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How to Type Arabic Letters on an English Keyboard (Windows, Mac, Word, Phone)

If you have an English (QWERTY) keyboard but need to type Arabic letters, you’re not alone. Most physical keyboards don’t print Arabic letters on the keys.

The easiest and most practical solution is not memorizing codes. It’s to add Arabic as a keyboard/language input on your device, then switch to it when you want to type Arabic. Once Arabic input is enabled, you type normally—your keys will map to Arabic letters.

This guide covers Windows, Mac, Microsoft Word (most important), Google Docs, iPhone/Android, and Chromebook, plus quick backup options like on-screen keyboards and copy/paste.

1-Minute Answer (Fastest Method)

  1. Add an Arabic keyboard/input on your device (Windows, Mac, phone, or Chromebook).
  2. Switch to Arabic input using the language/keyboard switcher.
  3. Start typing (your keys now produce Arabic letters).
  4. If you only need a few letters:
  • Use an on-screen/virtual keyboard, or
  • Copy/paste Arabic letters, or
  • Use an online Arabic keyboard (click-to-copy).

Copy & Paste Arabic Letters (Full Alphabet)

If you just need Arabic letters quickly, copy from here and paste into Word, Docs, email, or anywhere:

Tip: Arabic letters connect and change shape automatically depending on where they appear in a word. You don’t need to type different shapes—your app handles it.

Arabic Letters (Click to Copy)
Click any letter to copy it. Works on English keyboards after you add Arabic input.
Arabic alphabet (letters)
Extras (useful)
Arabic-Indic digits
Last copied:
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Step-by-Step: Windows (Laptop + Desktop)

1) Add Arabic as a keyboard/language

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Time & language (the wording may vary by Windows version).
  3. Find Language & region (or “Language”).
  4. Choose Add a language.
  5. Search for Arabic and add it.
  6. If asked, keep the defaults, and make sure an Arabic keyboard is included.

2) Switch between English and Arabic when typing

  • Look at the taskbar near the clock for the language/keyboard indicator (often shows something like “ENG”).
  • Click it and select Arabic.
  • To go back, click it again and choose English.

Optional tip: Many Windows PCs can also switch keyboards with a shortcut, but it can vary by setup—if a shortcut doesn’t work for you, the taskbar language icon is the most reliable method.

3) Use the On-Screen Keyboard (easy backup)

If your physical keyboard is confusing, the on-screen keyboard helps you “see” the Arabic layout.

  1. Open the Windows search bar and type On-Screen Keyboard.
  2. Open it, then switch your input language to Arabic (taskbar language icon).
  3. Click letters on the on-screen keyboard to type.

4) How to tell you’re in Arabic mode

  • The language indicator shows Arabic selected.
  • Your cursor and text may start flowing right-to-left (RTL).
  • When you type, Arabic letters appear and connect.

Step-by-Step: Mac

1) Add Arabic as an input source

  1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS).
  2. Go to Keyboard.
  3. Look for Text Input or Input Sources (wording varies).
  4. Click Edit or Add, then choose Arabic and add it.

2) Switch input sources (English ↔ Arabic)

  • Use the input menu in the menu bar (top of the screen).
  • Select Arabic to type Arabic, and switch back to English when needed.

3) If you only need a few Arabic letters

  • Open Character Viewer (it may appear from the input menu or other keyboard tools).
  • Search for the character and insert it.

Step-by-Step: Microsoft Word (Strongest Section)

1) The best way: add Arabic keyboard, then type normally

  1. First, add Arabic keyboard input on your device (Windows or Mac steps above).
  2. Open Word and click into your document.
  3. Switch your input to Arabic using your system language switcher.
  4. Start typing—Word will insert Arabic letters.

2) Set Right-to-Left (RTL) direction (fixes “backwards” typing)

Arabic is written right-to-left, so sometimes the cursor direction needs fixing.

Try these beginner-safe options:

  • Look on Word’s Home tab for paragraph direction controls (often Left-to-Right / Right-to-Left).
  • If you see a Right-to-Left option, apply it to the paragraph you’re typing in.
  • If you don’t see RTL options, try setting Arabic as an editing language in Word/Office language settings, then restart Word (the wording varies by version).

Simple tip: If your Arabic text looks “backwards” or the cursor feels wrong, it’s usually an RTL direction issue—not a typing issue.

3) Font tip (if letters look wrong)

If your Arabic letters show as boxes/squares or don’t connect properly:

  • Switch to a different font that supports Arabic (many common fonts do).
  • If one font looks wrong, try another—this often fixes it immediately.

4) Backup method: Insert a single Arabic character

If you only need one symbol/letter:

  1. In Word, go to Insert → Symbol.
  2. Look for More Symbols (wording may vary).
  3. Find an Arabic subset (or search by font/subset) and insert the character.

This is slower than typing with the Arabic keyboard, but useful for one-off characters.

Step-by-Step: Google Docs (and Sheets)

Best reliable method: use your device Arabic keyboard input

  1. Add Arabic keyboard to your device (Windows/Mac/phone/Chromebook).
  2. Open Google Docs.
  3. Switch your device input to Arabic.
  4. Type normally.

If the direction looks wrong (quick fix)

  • Google Docs usually handles Arabic well, but sometimes the paragraph direction needs changing.
  • Look for a Right-to-left paragraph direction setting (the wording and location can vary).
  • If you can’t find it quickly, a simple workaround is:
    • Type your Arabic in a place that clearly supports RTL (or use the widget/online keyboard), then copy/paste into Docs.

Note: Google Sheets can accept Arabic text too—typing works the same way (direction may look different because it’s in cells).

Step-by-Step: iPhone + Android

iPhone (iOS)

  1. Open Settings → General → Keyboard.
  2. Tap Keyboards → Add New Keyboard.
  3. Choose Arabic.
  4. In any app, tap the globe/keyboard button to switch to Arabic and type.

Android

Steps vary slightly by phone brand, but the idea is the same:

  1. Open Settings → System (or General management) → Languages & input.
  2. Go to On-screen keyboard (or Keyboard settings) and add Arabic.
  3. In any app, use the keyboard switch button (often a globe or keyboard icon) to switch to Arabic.

Optional: You can also try voice typing (microphone icon) if your keyboard supports it.

Chromebook (Short but Helpful)

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Languages and input.
  3. Add Arabic as an input method/keyboard.
  4. Switch input method from the keyboard/language switcher and type.

If this feels annoying to set up, use the faster fallback:

  • Use an online Arabic keyboard and copy/paste into your document.

Common Problems + Fixes

“My Arabic letters are backwards” / “The cursor feels wrong”

That’s usually a Right-to-Left (RTL) direction issue.

  • In Word or Docs, set the paragraph direction to Right-to-Left (wording may vary).
  • Also make sure your active keyboard input is actually Arabic, not English.

“Arabic letters aren’t connecting”

Arabic letters connect automatically in most apps, so if they don’t:

  • Try a different font (some fonts don’t support Arabic shaping well).
  • Try typing in Word or Google Docs to test if it’s just one app causing the problem.

“I see squares/boxes instead of Arabic”

This almost always means the font doesn’t support Arabic.

  • Change the font to one that supports Arabic (try another common font and test).

“My numbers look different”

Arabic text may show Arabic-Indic digits (٠١٢٣٤٥٦٧٨٩) instead of Western digits (0123456789).

  • This is normal and depends on your language/region settings and the app.

“I only want a few Arabic letters”

Don’t overcomplicate it:

  • Use the copy/paste lines above, or
  • Use the Online Arabic Keyboard widget to click-to-copy.

FAQ (Quick Answers)

How do I type Arabic on an English keyboard?

Add an Arabic keyboard/input on your device, switch to it, and type normally. Your keys will map to Arabic letters.

How do I type Arabic in Microsoft Word?

Add Arabic keyboard input on your device, switch to Arabic, then type. If the cursor direction looks wrong, set the paragraph to Right-to-Left.

How do I switch between English and Arabic keyboards?

Use your device’s language switcher:

  • Windows: taskbar language icon
  • Mac: input menu in the menu bar
  • Phone: globe/keyboard button on the keyboard

Why do Arabic letters connect/change shape?

Arabic letters have different shapes depending on whether they’re at the start, middle, or end of a word. Good apps and fonts handle this automatically.

Why do I see squares instead of Arabic letters?

Your font doesn’t support Arabic. Switch to a different font that supports Arabic.

Can I type Arabic in Google Docs?

Yes. Use your device’s Arabic keyboard input, then type in Docs. If direction looks wrong, set paragraph direction to RTL (wording may vary).

How do I type Arabic on iPhone/Android?

Add Arabic in your keyboard settings, then switch keyboards in any app using the globe/keyboard button and type.

Quick Recap

  • The best method is to add Arabic keyboard input and switch to it when needed.
  • Arabic is right-to-left, so use RTL direction if the cursor feels wrong.
  • You don’t need different letter shapes—apps handle Arabic shaping automatically.
  • If letters don’t connect or show as boxes, change the font.
  • For a few letters, use copy/paste or the click-to-copy widget.