Add the Punjabi keyboard on Windows and Android
You do not need to install anything to type Punjabi in Raavi font. Windows already has the font and the Punjabi INSCRIPT keyboard; you only need to turn the keyboard on. This is also the keyboard used in the Punjab typing test.
You do not need any of this to practise on Akhar. The site converts your normal English keys to Punjabi itself. Follow these steps when you want to type Punjabi in Word, email or other programs.
Windows 11
- Open Settings and go to Time & language, then Language & region.
- Next to Preferred languages, click Add a language.
- Search for Punjabi, choose the Gurmukhi (India) option, and click Next, then Install. You can untick extras such as speech and handwriting.
- When it is installed, Punjabi appears under your languages with the Punjabi keyboard. That keyboard is the INSCRIPT layout.
Windows 10
- Open Settings, then Time & Language, then Language.
- Click Add a language, search for Punjabi and install it.
- The Punjabi keyboard is added with it.
Switching between English and Punjabi
- Press Win + Space to move to the next keyboard. Alt + Shift also works on most computers.
- The language indicator near the clock shows ENG or ਪੰਜਾਬੀ so you can check which one is on.
- Windows remembers the keyboard per window, so check the indicator after you click into a new program.
Choosing Raavi font
Raavi is installed with Windows. In Word or another editor, select Raavi from the font list. Because Raavi is a Unicode font, the text stays readable even when someone opens it with a different Punjabi font such as Nirmala UI or Noto Sans Gurmukhi.
Android phones
- Open the Gboard settings (or the settings of your phone's keyboard), then Languages, then Add keyboard.
- Choose Punjabi. Gboard offers a native Gurmukhi layout and a transliteration layout where you type in English letters and pick the Punjabi word.
- Switch languages with the globe key or by holding the Space bar.
The phone layouts are not the INSCRIPT layout used in the exam, so use them for messages, not for test practice.
Practise the layout
Once the keyboard is on, learn where each letter is with the layout chart and the step-by-step lessons, then check your speed with the Raavi font typing test.
If something does not work
- Keys type English even though Punjabi is selected. Click inside the window you want to type in, then switch with Win + Space. The keyboard setting can be different in each window.
- Letters appear as boxes. The program is using a font without Gurmukhi. Choose Raavi, Nirmala UI or Noto Sans Gurmukhi.
- Matras appear on a dotted circle. You typed the matra before the consonant, or added a space between them. In Unicode the consonant always comes first, even for sihari.
- The Punjabi option is missing. On some office computers, language settings are managed by the IT administrator. Ask them to add the Punjabi language pack.
Mac computers
On a Mac, open System Settings, then Keyboard, then Text Input, and add an input source. Search for Punjabi or Gurmukhi. macOS has its own Gurmukhi layouts, and some differ from the Windows INSCRIPT layout, so check the layout with the on-screen keyboard viewer before you rely on it. For exam practice, use Akhar in the browser, which always uses the INSCRIPT layout.
Typing Punjabi on an office computer
Many government offices now type official letters in Unicode Punjabi. Once the Punjabi keyboard is on, you can type directly into Word, LibreOffice, email and web forms. Save documents normally; because the text is Unicode, colleagues can open and edit it on any computer without installing a special font.
Practising on a shared or cyber cafe computer
You may not be allowed to change language settings on a shared computer. That is not a problem for practice. Akhar converts your key presses to the Punjabi INSCRIPT layout inside the browser, so you can practise lessons and full mock tests on any computer with a modern browser, without installing anything or changing Windows settings. Nothing you type is uploaded; your progress is saved only in that browser.
Which keyboard should you buy for practice?
Any standard full-size USB keyboard works. Choose one with normal-height keys rather than a slim or gaming model, because exam centres usually have ordinary office keyboards. You do not need a keyboard with Punjabi letters printed on it. Learning by touch, with the help of the layout chart, is faster in the long run than looking for printed letters.