Typing Help
How to Set Up a Chinese Keyboard on Any Device
Adding a Chinese keyboard lets you type Chinese characters without changing your device’s display language. Choose your device below and follow the simple steps to add a Chinese keyboard or input method.
iPhone & iPad
- Open Settings.
- Go to General → Keyboard → Keyboards.
- Tap Add New Keyboard.
- Select Chinese, Simplified or Chinese, Traditional.
- Choose the keyboard layout you want to use, such as Pinyin-QWERTY.
Mac
- Open the Apple menu → System Settings.
- Select Keyboard.
- Under Text Input, click Edit.
- Click the + button and select Chinese, Simplified or Chinese, Traditional.
- Choose an input method, such as Pinyin, and click Add.
Android (Gboard)
- Make sure Gboard is installed on your phone or tablet.
- If Gboard is newly installed, open it and follow the setup prompts to enable and select it as your keyboard.
- Open an app where you can type, then tap a text field to bring up Gboard.
- On Gboard, tap the Settings gear, then Languages → Add keyboard.
- Select Chinese and choose the layout you want to use.
- Tap Done.
Windows 11
- Open Start → Settings.
- Select Time & language → Language & region.
- Click Add a language. For Pinyin typing, choose Chinese (Simplified, China), then click Next.
- Leave Set as my Windows display language unchecked, then click Install and wait for installation to finish.
- Press Windows key + Space to switch to Microsoft Pinyin.
- If you see 英 instead of 中 beside the input indicator, press Shift to switch to Chinese input.
Chromebook
- Select the time at the bottom right of the screen.
- Open Settings.
- Under Device, select Keyboard → Change input settings.
- Under Input methods, select Add.
- Select the Chinese input method you want, then click Add to confirm.
- Click the added Chinese input method to make it the active keyboard.
