diff --git a/autotests/integration/keyboard_layout_test.cpp b/autotests/integration/keyboard_layout_test.cpp
--- a/autotests/integration/keyboard_layout_test.cpp
+++ b/autotests/integration/keyboard_layout_test.cpp
@@ -21,12 +21,17 @@
 #include "keyboard_input.h"
 #include "keyboard_layout.h"
 #include "platform.h"
+#include "shell_client.h"
 #include "virtualdesktops.h"
 #include "wayland_server.h"
+#include "workspace.h"
 
 #include <KConfigGroup>
 #include <KGlobalAccel>
 
+#include <KWayland/Client/surface.h>
+#include <KWayland/Client/shell.h>
+
 #include <QAction>
 #include <QDBusConnection>
 #include <QDBusConnectionInterface>
@@ -53,6 +58,7 @@
     void testPerLayoutShortcut();
     void testDBusServiceExport();
     void testVirtualDesktopPolicy();
+    void testWindowPolicy();
 
 private:
     void reconfigureLayouts();
@@ -67,6 +73,8 @@
 
 void KeyboardLayoutTest::initTestCase()
 {
+    qRegisterMetaType<KWin::ShellClient*>();
+    qRegisterMetaType<KWin::AbstractClient*>();
     QSignalSpy workspaceCreatedSpy(kwinApp(), &Application::workspaceCreated);
     QVERIFY(workspaceCreatedSpy.isValid());
     kwinApp()->platform()->setInitialWindowSize(QSize(1280, 1024));
@@ -82,10 +90,12 @@
 
 void KeyboardLayoutTest::init()
 {
+    QVERIFY(Test::setupWaylandConnection());
 }
 
 void KeyboardLayoutTest::cleanup()
 {
+    Test::destroyWaylandConnection();
 }
 
 class LayoutChangedSignalWrapper : public QObject
@@ -337,5 +347,52 @@
 
 }
 
+void KeyboardLayoutTest::testWindowPolicy()
+{
+    KConfigGroup layoutGroup = kwinApp()->kxkbConfig()->group("Layout");
+    layoutGroup.writeEntry("LayoutList", QStringLiteral("us,de,de(neo)"));
+    layoutGroup.writeEntry("SwitchMode", QStringLiteral("Window"));
+    layoutGroup.sync();
+    reconfigureLayouts();
+    auto xkb = input()->keyboard()->xkb();
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->numberOfLayouts(), 3u);
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->layoutName(), QStringLiteral("English (US)"));
+
+    // create a window
+    using namespace KWayland::Client;
+    QScopedPointer<Surface> surface(Test::createSurface());
+    QScopedPointer<ShellSurface> shellSurface(Test::createShellSurface(surface.data()));
+    auto c1 = Test::renderAndWaitForShown(surface.data(), QSize(100, 100), Qt::blue);
+    QVERIFY(c1);
+
+    // now switch layout
+    auto changeLayout = [] (const QString &layoutName) {
+        QDBusMessage msg = QDBusMessage::createMethodCall(QStringLiteral("org.kde.keyboard"), QStringLiteral("/Layouts"), QStringLiteral("org.kde.KeyboardLayouts"), QStringLiteral("setLayout"));
+        msg << layoutName;
+        return QDBusConnection::sessionBus().asyncCall(msg);
+    };
+    auto reply = changeLayout(QStringLiteral("German"));
+    reply.waitForFinished();
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->layoutName(), QStringLiteral("German"));
+
+    // create a second window
+    QScopedPointer<Surface> surface2(Test::createSurface());
+    QScopedPointer<ShellSurface> shellSurface2(Test::createShellSurface(surface2.data()));
+    auto c2 = Test::renderAndWaitForShown(surface2.data(), QSize(100, 100), Qt::red);
+    QVERIFY(c2);
+    // this should have switched back to English
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->layoutName(), QStringLiteral("English (US)"));
+    // now change to another layout
+    reply = changeLayout(QStringLiteral("German (Neo 2)"));
+    reply.waitForFinished();
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->layoutName(), QStringLiteral("German (Neo 2)"));
+
+    // activate other window
+    workspace()->activateClient(c1);
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->layoutName(), QStringLiteral("German"));
+    workspace()->activateClient(c2);
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->layoutName(), QStringLiteral("German (Neo 2)"));
+}
+
 WAYLANDTEST_MAIN(KeyboardLayoutTest)
 #include "keyboard_layout_test.moc"
diff --git a/keyboard_layout_switching.h b/keyboard_layout_switching.h
--- a/keyboard_layout_switching.h
+++ b/keyboard_layout_switching.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 namespace KWin
 {
 
+class AbstractClient;
 class KeyboardLayout;
 class Xkb;
 class VirtualDesktop;
@@ -92,6 +93,25 @@
     QHash<VirtualDesktop *, quint32> m_layouts;
 };
 
+class WindowPolicy : public Policy
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    explicit WindowPolicy(Xkb *xkb, KeyboardLayout *layout);
+    ~WindowPolicy() override;
+
+    QString name() const override {
+        return QStringLiteral("Window");
+    }
+
+protected:
+    void clearCache() override;
+    void layoutChanged() override;
+
+private:
+    QHash<AbstractClient*, quint32> m_layouts;
+};
+
 }
 }
 
diff --git a/keyboard_layout_switching.cpp b/keyboard_layout_switching.cpp
--- a/keyboard_layout_switching.cpp
+++ b/keyboard_layout_switching.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,10 @@
 *********************************************************************/
 #include "keyboard_layout_switching.h"
 #include "keyboard_layout.h"
+#include "abstract_client.h"
+#include "deleted.h"
 #include "virtualdesktops.h"
+#include "workspace.h"
 #include "xkb.h"
 
 namespace KWin
@@ -54,6 +57,9 @@
     if (policy.toLower() == QStringLiteral("desktop")) {
         return new VirtualDesktopPolicy(xkb, layout);
     }
+    if (policy.toLower() == QStringLiteral("window")) {
+        return new WindowPolicy(xkb, layout);
+    }
     return new GlobalPolicy(xkb, layout);
 }
 
@@ -77,19 +83,26 @@
     m_layouts.clear();
 }
 
+namespace {
+template <typename T, typename U>
+quint32 getLayout(const T &layouts, const U &reference)
+{
+    auto it = layouts.constFind(reference);
+    if (it == layouts.constEnd()) {
+        return 0;
+    } else {
+        return it.value();
+    }
+}
+}
+
 void VirtualDesktopPolicy::desktopChanged()
 {
     auto d = VirtualDesktopManager::self()->currentDesktop();
     if (!d) {
         return;
     }
-    auto it = m_layouts.constFind(d);
-    if (it == m_layouts.constEnd()) {
-        // new desktop - go to default;
-        setLayout(0);
-    } else {
-        setLayout(it.value());
-    }
+    setLayout(getLayout(m_layouts, d));
 }
 
 void VirtualDesktopPolicy::layoutChanged()
@@ -115,5 +128,59 @@
     }
 }
 
+WindowPolicy::WindowPolicy(KWin::Xkb* xkb, KWin::KeyboardLayout* layout)
+    : Policy(xkb, layout)
+{
+    connect(workspace(), &Workspace::clientActivated, this,
+        [this] (AbstractClient *c) {
+            if (!c) {
+                return;
+            }
+            // ignore some special types
+            if (c->isDesktop() || c->isDock()) {
+                return;
+            }
+            setLayout(getLayout(m_layouts, c));
+        }
+    );
+}
+
+WindowPolicy::~WindowPolicy()
+{
+}
+
+void WindowPolicy::clearCache()
+{
+    m_layouts.clear();
+}
+
+void WindowPolicy::layoutChanged()
+{
+    auto c = workspace()->activeClient();
+    if (!c) {
+        return;
+    }
+    // ignore some special types
+    if (c->isDesktop() || c->isDock()) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    auto it = m_layouts.find(c);
+    const auto l = layout();
+    if (it == m_layouts.constEnd()) {
+        m_layouts.insert(c, l);
+        connect(c, &AbstractClient::windowClosed, this,
+            [this, c] {
+                m_layouts.remove(c);
+            }
+        );
+    } else {
+        if (it.value() == l) {
+            return;
+        }
+        it.value() = l;
+    }
+}
+
 }
 }