If Windows 10 types é when you press a key such as / or ‘, an extra keyboard layout is usually active, most often Canadian Multilingual Standard or United States-International. Press Windows + Space to switch back to your normal layout, then remove the extra one in Settings > Time & Language > Language so it doesn’t come back. Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) now run until October 12, 2027.
Quick Answer
Press Windows + Space and pick your usual keyboard. Then Settings > Time & Language > Language > your language > Options > remove the unwanted keyboard.
Why É Appears
- Canadian Multilingual Standard: The / key types é.
- US-International: ‘ followed by e makes é (a “dead key”).
- Accidental switching: Left Alt + Shift or Ctrl + Shift changes layouts without you noticing.
Steps to Remove the Extra Keyboard
- Open Settings > Time & Language > Language.
- Click your language (for example English (United States)) and click Options.
- Under Keyboards, click the layout you don’t want and click Remove.
- If a second language is listed that you don’t use, remove the whole language too.
Stop Accidental Switching
- Open Settings > Devices > Typing > Advanced keyboard settings.
- Click Input language hot keys.
- Select Between input languages, click Change Key Sequence, and set both options to Not Assigned.
Common Layouts and What They Do
| Layout | What you see |
|---|---|
| Canadian Multilingual Standard | / types é; some symbols move |
| Canadian French | Several symbol keys change |
| United States-International | ‘ and ” wait for the next letter |
| US (QWERTY) | Standard US keys |
Troubleshooting
- Layout comes back after restart: Check the sign-in screen layout in Settings > Time & Language > Language > Administrative language settings > Copy settings.
- Other keys wrong too: See getting your keyboard working again.
- Want to change display language? See changing the language in Windows 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I type é on purpose?
With the US layout, hold Alt and type 0233 on the number pad, or use the touch keyboard’s long-press.
Is the keyboard broken?
Almost never. It’s a layout setting.
Does this affect Windows 11?
The same layouts exist; remove them in Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
Summary
- Press Windows + Space to switch back.
- Remove the extra keyboard in Language settings.
- Turn off the layout-switching hotkeys.
- Check the sign-in screen layout too.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.