Russian Phonetic Keyboard: Type Cyrillic with Latin Keys

A Russian phonetic keyboard puts each Cyrillic letter on the English key that sounds like it – А on A, Б on B, Д on D – so you can type Russian without learning a new layout. Windows has it as “Russian – Mnemonic” and macOS as “Russian – Phonetic”; the standard ЙЦУКЕН layout is faster once learned.

Phonetic vs standard (ЙЦУКЕН)

The standard Russian layout, named after its top row Й Ц У К Е Н, arranges letters by how often they are used, not by sound. Native speakers and offices use it, and it is printed on Russian keyboards. A phonetic layout maps letters by sound instead, which is easier for learners and for typing occasionally on an English keyboard.

Add a phonetic Russian keyboard

• Windows: add Russian under Settings → Time & language → Language & region, then in its language options add the keyboard Russian – Mnemonic. Switch with Windows + Space.
• Mac: System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit… → +, choose Russian and Russian – Phonetic.
• Phones: Gboard and the iPhone keyboard offer the standard Russian layout; you can also type Russian in Latin letters in Gboard's transliteration mode where it is available.

Type Russian online

The Russian keyboard uses the standard layout and shows every letter on screen, so you can click the letters or learn where they are while you type. Practise it with the Russian typing tutor, and learn the letters with sound on the Russian alphabet page.

Which should you learn?

If you will type Russian often – for study or work – learn ЙЦУКЕН: it is what every Russian computer uses and it is faster. Use a phonetic layout for occasional typing on your own computer.