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How to Type Chinese on Mac or Windows

Text reads I am typing Chinese in English and Chinese

Learn how to type Pinyin on Mac or Windows in under 5 minutes. To find the Windows instructions, click here. Otherwise continue for Mac.

Video for Mac

How To Install Chinese on Mac

Open spotlight (cmd + space) and type keyboard. Navigate to input sources and click "+" Type in Chinese. This will bring up simplified and traditional. Simplified is used in Mainland China, Malaysia and Singapore. Traditional is used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau and other communities outside SE Asia. Unless you’ve been trained how to use one of the other typing methods, choose Pinyin and click add. Make sure "Show input source in menu bar" is ticked. This will show which keyboard you have selected in the top right of your menu bar. Click this to switch to Chinese. To make this even easier, navigate to the "shortcuts" panel > select Input Sources form the left-hand menu. Tick the checkboxes to turn on the keyboard shortcuts. You can now use the shortcuts displayed to quickly switch between keyboards.

How To Type Chinese on Mac

Make sure you have Chinese selected (your menu at the top shows this). As you type characters, use the number key to select which choice you want to use. Or press the space bar to select the first choice. That’s all. You’re now ready to Type Chinese on Mac.

Video for Windows

How To Install Chinese on Windows

Type "language" in the bottom left-hand search bar. Open Language settings. Click "Add a preferred language". If using an older OS then go to the control panel > region and language > change keyboard or other input methods. Type Chinese. This will show a few options. This will bring up simplified and traditional. Simplified is used in Mainland China, Malaysia and Singapore. Traditional is used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau and other communities outside SE Asia. If you’re using an older system scroll down to PRC (People’s Republic of China). Then open up the "+" for keyboard and find "Microsoft pinyin new experience input". Click all the okay to accept. Make sure there is not a checkbox checked that says "set as my display language". This would change your entire OS to Chinese. Once installed, you can access your new keyboard through the bottom right of your screen where it says "ENG" (or whatever your native language is). Just click this and swap to Chinese. You can also press Win + Space on newer operating systems or Alt + Space on older systems to cycle through your installed keyboards.

How To Type Chinese on Windows

Make sure you have Chinese selected (your menu at the top shows this). As you type characters, use the number key to select which choice you want to use. Or press the space bar to select the first choice. That’s all. You’re now ready to Type Chinese on Windows.