Windows 10: How to set switching keyboard languages cycle just like alt-tab instead of going though...

For the context: I mainly using two languages: Thai and English but occasionally use Japanese so I need to have it enabled. The problem is having 3 languages available when switching is quite cumbersome, you can no longer mindlessly press switching languages key Windows-Spacebar, in my case anymore.I want an option to cycle BETWEEN TWO languages, not going through, or at least an option to exclude the certain languages and only make it available via some sort of shortcut key.Also, I know that there is an option to set each language to specific shortcut sequence, but I dont wanna add my frequ

:)

 

Problem with the new keyboard language switching menu

Hi Jugan,



Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.



The default keyboard shortcut to switch between system language is by pressing the
Windows and Spacebar keys.



So, if you don't want the language menu to appear while playing the game, then I suggest you to change keyboard shortcut by following the below steps and change the keyboard shortcuts for changing the system language or keyboard language.

1. Go to Settings > Click on Devices > Click on
   Typing from the left pane.
   
2. Scroll down and click on Advanced keyboard settings and click on
   Input language hot keys.
   
3. In the Advanced Key Settings tab, you will find the key sequences for the input languages that you can change as your preference.
   

If you would like me to provide additional advice, simply respond to this thread. I will get notified and I’ll reply to you as soon as I can.

 

What is the "magic" of alt+tab?

What about using alt+enter to ensure you're full screen, or switch to window and back instead of alt-tabbing to desktop?

Can't recall a game I've played having any issues like what you're reporting...but I do recall using alt+enter to go full screen, still use that from time-to-time when a game launches incorrectly or launches with first run settings. I'm curious to see if only alt + tab works for you or if alt + enter works as well...

 

Prevent Alt+Tab from switching to minimized windows

I agree with what @LưuVĩnhPhúc suggested, and I went ahead and wrote a short AutoHotkey script that does more or less that.

The Script

Install the program, put this in an .ahk file somewhere and run it.
It will set Alt+Tab to use Alt+Escape and Alt+Shift+Escape alternatingly so you can switch back and forth. The last line makes it so that Alt+Escape functions as the regular Alt+Tab, in case you want to still have access to that functionality. You can remove it if you want.

Caveats

1. This script changes Alt+Tab to be either Alt+Escape or Alt+Shift+Escape, changing its direction whenever you release the Alt key after having switched windows (i.e. also pressed Tab) at least once.
   
   This doesn't change the mechanism behind Alt+Escape, so if you hold Alt and press Tab twice, you may not get to the second-before-last window you were in. Also when the direction is "reversed" you may get "older" windows (windows you haven't used in a while) before you get recent ones, with the exception of the last window you switched to; you'll get that one (that's the whole reason I made that flip in direction in the first place).
   
2. Ctrl+Alt+Tab still retains its original function - i.e. it uses the regular Alt+Tab mechanism. No idea what you want to do about that.
   

More Complicated Alternative

Another option is to write a program that can hide all the currently minimized windows and restore them, then use AutoHotkey to make Alt+Tab activate that program to hide all the minimized windows before letting the Alt+Tab through, and then have it show them again when you release Alt after having switched windows (no need to do it if you press Alt for other reasons).

This requires more work, however, and it'll result in your open applications in the taskbar changing while you switch windows and reverting when you stop, which may look strange.

If you choose to do this, I suggest you take notice not to invoke the program simply on Alt+Tab, but only on the first time you press that combination since you've held down Alt.