Changing languages input does not work, you can see the video.

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    happens once in a while, have to restart OS. – georgexsh Jul 26 '17 at 17:57

Go to system preferences/Siri and turn off Siri and make sure that the keyboard shortcut is set to None, and then restart.

  • apparently OP doesn't have Siri. – georgexsh Jul 26 '17 at 17:54
  • @georgexsh why do you think that? – Tom Gewecke Jul 26 '17 at 18:25
  • hmm, it is possible, I was wrong. – georgexsh Jul 28 '17 at 3:48
  • 2019 and it still present in Mojave... – virtustilus Jul 9 at 2:28
  • Thank you so much!!! I almost started to hate my laptop, but now this annoying problem is finally fixed! – erkfel Sep 3 at 16:47

Had this happening to me every once in a while. Console did emitted an error when I attempted to switch the keyboard layout:

TypingFocusDebug senderProcess is non-trustable, senderProcessPID is 6171 typingFocusProcessPID is 35651 -> msgID = -1

The senderProcessPID was /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/LocalAuthenticationUI.framework/Versions/A/XPCServices/localAuthenticationRemoteService.xpc/Contents/MacOS/localAuthenticationRemoteService

Killing it did helped to get rid of the non-switching input source problem:

sudo killall -9 localAuthenticationRemoteService

Hope this helps others who are having the same issue.


This bothered me for almost a whole year. It turns out a very bad and messy design plus bugs caused the widespread frustration.

Solution is to only use the correct behaviors (hereafter quoted as below):

In input settings, I enabled switching input method by Caps-lock key. When everything works fine, here are the behaviors should be:

Correct behaviors

Using caps-lock to switch Chinese input method and English. That means:

  1. when using Chinese, press caps-lock will turn input method to English
  2. when using Chinese, long press caps-lock will turn input method to Capital English, green light will be on in Apple Magic Keyboard.
  3. when using English, long press caps-lock to switch to Capital English, long press caps-lock to go back
  4. when using English(whether Capital or not), press caps-lock to switch to Chinese

Incorrect behaviors

first(very common)

  1. pressing caps-lock does switch input method, but the indicator in menubar doesn't change accordingly at all.

second(very common)

  1. pressing caps-lock does not switch input method any more. But cmd+space still works. menubar indicator works as well.

third(less common)

  1. press caps-lock and cmd+space both don't work. I have to use mouse to click the menubar indicator to switch input method.


  1. press caps-lock and cmd+space both don't work. Even more, when I use cmd+space, I could see only the English input method or the Chinese input method was gray. Both were gray in cmd+space and in menubar indicator.

The original link: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/is-there-a-bug-with-language-switching-in-sierra.2020165/#post-24054565

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    I don't understand the "solution". You are just cataloging how it is supposed to work and then how if often does not work. When it does not work right, what are you supposed to do to fix it? Using "correct behavior" is not an option when you are faced with "incorrect behavior". – Tom Gewecke Jul 15 '17 at 11:15
  • @TomGewecke agree, but IMHO sort out things is a bit more helpful than a unrelated "solution". – georgexsh Jul 26 '17 at 17:56
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    Your stuff is really addressed to Apple, not to anyone with a concrete problem to solve. Instead of posting it here, send it to apple.com/feedback – Tom Gewecke Jul 26 '17 at 18:26

Had a similar problem with the variation that I needed to change focus of the window (deactivate and activate currently focused application window by using command+tab, very annoying).

I am extending the solution with Siri (which I am not certain about if that is really solving the problem but I don't use it anyway) with what has worked for me:

  1. Turn off Siri in System preferences (reboot as explained by Tom)
  2. Use method with Select the previous input source.
  3. Don't use Select next source in Input menu

The difference in how those two methods (2) and (3) are implemented causes only (2) to work properly, since it shows a menu popup where user can loop over languages. This results in missing defocus/focus step.

Hope that helps!


I had same issue. As english layout I had ABC.
So I added US layout instead ABC and after removing ABC problem has gone.

  • Interesting! What language were you switching with? Russian like Sato? – Tom Gewecke May 25 '18 at 14:27
  • @TomGewecke Yes, Russian <-> US – Sonique May 25 '18 at 14:28

I have similar issues. As shown in the video or another one where instead of having n+1 languages I suddenly can only switch between 1 language even though I have n+1. It seems the process freaked itself out or whatever. To fix it I went into keyboard preferences -> shortcuts -> deselect "Select the previous input source" or "Select next source in Input menu" whichever you are using. Afterwards close preferences and reopen it. Go to shortcuts again and enable the option you like to you.

Seems that restarts the process.


I finally found a satisfactory way to temporarily fix this on my computer (running Sierra 10.12.6) WITHOUT REBOOTING! Even opened an account on StackExchange to share :)

First, my symptoms: at some point the keyboard stops switching between English and my OtherLanguage. It doesn't matter if I use a keyboard shortcut for switching or try to switch in the menu bar. What happens is I BRIEFLY see the flag of my OtherLanguage, and then when I try to type, it switches back to English.

However... I noticed that this behaviour is application-specific. Some "cooperative" applications (in my case Terminal) still allow me to switch (using any method) AND STAY with the OtherLanguage layout. This gives me some hope...

Unfortunately, in my case rebooting is not an option, so I kept experimenting. First, I quit the applications that were "uncooperative" (Safari, Mail, Skype, Slack). Brought them back again - no effect.

Then I quit them again, switched to my trusty Terminal, CHANGED THE INPUT SOURCE and only then restarted Skype - Skype gave me my OtherLanguage back! Repeated the same with Slack - it worked too! Repeated with Safari - it worked again! Repeated with Mail - no way :(

However I can live with that for the time being. For example, I can type my text in another application and just paste into my Mail as a temporary fix.

Hope it helps someone out there!

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