Strange letters or symbols coming up in browser auto populate

[bryada]

When using safari, chrome, firefox, whatever every so often I will start to get strange letters or symbols come up in the URL bar when attempting to do a search. I can never type in what I am looking for as it thinks I am trying to search in Swedish or Finnish or some language I don't speak. If I restart my computer (3 month old iMac) the problem goes away but it always ends up coming back later on in the day. I attached some sample pictures. In th first one I am trying to type Kolt and it wouldn't stop at the "t" and kept going with suggestions.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

"Strange letters".... You know, english isn't the only language in the world. The OS is just suggesting variations of the character you last wrote. Just stop holding down the button of the last character. Restarting your computer has no effect on it, only your fingers.

And why did we need the same screenshots shown 20 times?

 

[Bruno09]

Hi,

if you don't need the "strange letters..." (I DO need them in my language) you can change this behavior :

Open the Terminal (Applications/Utilities), paste this :

 defaults write -g ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false

Now when you hold a key, it will repeat the same letter instead of suggesting variations of this letter.

 

[bryada]

Hi,

if you don't need the "strange letters..." (I DO need them in my language) you can change this behavior :

Open the Terminal (Applications/Utilities), paste this :

 defaults write -g ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false

Now when you hold a key, it will repeat the same letter instead of suggesting variations of this letter.

Sorry to anyone I may have offended, they are strange to me as I have English as the default and have never enabled any other languages on my computers. Could it be an issue with the keyboard as I am not holding any keys down just typing.

 

[interstella]

I'm having the same problem occasionally and I can't work out what's causing it. When it happens I can't use Safari at all. Any keyboard inputs result in a series of quiet but rapid "beep" (click?) noises and the only option is to force quit Safari.

This has only started since installing El Capitan.

 

[eneisch]

I have the same issue. I think it is related to the bluetooth keyboard lag on wake from sleep that has been reported bu other users. It thinks you are holding doesn't a key, but you are not. Started happening to me since I installed El Capitan too.