Question:

How can I change the keyboard input mode on a Japanese laptop after accidentally activating a different mode that produces full-width characters?

Note: Full-width characters are characters that occupy the same amount of space as a Chinese character, while half-width characters are narrower and more common in English. For example, compare Ａ (full-width) and A (half-width).

Answer:

How to Change the Keyboard Input Mode on a Japanese Laptop

If you are using a Japanese laptop, you may have encountered a situation where your keyboard input mode changes unexpectedly and produces full-width characters instead of half-width characters. Full-width characters are characters that occupy the same amount of space as a Chinese character, while half-width characters are narrower and more common in English. For example, compare Ａ (full-width) and A (half-width).

This article will explain why this happens and how to fix it.

The reason why your keyboard input mode changes is because of the Japanese IME (Input Method Editor), a software that allows you to type Japanese characters on your laptop. The Japanese IME has different modes that correspond to different types of characters, such as Hiragana, Katakana, Romaji, and Alphanumeric. Depending on the mode, the IME will convert your keystrokes into different characters.

One of the modes is the Full-width Alphanumeric mode, which produces full-width characters for both letters and numbers. This mode is useful when you want to type Japanese text that contains some English words or numbers, such as titles, names, or dates. However, this mode can also be activated accidentally by pressing certain keys or combinations of keys on your keyboard.

How to Fix It?

There are several ways to change the keyboard input mode on a Japanese laptop and switch back to the Half-width Alphanumeric mode, which produces half-width characters for both letters and numbers. Here are some of the most common methods:

• Use the keyboard shortcut. Depending on the key template and the operating system of your laptop, there may be a keyboard shortcut that allows you to toggle between the Full-width Alphanumeric mode and the Half-width Alphanumeric mode. For example, on a Windows 11 laptop with the Microsoft IME key template, you can press Shift + NonConvert to switch between the two modes. On a Windows 10 laptop with the ATOK key template, you can press Shift + ImeOff (A key) to switch between the two modes. You can check the key template and the keyboard shortcuts of your laptop by going to the Japanese IME settings in the Settings app or the Control Panel.
• Use the language bar. The language bar is a small toolbar that appears on the bottom right corner of your screen when you are using the Japanese IME. The language bar shows the current input mode and allows you to change it by clicking on it. You can also access the language bar by pressing Windows + Space on your keyboard. To switch from the Full-width Alphanumeric mode to the Half-width Alphanumeric mode, you can click on the A icon on the language bar and select Half-width Alphanumeric from the menu.
• Use the IME context menu. The IME context menu is a menu that appears when you right-click on the IME toolbar or press Ctrl + Convert on your keyboard. The IME context menu has various options for changing the input mode and the IME settings. To switch from the Full-width Alphanumeric mode to the Half-width Alphanumeric mode, you can select Input Mode from the IME context menu and choose Half-width Alphanumeric from the submenu.

Conclusion

Changing

the keyboard input mode on a Japanese laptop can be confusing and frustrating, especially if you are not familiar with the Japanese IME and its modes. However, by knowing the causes and the solutions, you can easily switch back to the Half-width Alphanumeric mode and type normally. If you want to learn more about the Japanese IME and its features, you can visit the [Microsoft Japanese IME] support page or the [Setting up Japanese for your computer] guide.