Custom hotkeys to change input language disappear frequently

I had the same problem in Windows 7, and it persists in Windows 8. This happened in three computers I had, including the current one.

I have configured three input languages, and I assign a hotkey (alt+shift+number) to each of them. However, after some time, the hotkeys are reset; sometimes it's just some of them, other times they all disappear. They often keep working, but there are a few times when I can't switch languages in any other than pressing shift+alt or by clicking.

This issue may also be related - Sometimes I can't change languages from IME to English or any other. For that, I have to switch between input methods in IME (with alt+`), and only after I do that I can use the hotkeys. Again, switching languages with shift+alt works, but the custom hotkeys don't.

Does anyone know the cause of the problems I described? Is there a way to fix it? Are there any plans from Microsoft to fix these bugs?

Thank you.

Hi,
Have you resolved this issue?  I have the exact same problem in Windows 8: some hot keys disappear by themselves without even me doing anything (i.e. did some search on Internet explorer, go away for 10-15 minutes, come back and then some of the hot-keys disappear).

Here's my setup:

Left-Shift + ALT + 1: English  (Disappears)

Left-Shift + ALT + 2: French (Canada)  (Disappears)

Left-Shift + ALT + 3: Chinese Changjie (stays)

Left-Shift + ALT + 4: Spanish (Disappears)

Left-Shift + ALT + 5: Japanese (Disappears)

On Windows 7 Ultimate it worked well on 2 of my machines, but doesn't work on my company machine.  This problem happened in Vista too.

I frequently switch languages, so I feel very frustrated with the hot keys disappearing for no good reason.  Microsoft please fix!!

Hi,

To be productive, you can't keep switching between typing and moving the mouse to the tiny IME icon!  I switch languages a lot in working on my documents and in web searches. 

The custom hotkeys disappear and if you check the control panel: the hot-key settings in Control Panel | Language | Advance Settings | Change language bar hot keys disappear!  I highly doubt a keyboard driver would cause settings in the control panel to disappear.

I myself is using a Dell M1530 machine.  I had this issue with Vista, but the problem disappeared in Windows 7.  After I upgraded to Windows 8, the problem reappeared (and I did a clean install : keep nothing).

Please help!!

I also have the same problem on my Windows 7 64 bit. It was working ok for a long time, recently the hot keys dissapear after reboot. I use 4 languages and I had assigned a hot key for each. I even tried assigning hot keys just for 2 of the languages but they still dissapear. This is very annoying so please let me know if there is a solution.

Not sure if this is relevant: I use remote desktop and on the remote computer I use 2 languages which had different hot keys. I now changed both computers to use the same hot keys for the same languages to see if it stops the hot keys from dissapearing. Are you using remote desktop too?

The icon of input method function in system tray and setting (from charm bar) always disappear when start up.  Although hot key (alt + Shift / win + space) still work fine, but I can't see the layout of keyboard.

So annoying.

How did you manage to assign a keyboard combination to languages in Windows8? I don't see this option anywhere. In previous versions of Windows it was present.