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I have different users on the machine who use different keyboard layouts. In 11.04, you could change the keyboard layout on the login screen (and it would remember it per user).

How can I do this in 11.10? Or is it not possible?

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marked as duplicate by minerz029, souravc, waltinator, Lucio, Eric Carvalho Feb 16 at 0:08


I have set up gdm, but this does not have it either; I know it did in older Ununtu. Can anyone tell be how to configure gdm to add keyboard layout menu. –  richard Jan 8 '12 at 21:17
As of 12.04 this is fixed :) –  Alex Aug 1 '12 at 1:36
Really? How do you do it there? –  poolie Aug 4 '13 at 23:20
In the bar at the top right. Might not appear until you have more than one keyboard layout/language enabled. –  Alex Aug 6 '13 at 6:36

2 Answers 2

Ubuntu 11.10 uses a new log-in manager called LightDM. The "Simple LightDM Manager" program allows you to change settings for LightDM, but it only supports changes to the background image and logo right now.

Unfortunately, you may need to make these keyboard changes individually within each user account. To do so:

  1. Log into your Ubuntu account.
  2. Right-click your username in the upper-right corner of the top toolbar on your screen.
  3. Look for and right-click "System Settings". If it isn't on the menu, right-click directly to the right of your username on the toolbar. "System Settings" should be listed at the top of this menu.
  4. Select "Keyboard" in the window.
  5. Select "Layout Settings" in the lower-left corner of the next window.
  6. Choose your settings. Click "Options" in the lower-right corner to further customize your keyboard settings. If you'd like, you can choose to program individual key combinations to automatically change the keyboard layout/settings for you.

If your keyboard layout change isn't working properly, you may need to use the command-line to fix it. This link may be helpful:


To download Simple LightDM Manager or get more information about it, visit:


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As well as the inconvenience, The users have to (each time they login) type in there password with the incorrect keyboard layout. –  richard Jan 8 '12 at 21:15

Had the same problem. Found many non-working solutions. But finally I found a workaround which indeed worked:

  • Edit the file /etc/gdm/Init/Default.
  • Scroll down to the end of the file and add the command setxkbmap de before the last line of the file (So it is above the exit call). Use a different layout instead of de if needed.
  • Restart GDM.

This is for GDM only. Maybe LightDM has a similar file where this line can be added. Don't know.

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