<p>you can click on the icon, it should provide a drop-down menu with a bunch of preferences and options. </p>

<p>Select "Show Input Source Name" - then select your preferred keyboard language. 
It should come up with the icon, PLUS something like "Pinyin - Simplified". </p>

<p>This worked for me, hopefully works for you too!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-09T06:12:08.537Z
2016-06-09T06:12:08.537Z
Sulfly
<p>Update: I was not able to find out how to change the actual icon, but a quick fix was to select the "show input source name" in the dropdown on the top bar. I was just seeing the icon before, and now I can see the full name. This is fine but takes up 4x more space in my crowded top bar that it needs to. </p>

<p>I'll consider it a shim. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-10T03:53:48.313Z
2016-06-10T03:53:48.313Z
pixelearth
<p>I do a lot of writing in different languages and have keyboard input types set up with hot keys so I switch easily.</p>

<p>I'm currently in Taiwan studying Mandarin and added the "traditional" Chinese input type along with the "simplified" that I already had. </p>

<p>The problem I'm having is that the trad and simple input methods have the same icon and I sometimes don't know which one I'm on, and can easily mistake one for the other. </p>

<p>This isn't the end of the world, but if anyone knows a hack to change this (maybe just the color or something) I would be very happy.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/hxHXx.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/hxHXx.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-12T04:33:32.897Z
Isn't it more effective if you ask this question over here: http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/
thinwa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-12T05:20:27.413Z
Yes, you're probably right. I originally posted here in case there was a built-in method. Some of the asian input methods have a lot of options....
pixelearth
<pinyin>
How can I change the icon used for a keyboard input type in Mac
# How can I change the icon used for a keyboard input type in Mac

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-06-09)

I do a lot of writing in different languages and have keyboard input types set up with hot keys so I switch easily.

I'm currently in Taiwan studying Mandarin and added the "traditional" Chinese input type along with the "simplified" that I already had.

The problem I'm having is that the trad and simple input methods have the same icon and I sometimes don't know which one I'm on, and can easily mistake one for the other.

This isn't the end of the world, but if anyone knows a hack to change this (maybe just the color or something) I would be very happy.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/hxHXx.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/hxHXx.png)

**Tags:** pinyin

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Isn't it more effective if you ask this question over here: http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/  
> **username_0**: Yes, you're probably right. I originally posted here in case there was a built-in method. Some of the asian input methods have a lot of options....  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-06-09. Score: 1

you can click on the icon, it should provide a drop-down menu with a bunch of preferences and options.

Select "Show Input Source Name" - then select your preferred keyboard language.
It should come up with the icon, PLUS something like "Pinyin - Simplified".

This worked for me, hopefully works for you too!


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### Answer by username_0 on 2016-06-10. Score: -1

Update: I was not able to find out how to change the actual icon, but a quick fix was to select the "show input source name" in the dropdown on the top bar. I was just seeing the icon before, and now I can see the full name. This is fine but takes up 4x more space in my crowded top bar that it needs to.

I'll consider it a shim.


---

