Alt code combinations have changed

Question

For some reason, the numerical combinations that I have to input to print out specific Unicode characters have changed.

The first Alt+1, Alt+2, Alt+3, ... Alt+31 don't return anything anymore.

[Alt]+[3]+[2] is " " (spacebar/blank), [Alt]+[3]+[3] is !.

Other combinations have changed as well. 

• Alt+7 used to be the "bullet" •, but now • requires Alt+0149. 
• Alt+133 used to be '…' which now requires Alt+0133 instead.
• Alt+168 has in the past returned '¿'. Now ¿ requires Alt+0191 while Alt+168 returns what is called the 'replacement character '�', a white question mark in a black diamond.

Many of these character combinations have changed for some reason and some won't display at all (1-31 = nothing, others = �).

Wikipedia says that  

> Users of English (US) keyboards under Microsoft Windows can obtain the inverted question mark "¿" using the Alt code method by holding down the Alt key and pressing 0191, 6824, or 168 on the number pad

But it doesn't explain what determines which combination has to be used and how to switch between them.

For people who have memorized a lot of these combinations that are now switched or no longer working this creates a real headache.

Answer 1

Where are you using these?

What program?

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Answer 2

Any program at all. Notepad, WordPad, any Internet Browser etc, it literally makes no difference. They all return the same characters.

None of those questions is relevant to the issue either: The question concerned a change in those combinations. What you start out with is unrelated. What's crucial is which settings it is that have an impact on changing the character map across the board.

Display language: English (United Kingdom)

Region - Format: English (United Kingdom)

Location: United Kingdom

System locale: English (United Kingdom)

In any case, after hours of searching, I figured it out. The setting that impacts this is

Region→ Change System Locale → Region settings [ x ] Beta: Use Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support.

That beta checkbox has the power to switch the Alt code, Unicode combinations. I managed to return it back to normal now. Thank you.