingly, if the scheduler service is not running, the language bar will not be available. Let's check this as follows:


If the scheduler service is running, but the language bar does not appear, then check whether the task is enabled in the scheduler itself:


If you haven’t found the “MsCtfMonitor” task at all, then I suggest creating it. For this:

  1. Download the file too
  2. Right-click on the “TextServicesFramework” section and select “Import task...”
  3. Select the downloaded file
  4. Enable the task and reboot

Checking Windows System Files

In especially severe cases, you can ask Windows to check the system files for correctness. To do this, you need Administrator rights and issue the command:

sfc /scannow

Windows may ask you to insert an installation disc. After the verification is completed, you need to reboot.

Tell us in the comments which method helped, and additions on the topic are also welcome! I would be grateful if you share the post on social media. networks.

This is not the first time I have received an email with the subject line “ The language bar has disappeared Windows 7! Help! " Therefore, I will try to help not only the recipient, but also everyone who has also lost the language bar in Windows 7.

First, let's remember what a language bar is. Language bar is a special toolbar that automatically appears on the desktop when you enable text input services (input languages, keyboard layouts, handwriting recognition, etc.). The language bar allows the user to quickly switch keyboard layout or input language directly from the desktop. The user can place the language bar anywhere on the screen; they can also move it to the taskbar or simply minimize it. The typical location of the language bar in Windows 7 is the lower right corner of the screen, next to the tray.

However, sometimes it happens that the language bar disappears. Usually this can be the result of a virus, or, on the contrary, an overly “smart” system optimizer or system cleaning program (they need to be used with caution and an understanding of what is happening). You might argue, so what, because the keyboard layout can still be switched using the usual Alt+Shift or Ctrl+Shift key combination. However, in my opinion, working without visualizing the current layout is not very convenient.

Restoring the language bar in Windows 7

How can you return the language bar in win7? In general, I know several ways to restore it, each of which can help in one case or another (usually depending on the reason for the damage to your system setting). I will list the methods known to me for restoring the language bar in Windows 7 in order of increasing complexity of their implementation.

1. Restoring to standards using Windows

The language bar should now appear in the tray.

If this does not help, move on to the second method.

2. Restoring the language bar using Windows 7 Scheduler

One of the features of the language bar in Windows 7 (unlike XP) is the fact that the system scheduler is responsible for its launch. Or rather, the scheduler launches not the language bar itself, but the utility ctfmon.exe(it is she who controls the language bar in Windows 7) . Therefore, if the scheduler service is not running for some reason, then the language bar will not appear.

Let's make sure that the scheduler service is running and its startup type Auto.


3. Recovery through the Windows 7 registry

Let's move on to more complex methods of dealing with the missing language bar in Windows 7. Let's try to add a language bar management utility ctfmon.exe to startup. But first, check that this file actually exists (it should be located in the C:\Windows\System32 directory). If it is not there, copy it from your working system. Then:


That seems to be all, I hope that if your language bar has disappeared in Windows 7, this article will help you restore it. If none of the proposed methods helped you, write in the comments and we’ll try to solve the problem together.

There is a small problem in Windows 7 - sometimes you cannot see the usual language bar, which can be extremely inconvenient, especially for novice users who use it to switch keyboard layouts. But this useful element of the system can be returned at any time, and for this you can choose one of several possible options.

Using system management tools

Using this tool, you can try to restore the desired element using one of the most accessible methods:

A check mark should be placed opposite the bottom line responsible for displaying text labels on the language bar.

The fastest way to get to the layout settings window

To use the tool we need, we don’t have to enter the computer control system. Moreover, you won't even need a Start button, which can be useful if the problem is caused by malicious applications. We will use hotkeys and the standard Windows 7 “Run” utility:

  1. Press Win and R at the same time, the “Run” window will appear;
  2. Write the line intl.cpl in the command input field, press Enter, after which the configuration tool will open.

Next, you will only need to follow the steps to configure the utility described earlier in the last section. If in the end the element cannot be returned to its usual place, more labor-intensive manipulations will have to be performed.

Using the system registry

First, you should try making changes to the registry manually. To do this, you will need the standard Notepad editor. Here enter the following three lines as in the picture.

  1. From the list of commands in the "File" menu, select "Save As";
  2. Name the file Run.reg and in the bottom line of the file type, instead of text, select “All files”, confirm saving the changes.

Now all that remains is to run the file you just created and click “Yes” in the registry changes confirmation window. If after a reboot the desired system element cannot be returned, you will have to use other options for making changes to the registry.

System tools for changing the registry

Now, to return the Windows 7 language bar, we will use the capabilities of the built-in registry editor:

  1. Open “Run” (Win and R), write regedit in the command line, press Enter;
  2. In the left part of the window, open the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folder, in it - Software, then the subdirectories Microsoft, Windows, CurrentVersion and Run;
  3. In the left window of the program, find the CTFMon parameter, the value of which should be C:\Windows\system32\ctfmon.exe.

If the above-described CTFMon parameter with the required value is present in the list, then the reason for the absence of the system element is not in the registry. If it is not there, restore CTFMon yourself. For this:

  1. On the empty field of the left window, right-click and in the context list, create a string parameter;
  2. Give the latter the name CTFMon and double-click on it to set the previously named value.

All you have to do is reboot, after which Windows 7 should be able to switch layouts.

Using third party utilities

If you were unable to restore the language bar in Wnidows 7 using all the methods described, then the best replacement would be the third-party program Punto Switcher from Yandex. This utility displays a similar element in the same place in the same way and can be used in the same way. In addition, Punto Switcher provides users with additional, sometimes very useful features:

  1. The program automatically switches the layout if the user has forgotten to do this and is typing, for example, Russian text in Latin;
  2. If an error is detected when typing a word, the program issues a sound alert;
  3. Automatically checks spelling;
  4. A floating program indicator can be placed not only on the taskbar, but anywhere on the screen;
  5. Punto Switcher can convert Russian text of any volume into transliteration, and the reverse effect is also possible;
  6. The utility remembers the history of texts saved in the clipboard;
  7. Create templates yourself using built-in tools to automatically replace phrases;
  8. Using your own diary, you can monitor what users type on the keyboard, information is sorted by date;
  9. The meaning of any word can be found in Yandex dictionaries and Wikipedia by using the Punto Switcher quick search function (select the word and press Win and S).

The Windows language bar is usually located by default in the right corner of the monitor and automatically appears in the taskbar immediately after installing the operating system. The language bar allows you to quickly switch between different keyboard layouts and independently select the required input language. You can “move” it to the most convenient place on your computer screen, “hide” it in the taskbar, or hide it altogether.

When this seemingly insignificant element suddenly disappears from your field of vision without a trace, then working with most applications immediately becomes noticeably more complicated. People living abroad, for example in the USA, are unaware of this problem, since they do not need to switch between different languages ​​at all, but for Russian-speaking users, the disappearance of the language bar brings a lot of inconvenience.


Solving the problem using the “Task Scheduler”

So, if after solving the problem using the method described above, the language bar has disappeared and does not want to appear, then we move on to the next method, namely, checking a service called “Task Scheduler”. It is the “task scheduler” that is responsible for launching the ctfmon.exe utility, which in turn is responsible for the health of the language bar in Win 7.


Automatically making changes to the registry

This is done as follows:


Method 4: moving from simple to complex (or entering data into the registry manually)


Method 5: Custom (Punto Switcher)

Punto Switcher is a program that can be downloaded for free, for example, from the website yandex.ru. Actually, Yandex is the developer of this application and the owner of all rights to it, so when you install it (Punto Switcher), be careful not to inadvertently agree to a “bouquet” of all kinds of add-ons and special search strings that will automatically be built into your browser and will be an eyesore in every possible way. Otherwise, the program is a rather interesting product, perfectly optimized for the Win 7 operating system.

The non-standard nature of this method is that the language bar does not actually return directly to the taskbar, but its responsibilities are taken over by the Punto Switcher utility. It monitors all entered text and, if necessary, switches the language from English to Russian and back. That is, if you, for example, thought about it and typed “Cnbhfkmyfz vfibyf” in the search bar instead of “Washing machine,” the program will automatically change the request and notify you about this with a sound signal.

Installing the application on Win 7 is not particularly difficult due to its simplicity and very friendly interface. In the right corner of the screen on the taskbar, next to information about the current date and time, the Ru icon (blue backlit) or En (red backlit) will appear. By right-clicking on any of these icons, you will be taken to a menu where you can configure the application for maximum convenience and comfortable work. Here you can determine whether Punto Switcher needs to correct abbreviations, capital letters, accidental pressing of the Caps lock key (if desired, you can completely disable it) and independently debug the automatic character replacement functions.