It is no secret that the creators of Windows operating systems, even with the constant release of new versions and periodically installed updates, could not solve one of the global problems associated with the language icon disappearing on the panel. With what it is connected, nobody knows for sure. Perhaps this is the impact of viruses or system errors, which is much more common. Let's see how you can fix this situation using the system tools, without resorting to third-party tool kits, which, incidentally, in most cases do not eliminate the problem, since the system may be prohibited from changing the configuration.
Why does the language icon disappear in the panel?
Not to mention system failures, one of the reasons many experts call the fact that the language panel itself in the system tray was not fixed. In this case, the user could accidentally hide, delete or move it to another area of the screen. First, look, maybe, indeed, the panel is somewhere in the corner, hiding behind the working area of the screen?
On the other hand, if the language icon disappeared from the panel, this may indicate a violation in the system registry (for example, accidentally changing or deleting the corresponding key with careless intervention). But here is the reason for the constant disappearance of the language icon has not yet been clarified. However, several solutions can be proposed that will allow it to be restored.
The language icon disappeared on the panel: how to return it through the settings of the “Control Panel”?
The simplest and most universal solution is to use the corresponding section of the “Control Panel”. In the event that the language icon in the XP version of the system is missing on the “Task Bar”, the section of the language and regional standards is used. In systems of a rank higher, there is a section of hours, language and region.
As an example, consider the situation when the icon disappeared in Windows 7 (language, panel are inactive, switching is not available). After entering the above section, on the language and keyboard tabs, you must use the keyboard change button, and in the next window activate the pin line of the corresponding element in the “Task Bar”. It is also advisable to check the box next to the display of language labels and uncheck the line for setting the transparency of the panel in an inactive state. If this does not help, turn the panel off and on again.
In some cases, if the language icon disappears from the "Taskbar" and after that, the ctfmon command in the "Run" console helps. By the way, it is this element in startup that is responsible for displaying the language bar and its settings. Check autoload (in Windows 7 it is the msconfig command with switching to the appropriate tab in the configuration, in Windows 10 it is the “Task Manager”). If the service is disabled, enable it. As an additional action, you can advise you to make it yourself in the auto start section of the system.
Recovery of the "Task Scheduler"
Few ordinary users know that almost all programs and system components in the form of services operate according to a special schedule set in the Task Scheduler, and a malfunction of this service causes disruptions in the functioning of the OS itself.
You can check the work of the "Scheduler" in the corresponding section of services (services.msc), where you need to find the component you need and make sure that it is turned on (working) and the startup type is set to automatic.
Next, call the Scheduler itself and check the MsCtfMonitor component. If such a component is missing, you can download the .exe file on the Microsoft website and import its settings into the TextServicesFramework section, after which make sure that the component is in an active state.
If the language service component itself is not available, you must download the ctfmon.exe file and place it in the System32 directory, and then restart the system completely.
Using registry settings
If the language icon disappears from the "Taskbar", and you don’t want to download additional components or not, you can use the registry editor (regedit).
In it, you need to go down the HKLM branch through the SOFTWARE section and find the Run directory there, as shown in the image above. In the right part of the editor, you need to create a string parameter and name it ctfmon.
Then, through RMB or double-click, you must go into editing and set the value for it in the form of the full path to the ctfmon.exe executable file. Upon completion of all actions, a restart of the computer is required.
Extra tip
Surprisingly, there is another solution to resolve this problem. Judging by the reviews of users on the Internet, it almost always works (with rare exceptions).
It consists in entering the appropriate section of the “Control Panel” and changing the first default language from Russian to English. In this case, when the system starts, it will be displayed in the system tray. If this does not bother you, you can use this option. Actually, there is nothing terrible here.
Finally
That's all for restoring the language icon in the system tray. It is difficult to say for sure which particular solution is best to use, because the global reason for the manifestation of such system behavior is unknown. However, it is advisable to immediately turn to the system registry, since some standard methods can only have a short-term effect (for the most part this relates to the corresponding settings in the “Control Panel”).
Finally, if the disappearance of the icon was due to the influence of viruses (and this also happens), the system must be checked with some portable scanner, including in-depth analysis. Even better is to use programs that have their own bootloader (for example, Kaspersky Rescue Disk) to boot from removable media and scan your computer for viruses even before Windows boots. It is utilities of this type that can find deep-seated threats on the hard drive, and even in RAM. Again, for verification, you should include in the scan not only the hard disk and logical partitions, but also boot areas with hidden objects. Perhaps if the reason was really this, you will get the desired result (maybe the ctfmon executable itself was infected or even damaged due to the influence of virus codes).