What is the Language bar?
The Language bar appears on your desktop automatically when you add handwriting recognition, speech recognition, or an Input Method Editor (IME) as a method of entering text. In addition, if you add a second language or keyboard layout, you can display the Language bar from the taskbar
You can use the buttons on the Language bar to perform tasks related to text services such as speech or handwriting recognition or IMEs. For example, if you are entering text with a handwriting input device, use the buttons on the Language bar to open the Writing Pad window, from which you can insert handwritten text into your document.
The buttons and options that are displayed on the Language bar depend on the text services you have installed and the software program that is currently active For example, Microsoft Word 2002 supports speech recognition, while Notepad does not. If both programs are running, the speech buttons are displayed when Word is active, but disappear when you make Notepad the active program.
You can move the Language bar anywhere on your screen or minimize it to the taskbar. If you do not use it, you can close it. You should remove text services that you do not use, as they require computer memory and can affect performance.
Moving and hiding the Language bar
Language bar keyboard shortcuts
Handwriting recognition overview
