Wrong input language when logging into Big Sur

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Wrong input language when logging into Big Sur

Since upgrading to Big Sur, my default keyboard input during the login screen is always 'U.S.'. I always need to manually switch it to 'French'.

Is there a way for me to set 'French' as defaut?

In fact, I do not even know where this 'U.S.' input comes from.

Here are my Big Sur regional configurations. They are as I want them and work fine once I am logged in.

The primary language is 'English (UK)'. All menus and system messages are in English.
The region is set to 'France (custom)'.
The keyboard primary input source is 'French'. I have other input sources, such as 'Russian - Phonetic', that I switch to occasionally. I do NOT have any English language input source, including 'US'.

To sum up:

all my regional, keyboard and input settings in Big Sur works fine EXCEPT during log in, when the default layout is wrong.

Thanks in advance in helping solve this problem.

PS:

The following link suggests a solution for the very same problem but it dates from 01/2014 and it's solution does not work with Big Sur.

https://vkritis.blogspot.com/2014/01/change-default-keyboard-of-osx-login.html

Mac mini 2018 or later

Posted on Jan 6, 2021 2:30 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Wladdy Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 6, 2021 12:47 AM in response to WitchitaJunket

@WichitaJunket:

I posted the same question elsewhere and received the following suggestion. It worked for me. Maybe it will for you too. Good luck!

If you have FileVault activated and are struggling to set your desired language on the login screen try the following:

1. Turn off FileVault
2. In terminal execute this to copy your keyboard settings to the login screen sudo cp ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.HIToolbox.plist /Library/Preferences/
3. Turn on FileVault again
4. Reboot

Tested on Big Sur

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Answer 2

Feb 6, 2021 10:35 PM in response to Wladdy

I'm having a similar issue and it is driving me crazy. I'm running Big Sur (11.2) on an M1 2020 MacBook Air.

I use both U.S. English, and Hungarian. I have my language settings to include both of these, with English as the primary. I have both keyboard inputs set up. At the login screen I expect it to default to U.S. (singe it is my primary language), but it ALWAYS defaults to Hungarian.

I have tried everything. I removed Hungarian as both a language and an input source. I deleted the HITools plist files in both the system library and my user account library. I used "sudo language setup" to set my system language to English (which it already was). I restarted my machine. U.S. English was the only option in the input menu, great. But then after I log in and add the Hungarian keyboard again (still with English as the primary), it reverts back to Hungarian always being the default input source on the login screen. I can't figure out where this is coming from.

I've also set under Login Options to NOT show the input source menu on the login screen, but it shows anyway, even when there is only one configured input source.

Something is really screwy with the input sources on the login screen... it makes no sense.

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Answer 3

Mar 6, 2021 11:58 PM in response to Wladdy

Unfortunately that did not work. Here are the steps I took:

Turn off FileVault
Remove all Regions/Languages and Input Sources except U.S.
Confirm that the HIToolbox plist is updated to reflect that Hungarian was removed as an input source (I ran "defaults read /Users/xxx/Library/Preferences/com.apple.HIToolbox.plist")
Overwrite the HIToolbox plist in the system library with my user one ("sudo cp ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.HIToolbox.plist" /Library/Preferences/")
Re-enable FileVault
Restart
Add back the Hungarian input source
Restart again
Hungarian is the default input source on the login screen again

This is in spite of U.S. being the default input source/region.

I've noticed if I add another keyboard, like ABC, that one will be the default instead of Hungarian. It seems like the login screen is defaulting to the first input source by alphabetical order of the input source name?

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Wrong input language when logging into Big Sur

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