M1 MBP pro Keyboard layout change to US english from Other country keyboard

[kumamayo]

Hi,
I am a MBP user with a US english keyboard for over 18 years.
Now living in Italy I cannot get a unit made without a 3-4 month waiting period with the correct keyboard, which I am used to.
Getting another unit from overseas is possible with hefty import duty cost on top of the full price of the unit..
Making that option unworkable financially.

My consideration is to take another language model which has the same design layout of the US english ( or as close as possible ) and change the Key Caps to match the US english layout.

My question if any one knows this idea will work ?
Is the Keyboard hardwired with the language or are ALL languages software dependent on changes in System Preferences?

 

[mj_]

The physical keyboard layout is completely independent of the software-defined layout.

The only thing you have to keep in mind is that some keyboard layouts have extra keys, some have double-height return keys (e.g. UK English, Italian, German, etc.) while others have single-height return keys (e.g. US English, Dutch, etc.). People used to swap out individual key caps in the past, which came to a screetching halt with Butterfly keyboards as that would more often than not irrevocably break the underlying mechanism. Not sure about the new post-Butterfly keyboards but since they're based on a traditional scissor switch mechanism I don't see why this shouldn't be possible.

 

[kumamayo]

Hi Mj,

Thank you for the clarification. I thought as much about this.
I have seen some online sites which do supply key caps for the new Magic Keyboards on the MBP M1 units.

I can safely search for one with the closest matching layout.
I prefer the larger return key and larger shift keys on both sides.
Apart from that I can manage the other keys.

Thanks again for your detailed response

 

[Slartibart]

Which model are you interested in? I just bought a maxed out and a “minimal” M1 MBP (one with US hardware keyboard layout) on the italian Apple store - delivery times are 3 - 5 work days.

 

[kumamayo]

Which model are you interested in? I just bought a maxed out and a “minimal” M1 MBP (one with US hardware keyboard layout) on the italian Apple store - delivery times are 3 - 5 work days.

I was looking at the M1 Pro, 16. 32Ram 1 TB SSD. I spoke with Apple in Italy who verified the longer lead time. Online I can see delivery shows as End April to 2nd week May.. But the call stated this was not the reality..
It is possibly due to the M1 Pro chip being more commonly configured than a Max processor, which I am presuming you have ordered.