{"id":107115,"date":"2023-07-24T03:18:50","date_gmt":"2023-07-24T07:18:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/japanese-typing\/"},"modified":"2025-01-28T05:31:10","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T10:31:10","slug":"japanese-typing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/japanese\/japanese-typing\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Type in Japanese: Keyboards and Practice Ideas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Typing is practically second nature to us these days. We’re texting, writing essays, working online gigs, exchanging ideas and sometimes (or a lot of the time) having arguments on social media<\/a>. Typing is integral to how we communicate\u2014it’s even surpassed handwriting<\/a>\u00a0in importance.<\/p>\n

Learn everything you need to know about Japanese typing, such as how to install Japanese keyboards, how to use them, keyboard shortcuts, typing practice resources and more.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Installing Japanese Keyboards<\/h2>\n

Windows Computer<\/h3>\n

1. To install Japanese input for Windows 10 devices, start by clicking on the Start Menu symbol.<\/p>\n

2. Open your Control Panel.<\/p>\n

3. Under “Type & language > Language & region,” select “Add a language.”<\/p>\n

4. Under “J,” find the keyboard labeled “\u65e5\u672c\u8a9e”. Select it and press “Add.”<\/p>\n

5. After adding Japanese to your language packs, go to “Language options” and select “Advanced” under “Japanese.”<\/p>\n

6. Here you can choose how you’d like things to be formatted when you use your keyboard. I suggest leaving the input method as “romaji.”<\/p>\n

Mac<\/h3>\n

1. Under the Apple Menu, click “System Settings” and then “Keyboard.”<\/p>\n

2. Click “+” underneath your list of already installed languages.<\/p>\n

3. Scroll down and select “Japanese,” then “Add.”<\/p>\n

4. Find “Text Input,” then click “Edit,” then “+”<\/p>\n

5. Select “Japanese”<\/p>\n

7. Select “Japanese \u2014 Kana” or “Japanese \u2014 Romaji”<\/p>\n

8. Click “Add”<\/p>\n

9. You’ll see a new symbol at the top of your Mac’s menu bar. Select it to toggle between English and Japanese.<\/p>\n

iPhone<\/h3>\n

1. Go to “Settings” then “General.”<\/p>\n

2. Select “Keyboard” then “Keyboards.”<\/p>\n

3. Click “Add New Keyboard” and browse through the languages until you get to “Japanese.”<\/p>\n

4. Select “Japanese” and then “Romaji.”<\/p>\n

5. Now whenever you go into “keyboard mode” on your phone, you’ll be able to click the little globe symbol to toggle between Japanese and English keyboards.<\/p>\n

Android<\/h3>\n

1. Download Gboard<\/a> from the Play Store.<\/p>\n

2. Install the app and open it.<\/p>\n

3. After installing and setting up, go to “Language & Input” in your Settings.<\/p>\n

4. Tap “Virtual Keyboard” under “Keyboards”<\/p>\n

5. Select “Japanese”<\/p>\n

6. Toggle the switch to activate Google Japanese Input.<\/p>\n

7. Like with iPhones, you click the little globe on your keyboard to switch to Japanese.<\/p>\n

Some Android devices don’t require you to download GBoard.<\/strong> You may be able to go to your phone’s keyboard settings and add Japanese without it.<\/p>\n

So before downloading anything, check if this is possible.<\/p>\n

Online Japanese Keyboards<\/h3>\n

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of installing and switching between keyboards, you can always use online Japanese keyboards.<\/p>\n

These are websites that let you type Japanese characters with your English keyboard. Then, all you have to do is copy and paste your text.<\/p>\n

Here are a few of the most reputable and easy-to-use online Japanese keyboards:<\/p>\n