Managing System Locale and Keyboard Layout Settings with localectl (with examples)

The localectl command is a powerful tool used for controlling the system locale and keyboard layout settings. It allows us to view and modify settings related to language locales and keyboard mappings on our Linux system. In this article, we will explore eight different use cases of the localectl command, demonstrating how to perform common tasks using this command.

Show Current Settings

To start, we can use localectl without any arguments to display the current settings of the system locale and keyboard mapping.

localectl

Motivation: By executing this command, users can quickly view the current settings of their system’s locale and keyboard layout. This helps in verifying the current configuration and ensuring that it matches the desired settings.

Example Output:

   System Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8
       VC Keymap: us
      X11 Layout: us

The output shows the system’s locale, the VC (virtual console) keymap, and the X11 layout.

List Available Locales

The list-locales subcommand of localectl can be used to list all available locales on the system.

localectl list-locales

Motivation: This command is helpful when you want to see the available locales on your system. It provides a comprehensive list of language locales that can be used as references when configuring the system locale.

Example Output:

af_ZA.UTF-8
am_ET.UTF-8

The output displays a list of available locales such as af_ZA.UTF-8 and am_ET.UTF-8.

Set System Locale Variable

To set a system locale variable, the set-locale subcommand is used. It requires the LANG argument, followed by the desired locale.

localectl set-locale LANG=en_US.UTF-8

Motivation: Changing the system locale is necessary when you want to modify the default language used in your system. By setting the locale, you can ensure that the system uses your preferred language for prompts, messages, and other system-related text.

Example Output: No output is provided for this command. To verify the changes, you can use the localectl command again to show the updated settings.

List Available Keymaps

The list-keymaps subcommand of localectl can be utilized to list all available keymaps on the system.

localectl list-keymaps

Motivation: Different keyboard layouts are available on Linux systems, and this command helps you identify all the supported keymaps. It is useful when you need to switch between keyboard layouts or determine which layout to use for your particular configuration.

Example Output:

af
am

The output lists available keymaps such as af (Afrikaans) and am (Amharic).

Set System Keyboard Mapping

To set the system keyboard mapping for both the console and X11, the set-keymap subcommand is used. It requires the KEYMAP argument, followed by the desired keymap.

localectl set-keymap us

Motivation: In scenarios where you have multiple keyboard layouts configured on your system, this command allows you to change the current mapping. By setting the keymap, you can ensure that the keyboard behaves according to your preferences and typing habits.

Example Output: No output is provided for this command. To verify the changes, you can use the localectl command again to show the updated settings.