Force (or pre-configure) keyboard layout for all users on a machine

Question

_{Thursday, November 8, 2018 10:01 AM}

I need to force a certain keyboard layout on a machine (laptop). This doesn't seem possible for users with roaming profiles, their keyboard settings seem to always override whatever setting I try to enforce.
Is there a foolproof (i.e. that also works for roaming profiles) method of forcing a keyboard layout for a PC?
Info: the machines are Windows 10 (1803) 64 bit, domain joined. English, French and Dutch languages are installed.
Following policies were set:

• Control Panel/Regional and Language options/Force Selected system UI language to override the user UI language
• Control Panel/Regional and Language options/Restrict the UI language Windows uses for all logged users
• System/Locale Services/Disallow copying of user input methods to the system account for sign-in
• System/Locale Services/Restrict User locales

The configuration works as expected for new users without roaming profile but users with roaming profiles always overwrite the system configuration.
Not working with roaming profiles is not an option due to extremely long first logon times that are typical for Windows 10 on not-so-performant machines.

All replies (3)

_{Tuesday, November 13, 2018 5:01 PM ✅Answered}

Hi all,
Since this forum was my last attempt at solving this problem I have to conclude that Windows 10 doesn't allow you to force setting the keyboard layout for a specific machine. You can't do this using a local configuration nor can you do it by using a group policy.
This behavior is dysfunctional but it is what it is. If I'm right it is a consequence of the unnatural binding between a user's language and a machine's keyboard layout (which might be understandable for on-screen keyboards but not for physical ones).
My remaining question is this: There is a forum (or something) where you can specify things you'd like to see changed in Windows. Only I forgot where that is and I can't seem to find it either, does anyone know what I mean and where I can find it?

_{Friday, November 9, 2018 4:59 AM}

Hi,

Please try to navigate to

Computer Configuration\ Administrative Templates\System\User Profiles\Only Allow local User Profiles.

Then enable it to have a try.

(This setting determines if roaming user profiles are available on a particular computer. By default, when roaming profile users log on to a computer, their roaming profile is copied down to the local computer. If they have already logged on to this computer in the past, the roaming profile is merged with the local profile. Similarly, when the user logs off this computer, the local copy of their profile, including any changes they have made, is merged with the server copy of their profile.

Using the setting, you can prevent users configured to use roaming profiles from receiving their profile on a specific computer.

If you enable this setting, the following occurs on the affected computer: At first logon, the user receives a new local profile, rather than the roaming profile. At logoff, changes are saved to the local profile. All subsequent logons use the local profile.

If you disable this setting or do not configure it, the default behavior occurs, as indicated above.

If you enable both the "Prevent Roaming Profile changes from propagating to the server" setting and the "Only allow local user profiles" setting, roaming profiles are disabled.

Note: This setting only affects roaming profile users.)

Hope it could be helpful.

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_{Friday, November 9, 2018 3:00 PM}

Hello,

Thank you for the suggestion but not using (or disabling) roaming profiles is not an option (as stated in my original question: first logons on a Windows 10 machine are unacceptably slow, the only practical way to solve that is by using roaming profiles (in combination with folder redirection)).

So, not a solution to my particular problem but thanks for the suggestion anyway.

Regards,

Kris.