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How to Enable Windows XP Language Toolbar?

April 12th, 2007 Leave a comment Go to comments

I was completely frustrated with Languge toolbar as it was enabled in some computer and not enabled in other computer. I tried many methods and after some trial and error, I found few things which might help you get your Windows Language Toolbar back. This solution is given for Windows XP user.

Method 1:
Right click on the Taskbar and go to toolbars. If Language Bar option is there check it by clicking it. and you will get Language Toolbar.

Method 2:
Go to Start menu > Control Panel > Regional and Language Options > Languages Tab > Text Services and Input Languages Box> Details… > Settings Tab > Preferences Box > Language Bar…
Now tick the option “Show Language bar on desktop” and you will get Language bar on your task bar.

Make sure that Start menu > Control Panel > Regional and Language Options > Languages Tab > Text Services and Input Languages Box> Details… > Advanced Tab > System Configuration Box
Make sure that Turn off advanced text service is unchecked.

Method 3:
Language bar is a core component in Windows XP. When you are opening any Office XP application, this program starts running. Sometime, this program runs on startup. If you want to check if this program is running or not, to to task manager by clicking ctrl+Shirt + Esc or by right clicking on Taskbar and choosing Task Manager > Processes tab. Check if the process ctfmon.exe is running or not. If it is not running, go to Start > Run… Type ctfmon and press Enter. This will start the process and you will be able to see Language Bar.

Method 4:
Go to Start > Run… type regedit. This will open up registry. Browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\CTF\LangBar
Here you will see
1) ExtraIconsOnMinimized = 1
2) Label = 1
3) ShowStatus = 4
4) Transparency= ff

Out of these four options, ShowStatus is very important and it is responsible for actually showing the Language Bar on Taskbar. If you dont have this option set to 4, set it 4, close regedit browser, kill the process ctfmon.exe if it is there and start it by following steps in Method 3.

I hope now you would have got your Language Toolbar.

Click here for Video Tutorial on How to Enable Language Toolbar in Windows

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  1. Michael Scofield
    April 19th, 2007 at 03:47 | #1

    looking for this,thank you!

  2. December 26th, 2007 at 07:08 | #2

    thank you thank you thank you
    god bless you ummah

  3. Mads
    January 14th, 2008 at 03:41 | #3

    Method 4 did it for me :-D

    Thank you!

  4. onre
    February 12th, 2008 at 07:31 | #4

    First make sure ctfmon.exe runs. If not, start it. Then use method 1 or 2, both worked after that for me.

  5. George
    February 26th, 2008 at 12:09 | #5

    very helpful, thanks

  6. Ace
    February 29th, 2008 at 12:12 | #6

    I searched forever to find out how to fix this problem. Thank you so much for posting a solution that actually works!!!

  7. Alen
    April 12th, 2008 at 05:52 | #7

    It’s exactly what I am looking for. I found my Language Bar by the second method you described. Many Thanks!

  8. no name
    April 26th, 2008 at 12:09 | #8

    Thanks. This helped.

  9. April 30th, 2008 at 01:59 | #9

    still no language bar, I deleted it from the registry once…

  10. Tamer El-Shaarkawy
    June 21st, 2008 at 12:52 | #10

    Thanks man

  11. Anton
    July 10th, 2008 at 01:01 | #11

    Thanks!

  12. Henry Rabinowitz
    July 13th, 2008 at 12:45 | #12

    the best summary on the net on this thorny subject

  13. Language Processing
    July 18th, 2008 at 01:02 | #13

    Thanks it helped me 2!

  14. someone
    July 26th, 2008 at 07:08 | #14

    i tried to run ctfmon but nothing happened

  15. August 5th, 2008 at 06:09 | #15

    I have the language bar but it does not let me to switch between the languages (nothing happens when I click on the other than EN option). Everything in the Control Panel > ….> CTRL+SHIFT or ALT+Shift I have already tried. Please help!

  16. August 11th, 2008 at 11:08 | #16

    good

  17. adam
    August 17th, 2008 at 06:45 | #17

    thank man !!!
    u r realy best ~!!!!!!

  18. Pete
    September 4th, 2008 at 06:36 | #18

    Method three did the trick. Thank you so much!

  19. anupam
    September 24th, 2008 at 12:57 | #19

    sometimes due to any antivirus software or spyware removal tool ctfmon.exe becomes ctfmon.exe.backup or some other extension change it to ctfmon.exe in the windows/system32 folder (anywhere else it is a virus in disguise) and language bar will appear instantly. In all other cases above methods are miracle.

  20. September 24th, 2008 at 12:58 | #20

    oops!! I forgot to thank you buddy.

  21. Reza
    October 2nd, 2008 at 07:38 | #21

    Thank you very much for your advance and complete guide.
    I used your method easily to solve my problem and so I would like you know that I appreciate your good work.
    Regards,

  22. siwarach
    October 9th, 2008 at 06:48 | #22

    thank you very much ^-^

  23. Gailius
    March 13th, 2009 at 08:44 | #23

    this helped to me too! thank you!

  24. May 15th, 2009 at 09:21 | #24

    Thank you! This is more helpful than the Microsfot KB I found.

  25. JL
    May 18th, 2009 at 23:03 | #25

    Thank you for all the methods you have mentioned.
    I cannot try the method 1 and 2 because the “Language Bar” on my computer is unavailable (can not be clicked) under the Preferences Box. When I tried the method 3 to run the ctfmon, I got message: “windows cannot find ctfmon.” I did the method 4 successfully, but it still does not work. I checked the task manager, there is not ctfmon process running.
    Any idea about the situation I have would be really appreciated.

  26. june
    August 26th, 2009 at 17:39 | #26

    I have same problem as Nick. I made language bar appear in task bar, but even after I changed language bar to different language, it doesn’t let me type in different language. Whatever I type is still in English. Can you help me in this situation?

  27. August 28th, 2009 at 05:13 | #27

    Cool,

    I Know how to use it in xp but unfortunately it has changed for vista does any one have any idea how it works for vista?

    Thanks for writing about it

  28. Mayra
    November 6th, 2009 at 08:56 | #28

    thanks for this, it really helped me. NOw my problem is solved.

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