How to type Arabic
Type every letter in its plain form. You never choose an initial, middle or final shape: the letters join to their neighbours by themselves as you type, and the text runs right to left.
Lam followed by alef is written as one combined shape, so the Arabic (101) layout gives لا its own key on B.
The hamza forms sit on Shift: أ is Shift + H, إ is Shift + Y and آ is Shift + N. On the plain keys, ء is X, ؤ is C, ئ is Z and ة is M.
Short vowel marks are on Shift as well: fatha is Shift + Q, damma Shift + E, kasra Shift + A, sukun Shift + X and shadda Shift + `. Type the letter first, then its mark. The number row types the digits 0 to 9.
The Layout menu also has Arabic (102) and Arabic (102) AZERTY, the Windows layouts for 102-key and AZERTY keyboards.
The Arabic alphabet on the keyboard
| Letter | Unicode name | Key |
|---|---|---|
| ء | hamza | X |
| أ | alef with hamza above | Shift + H |
| ؤ | waw with hamza above | C |
| إ | alef with hamza below | Shift + Y |
| ئ | yeh with hamza above | Z |
| ا | alef | H |
| آ | alef with madda above | Shift + N |
| ب | beh | F |
| ة | teh marbuta | M |
| ت | teh | J |
| ث | theh | E |
| ج | jeem | [ |
| ح | hah | P |
| خ | khah | O |
| د | dal | ] |
| ذ | thal | ` |
| ر | reh | V |
| ز | zain | . |
| س | seen | S |
| ش | sheen | A |
| ص | sad | W |
| ض | dad | Q |
| ط | tah | ' |
| ظ | zah | / |
| ع | ain | U |
| غ | ghain | Y |
| ف | feh | T |
| ق | qaf | R |
| ك | kaf | ; |
| ل | lam | G |
| م | meem | L |
| ن | noon | K |
| ه | heh | I |
| و | waw | , |
| ى | alef maksura | N |
| ي | yeh | D |
| ً | fathatan | Shift + W |
| ٌ | dammatan | Shift + R |
| ٍ | kasratan | Shift + S |
| َ | fatha | Shift + Q |
| ُ | damma | Shift + E |
| ِ | kasra | Shift + A |
| ّ | shadda | Shift + ` |
| ْ | sukun | Shift + X |
Layouts on this page
- Arabic (101) (default)
- Arabic (102)
- Arabic (102) AZERTY
Questions
How many letters does the Arabic alphabet have?
36, per Unicode CLDR. Plus 9 marks typed after a letter.
Which Arabic letters need Shift on this keyboard?
11 of them: أ (Shift + H), إ (Shift + Y), آ (Shift + N), ً (Shift + W), ٌ (Shift + R), ٍ (Shift + S), َ (Shift + Q), ُ (Shift + E), ِ (Shift + A), ّ (Shift + `), ْ (Shift + X).
Guides
More keyboards
Layout data: CLDR release-43 keyboards/windows/ar-t-k0-windows.xml; CLDR release-43 keyboards/windows/ar-t-k0-windows-102key.xml; CLDR release-43 keyboards/windows/ar-t-k0-windows-azerty.xml. Letter list: CLDR release-43 (ar). Letter names: Unicode Character Database. What you type stays in your browser.