How to Type in Hindi on a Laptop (Windows and Mac)

To type Hindi on a laptop, add Hindi as a keyboard language in Windows or macOS settings and switch to it with Windows key + Space (Windows) or Control + Space (Mac). If you do not want to learn a Hindi layout, choose the phonetic option and type Hindi in English letters – or type online with no setup at all.

Option 1: Type online – nothing to install

The quickest way, especially on an office or shared computer where you cannot change settings, is an online keyboard. Open the Hindi keyboard, type with your normal keys or click the on-screen ones, and copy the text into WhatsApp, Word or email. If you do not know the Hindi layout, use English to Hindi typing: write namaste and pick नमस्ते from the suggestions.

Option 2: Add the Hindi keyboard in Windows 11 or Windows 10

1. Open Settings → Time & language → Language & region.
2. Next to Preferred languages, choose Add a language, search for Hindi and install it. You only need the keyboard, not the display language.
3. Open the … menu next to Hindi → Language options, and under Keyboards add the layout you want (see below).
4. Switch between English and Hindi with Windows + Space, or click the language code (ENG / HIN) on the taskbar.

Windows offers several Hindi layouts:

The names of the layouts can differ slightly between Windows versions. If one is missing, update Windows or use Option 1.

Option 3: Add Hindi on a Mac

1. Open System Settings → Keyboard, and under Text Input click Edit….
2. Click +, choose Hindi and pick a layout: Hindi – Transliteration (type in English letters), Devanagari, or Devanagari – QWERTY.
3. Switch input sources with Control + Space, or the 🌐︎ key on newer Macs, or the input menu in the menu bar.

Which layout should you choose?

For messages and short texts, a phonetic (transliteration) layout is the easiest – there is nothing to learn. For long documents, office work or a government typing test, learn Inscript: it is faster once learned and it is the standard. Our guide Inscript vs Remington vs Phonetic compares the options, and the free Hindi typing tutor teaches Inscript key by key.

Text shows as boxes or English letters?

Boxes mean the app has no Hindi font; English letters such as “Hkkjr” mean the text was typed with an old KrutiDev-type font. See how to fix broken Hindi text and the KrutiDev to Unicode converter.