Input Method in Ubuntu 18.04 shows "Current configuration for the input method:" dialog

Question

I search for "keyboard" in the Activities search, and I click on the first result "Input Method". I am greeted with this dialog:

Here is what it says:

Current configuration for the input method:

• Active configuration: ibus (normally missing)
• Normal automatic choice: ibus (normally ibus or fcitx or uim)
• Override rule:
• Current override choice: (en_US)
• Current automatic choice: ibus
• Number of valid choices: 2 (normally 1)

The override rule is defined in /etc/default/im-config.

The configuration set by im-config is activated by re-starting X.

Explicit selection is not required to enable the automatic configuration if the active one is default/auto/cjkv/missing.

Available input methods: ibus xim

Unless you really need them all, please make sure to install only one input method tool.

I've seen some other similar questions, but they don't have the exact same text. Notably, mine says "active configuration: ibus (normally missing)".

What is this dialog for? Does it make a difference whether I click "OK" or "cancel"?

Answer 1

That window is about configuration of advanced input methods, and it is for information only. If you want to change something - e.g. switch from IBus to some other input method framework - you need to click OK to proceed.

If you searched for "keyboard", you were possibly looking for something in the Settings menu.

Answer 2

I also encountered this when looking for the place to change my input method to another language. It turns out that the correct place to do that can be reached by opening Settings and clicking Region & Language in the left side bar.

This dialog was super confusing to me and it took a long time before I quit the wild goose chase and finally found the correct place.