Every modern phone and computer can type Persian. The keyboard is already installed; it only has to be switched on. This guide shows where to find it, and explains the one special key that makes Persian text look right.
Menu names change a little between versions and manufacturers. If a step looks different on your device, search the settings for "keyboard" or "language" and you will land in the right place.
Android
Most Android phones use Google's keyboard, Gboard.
- Open any app where you can type, and tap the gear icon on the keyboard. Alternatively go to Settings, then System, then Keyboard or "Languages and input".
- Choose "Languages", then "Add keyboard".
- Search for "Persian" and select it.
To switch between languages while typing, tap the globe key, or press and hold the space bar. Samsung phones have their own keyboard with the same option under Settings, General management, Samsung Keyboard settings, "Languages and types".
iPhone and iPad
- Open Settings, then General, then Keyboard.
- Tap "Keyboards", then "Add New Keyboard".
- Choose "Persian".
Switch keyboards with the globe key at the bottom left. Holding the globe key shows the list of all your keyboards.
Windows
- Open Settings and go to "Time & language", then "Language & region".
- Click "Add a language", search for "Persian" and install it. You do not need to make it the display language.
Switch between keyboards with Windows key + Space. Windows offers two Persian layouts; "Persian (Standard)" is the one to choose, because it follows the official Iranian keyboard standard.
Mac
- Open System Settings and choose "Keyboard".
- Under "Text Input", click "Edit" next to Input Sources.
- Click the plus sign, choose "Persian", and add "Persian – Standard".
Switch with the globe key or Control + Space.
No Persian letters printed on your keys?
You can still type. The usual solutions are:
- The on-screen keyboard. Both Windows and macOS can show a keyboard on the screen with the Persian letters in place. After a few days your fingers remember the positions.
- Keyboard stickers with Persian letters, which cost very little.
- Your phone. For short messages many people simply type Persian on the phone, where the letters are always visible.
The half-space: the key that makes Persian look right
Persian uses a special character called the half-space, نیمفاصله (nim-fâsele). It separates two parts of one word without putting a full gap between them and without joining the letters. Compare:
| Wrong (full space) | Wrong (no space) | Right (half-space) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| می روم | میروم | میروم | I go |
| کتاب ها | کتابها | کتابها | books |
The versions without it are understood, and in a fast chat nobody will complain. In anything more careful, the half-space is what separates tidy Persian from untidy Persian. It is typed like this:
- Windows (Persian Standard layout) and Mac (Persian – Standard): Shift + Space.
- Android and iPhone: the Persian keyboard has a dedicated half-space key, usually marked نیمفاصله or with a small split symbol. On some keyboards it sits next to the space bar, on others on the symbols page.
Common typing mistakes
Arabic letters instead of Persian ones
The Arabic keyboard has its own versions of two letters: ي and ك instead of the Persian ی and ک. They look almost the same, but a computer treats them as different characters, so searches fail and names do not match. If you chose "Arabic" instead of "Persian" when adding a keyboard, this is what happens. Use the Persian keyboard.
Latin punctuation
Persian has its own comma (،), semicolon (؛) and question mark (؟). They are on the Persian keyboard in the usual places.
Sentences that jump around
When a line mixes Persian and English, the text can appear to rearrange itself, with a full stop or an English word landing at the wrong end. This is the screen trying to combine right-to-left and left-to-right text. Two habits help: begin the line in the language that most of it is in, and put English words or numbers in the middle of a sentence rather than at the very start or end.
Speaking instead of typing
Some phone keyboards can take dictation in Persian. Google's keyboard on Android is one of them: with the Persian keyboard active, tap the microphone key and speak. It is not perfect with names and slang, but for a quick message it is often faster than typing, and it is a helpful bridge for people who speak Persian well and write it slowly. If the microphone key does not appear, your keyboard does not offer Persian dictation.
Practice makes it quick
Typing in a new script feels slow for the first few days. A chat room is good practice, because the messages are short and the vocabulary repeats. If you are still learning the letters, start with our overview of the Persian alphabet; and on days when you are in a hurry, Finglish is always accepted.