Typing Nepali on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone

Four ways to get Devanagari out of the keyboard you already own.

0 words · 0 characters

Shortcuts: Ctrl/Cmd+Z undo · Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+Z redo · Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+C copy. Tip: use aa for ा, ii for ी, uu for ू; capital T/D/N give ट/ड/ण; type . for । and \. for a literal period; {braces} keep English as typed.

Private by default: your typing stays in this browser, and nothing you type is uploaded or sent to a server.

Examples

  • ma nepali ho म नेपाली हो
  • kathmandu ramro sahar ho काठमाडौं राम्रो सहर हो

The four approaches

You can add a Unicode Nepali keyboard to your operating system, use a phonetic input method that maps English letters to Devanagari, type on an in-browser keyboard, or use a converter like this one. The first two live on your computer; the last two need nothing installed. See also a phonetic English to Nepali tool and an on-screen Nepali keyboard .

Windows

Windows ships a Devanagari keyboard. Add it from Settings → Time & language → Language & region → Add a language → Nepali, then switch with Win+Space. The keys no longer match the letters printed on them, so most people prefer a phonetic or on-screen layout until they have memorised the Nepali layout.

macOS

macOS includes Devanagari keyboard layouts. Add Nepali in System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources, then use Ctrl+Space or the input menu to switch. As on Windows, the physical keys produce different characters than their English labels.

Android and iOS

Both platforms ship Nepali keyboards built in. On Android add Nepali under Settings → System → Languages & input; on iOS add it in Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards. Most people use a phonetic-style swipe or transliteration keyboard because it is closer to Romanized chat typing.

When you cannot install a keyboard

On a locked-down office machine, a borrowed computer or a library PC you often cannot add input sources. That is the case this site is built for: type with English letters in the browser, then copy the Devanagari wherever you need it. See also the typing practice page , the Preeti to Unicode converter and convert Unicode to Preeti .

Questions people ask

Can I type Nepali on a normal English keyboard?

Yes. Either add a Nepali keyboard layout to your operating system, which remaps the keys, or use a phonetic converter like this one, which keeps your English layout and translates what you type.

Which method should I choose?

If you type Nepali every day, install a system keyboard for speed. If you type Nepali occasionally, or you are on a computer you do not control, a browser converter is faster to set up.