How to change the keyboard layout using Kali Linux Terminal

Method 1: Using setxkbmap Command

Step 1: Check Current Keyboard Layout

Understanding the current layout is crucial before making any changes to the keyboard layout. You can use the following command in the terminal to see the current keyboard layout:

setxkbmap -query

This command will display information about the current keyboard layout, including the layout variant and options.

Step 2: List Available Keyboard Layouts

To see a list of available keyboard layouts, you can use the following command:

cat /usr/share/X11/xkb/rules/xorg.lst

This command will display a list of keyboard layouts supported by your system. Note down the layout you want to switch to.

Step 3: Change Keyboard Layout

Now that you are aware of the various keyboard layouts, you can use the setxkbmap command to alter the layout. For instance, you would use the following command to change to the US keyboard layout:

setxkbmap us

Replace us with the layout code of the desired layout. For instance, us for US layout, gb for UK layout, de for German layout, etc.

Step 4: Verify New Keyboard Layout

It’s a good idea to make that the keyboard layout modification has taken effect after making the adjustment. To make sure the keyboard layout you are using matches the one you chose, you can run the setxkbmap -query command once more.

In Kali Linux, altering the keyboard layout can be quite important, particularly when utilizing various languages or layouts. Thankfully, the terminal makes it simple to swap between keyboard layouts. You will be guided step-by-step through the process by this guide.