Windows 11 Stuck on the “Choose Your Keyboard Layout” Screen? Here’s How to Fix It

If your Windows 11 PC is stuck on the “Choose your keyboard layout” screen and won’t let you continue, you’re not alone. Instead of reaching the sign-in screen or desktop, Windows keeps returning to the keyboard selection page, making it impossible to use your computer. This problem often appears after a failed Windows update, an interrupted system reset, startup repair, or a corrupted boot configuration. In some cases, a faulty keyboard, damaged system files, or problems with the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) can also trigger the issue. In this guide, we’ll explain the most effective ways to fix Windows 11 when it’s stuck on the “Choose your keyboard layout” screen.

Why Is Windows 11 Stuck on the “Choose Your Keyboard Layout” Screen?

The “Choose your keyboard layout” screen is part of the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). Normally, you’ll only see it when accessing advanced recovery options. If Windows cannot start normally or detects a boot problem, it may repeatedly load this recovery screen instead of continuing to the sign-in page.

Common causes include:

• A failed Windows update that prevented Windows from starting correctly.
• Corrupted boot files or Boot Configuration Data (BCD).
• Damaged system files caused by an improper shutdown or power failure.
• Disk errors or problems with the drive containing Windows.
• An interrupted reset, recovery, or startup repair that didn’t complete successfully.

1. Force Restart Your PC

Temporary startup glitches can sometimes cause Windows to enter the recovery environment instead of booting normally. Before trying advanced repairs, perform a complete restart.

1. Press and hold the Power button for about 10 seconds until your PC turns off.
2. Wait a few seconds, then press the Power button again to turn it back on.
3. If the “Choose your keyboard layout” screen appears again, select your preferred keyboard layout and check whether Windows continues to boot.

If your PC keeps returning to the same screen, continue with the next solution.

Tip: If you’ve recently connected a USB drive, external hard drive, printer, or other peripheral, disconnect it before restarting. A faulty or bootable USB device can sometimes interfere with the startup process.

2. Run Startup Repair

If Windows still won’t boot, use Startup Repair to automatically detect and fix common startup problems, such as missing or corrupted boot files.

1. First, access Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)
2. Click Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair.
3. Select your Windows 11 account if prompted and enter your password.
4. Wait while Windows scans for startup problems and attempts to repair them automatically.
5. Restart your PC after the repair is complete.

If Startup Repair reports that it couldn’t repair your PC or the “Choose your keyboard layout” screen still appears, continue with the next solution.

Note: Startup Repair won’t delete your personal files. It only attempts to repair problems that prevent Windows from starting normally.

3. Uninstall the Latest Windows Update

If the problem started after installing a Windows update, uninstalling the most recent update may restore your PC to a working state.

1. From the Choose your keyboard layout screen, select your keyboard.
2. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates.
3. Choose one of the following options:
   • Uninstall latest quality update (recommended first)
   • Uninstall latest feature update (if the issue began after a major Windows upgrade)
4. Follow the on-screen instructions and wait for Windows to remove the update.
5. Restart your computer and check whether Windows boots normally.

If uninstalling the update doesn’t resolve the issue, proceed to the next solution.

Tip: Once your PC starts successfully, check for newer Windows updates. Microsoft often releases fixes for bugs found in previous updates.

5. Rebuild the Boot Configuration Data (BCD)

If Windows still won’t start, the boot configuration may be corrupted. Rebuilding the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) can repair the startup information and help Windows boot normally again.

1. On the Choose your keyboard layout screen, select your keyboard.
2. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
3. Run the following commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each one:

bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd

4. Close Command Prompt and restart your PC.

If you receive an “Access is denied” error when running bootrec /fixboot, don’t worry. This can happen on UEFI-based Windows 11 systems. In that case, continue with the next solution.

Important: These commands repair Windows boot records and don’t delete your personal files. However, type each command carefully to avoid errors.

4. Use System Restore

If your PC was working normally a few days ago, System Restore can return Windows to an earlier state before the startup problem occurred. Your personal files won’t be affected, but recently installed apps, drivers, and Windows updates may be removed.

1. From the Choose your keyboard layout screen, select your keyboard.
2. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore.
3. Select your Windows 11 account and enter your password if prompted.
4. Choose a restore point created before the problem started.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to restore your system.

After the restore is complete, Windows will restart automatically. If your PC is still stuck on the “Choose your keyboard layout” screen, continue with the next solution.

Note: This option is only available if System Restore was enabled before the problem occurred.

6. Run SFC and DISM Offline

If Windows system files have become corrupted, Windows may fail to boot and repeatedly return to the recovery screen. Running SFC and DISM from the Windows Recovery Environment can repair damaged files.

1. On the Choose your keyboard layout screen, select your keyboard.
2. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
3. First, identify the drive where Windows is installed. In WinRE, it may not be C:. Run:

bcdedit | find "osdevice"

4. Replace C: below with the correct Windows drive letter if necessary, then run:

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows

5. After the scan finishes, run:

DISM /Image:C:\ /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

6. Restart your PC and check whether Windows boots normally.

Note: If the offline DISM command doesn’t work in your recovery environment, don’t worry. Continue to the final solution below, as it can repair Windows without deleting your personal files.

7. Reset or Reinstall Windows 11

If none of the previous solutions work, Windows may have severe startup corruption that can’t be repaired. In that case, resetting or reinstalling Windows is often the quickest way to restore your PC.

1. From the Choose your keyboard layout screen, select your keyboard.
2. Go to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.
3. Choose Keep my files if you want to reinstall Windows without removing your personal files.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset.

If Reset this PC also fails, you’ll need to reinstall Windows 11 using a bootable USB installation media.

Important: Although Keep my files preserves your personal documents, photos, and videos, it removes installed applications and resets Windows settings. Back up important data whenever possible before resetting or reinstalling Windows.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)