Troubleshooting: Typing problems

If you have trouble typing accents and special characters, check the following:

Would you prefer to enter answers by selecting characters instead of typing them? Most activities that allow typing have an Easy Typing switch that can be set to On or Off. Set the switch to On if you do not want to type in the language you are learning. (Note: On tablets, Easy Typing may be the only option for some languages.)
Are you using a tablet? The typing features in some activities are not available for all languages on tablets. In most such activities, you can use the Easy Typing feature to enter those languages instead.
Are you following the appropriate instructions for typing in your language? See Typing accents or special characters if you are learning a language that uses the Latin alphabet. See Typing special scripts if you are learning a language that does not use the Latin alphabet.
If you are using the character suggestions that are part of this program's input method, did you use the right base character? If you are using the arrow keys, did you remember to hold down the Ctrl key (on Windows) or the Cmd key (on Mac) while you pressed the arrow key?
Did you check the Language-specific information for your language to see if it has any special instructions? Some languages, such as Chinese, Korean, and Japanese, are typed differently. Other languages may have special instructions for typing numerals or punctuation.
If you are trying to type in Chinese or Korean, do you know whether you are using this program's input method or your system's input method? Click in the upper right-hand corner of the screen and choose Change input method, then make sure you have the appropriate option selected. If you have never typed in the language before, you may find the system's input method harder to set up and use. For that reason, we recommend that most learners use this program's input method and following the instructions in Things to know about Chinese and Things to know about Korean. On the other hand, if you already have some experience typing with your system's input method and you try to use this program's, you may find it different than what you're used to. In that situation, you may prefer to choose your system's input method instead. Make sure that the appropriate input method is enabled, and that you know how to use it. If you learn on more than one device, such as a laptop and a tablet, remember that the system's input method may not be the same on different OSes, and may not work on some. (For example, your tablet's operating system may not have all the built-in typing features that your laptop does.) Consult your system's documentation for information, and remember that you can use the Change input method option to switch between the methods at any time if you have trouble.
Do you have the keyboard layout for the virtual keyboard set to an incorrect language? If so, you may not be typing the correct letters. If necessary, you can change the layout by clicking on the virtual keyboard and selecting an option in the Keyboard Language menu.
Is your system layout different than the program expects, or have you specified an incorrect system layout? In addition to letting you set the keyboard language, the menu on the virtual keyboard allows you to indicate your system layout - the default keyboard set for your operating system, which can affect the typing in this application. For example, if the keys you press on your physical keyboard do not correctly type the corresponding characters shown on the virtual keyboard, you may have a different system layout. In that situation, check your OS to verify your system layout setting. To do so on Windows 8, go to the Control Panel, then choose Language. All of the installed language settings will appear. On Windows 7 or Windows Vista, open the Keyboard and Languages control panel, click Change Keyboards, then look under General to see your installed keyboards. On Windows XP, open the Regional and Language Options control panel, select the Languages tab, then click Details and look for the default input language. On Mac, choose Languages and Text under System Preferences, then look for the input sources. On any OS, when you know your system layout setting, choose the appropriate option from the menu and try typing again. This menu only lists layouts that differ from the default "English" option, so if you do not see your layout listed, use "English". Note: Changing the System Language setting in this program will not change the actual system layout in your OS. However, selecting an incorrect option in this menu may interfere with your ability to type correctly in this application. Do not change this menu unless you are having problems typing and you have verified what system layout you have.

If you still have problems typing, contact our Technical Support.

Troubleshooting: Typing problems

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