How to Type Sindhi on Windows

Windows documentation currently lists Sindhi (Arabic) among supported language resources. However, availability of a particular Sindhi keyboard layout can depend on the Windows version and installed language configuration. If the layout you need is not available, a browser-based keyboard is a practical alternative.

Here are three approaches, ordered from quickest to most involved:

Method 1: Use the Browser Keyboard (No Install, Two Minutes)

The fastest route to typing Sindhi on Windows requires nothing installed and no settings changed. Open a browser — Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or any other — and go to the Sindhi keyboard on this site.

Click the letters on the virtual keyboard. The text appears in the text area. When you have finished composing, click Copy. Switch to wherever you need the text — Word, Outlook, WhatsApp Web, a browser text field — and paste with Ctrl+V.

This method produces correctly encoded Unicode Sindhi text using the characters available in the browser keyboard. It works on any Windows machine that has a browser, including shared computers, work machines where you cannot change system settings, and school computers. The only limitation is that you cannot use it to type Sindhi directly into desktop applications — you have to compose in the browser and paste.

Method 2: Add Sindhi (Arabic) in Windows

Microsoft currently lists Sindhi (Arabic) among Windows language resources. The exact keyboard layout and available input options can vary by Windows version and installed language configuration, so check the language settings on the computer you are using.

Windows 11:

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Time & Language → Language & Region.
3. Click Add a language.
4. Search for Sindhi and look for Sindhi (Arabic) in the available results.
5. Follow the installation prompts for the language resources you need.
6. Use Win + Space to switch between installed input languages.

Windows 10:

1. Open Settings → Time & Language → Language.
2. Click Add a preferred language.
3. Search for Sindhi and select the available Sindhi (Arabic) language resource.
4. Install the available language/input components, then switch input with the language icon or Win + Space.

If Sindhi is not offered in the configuration you are using, or if the available layout does not provide the characters you need, the browser keyboard remains a practical alternative. It can be used to compose Unicode Sindhi text and then paste that text into another application.

Method 3: Install a Custom Sindhi Keyboard Layout

Another option is a custom Windows keyboard layout created with Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator (MSKLC), allowing you to map Sindhi characters to physical keys. The exact mapping is a design choice rather than a single universal Sindhi layout.

Several Sindhi keyboard layouts for Windows have been created by Pakistani language technology developers and are available for download from Sindhi language organisations, including the Sindhi Language Authority website. The general installation process is:

1. Download the Sindhi keyboard layout installer (.exe or .zip containing a setup file) from a trusted source such as the Sindhi Language Authority or a Pakistani university language department.
2. Run the installer. It registers the keyboard layout with Windows.
3. After installation, go to Settings → Time & Language → Language & Region, find your existing language (English), click the three dots next to it, and select Language Options.
4. Under Keyboards, click Add a keyboard and look for the newly installed Sindhi layout.
5. Switch to it with Win + Space.

Considerations for custom layout files:

• You need administrator access to install a keyboard layout on Windows. On a shared or work computer, this may not be possible.
• Verify the source of any keyboard layout file before running its installer. Download only from official or well-known language organisations.
• The key mappings vary between different Sindhi keyboard layout implementations. There is no single universally agreed Sindhi Windows keyboard layout the way there is for Urdu (which has standardised phonetic and InPage layouts).

Typing Sindhi in Microsoft Word

Once any input method above is working, Microsoft Word handles Sindhi text correctly. Key settings to check in Word when working with Sindhi:

• Font: Select a font with Sindhi coverage. Jameel Noori Nastaleeq is included in Windows and renders Sindhi in the correct Nastaliq style. Alternatively, Noto Nastaliq Urdu (free download from Google Fonts) covers most Sindhi characters.
• Paragraph direction: Sindhi is right-to-left. In the Home tab, set paragraph direction to RTL using the RTL paragraph button, or use Ctrl+Right Shift when the cursor is in a Sindhi text block.
• Spell check: Word does not have a Sindhi spell checker. Turn off autocorrect and spell checking for Sindhi text to prevent it from flagging every word.

LibreOffice Writer

LibreOffice Writer, the free alternative to Microsoft Word, also handles Unicode Sindhi correctly. The same font recommendations apply. In LibreOffice, enable CTL (Complex Text Layout) support in Tools → Options → Language Settings → Languages and set the CTL language to Arabic or Urdu (Sindhi is not listed separately, but enabling CTL for any Arabic-script language activates the RTL rendering engine).

Which Method Should You Use?

If you type Sindhi occasionally — a few messages a week, the odd document — the browser keyboard on this site combined with copy-paste is the lowest-friction option. It requires nothing and works anywhere.

If you write Sindhi regularly in Word, email, or other applications, use the Sindhi (Arabic) option in Windows when it is available in your language settings. If it is unavailable or does not provide the characters you need, use the browser keyboard for occasional writing or consider a custom Sindhi layout only after verifying its source and compatibility.

If you need full, seamless Sindhi input across all applications and you have administrator access to your machine, a custom Sindhi keyboard layout file is the most complete solution — but it requires trusting the source of the layout file and accepting that there is no single universally standardised version.

For the Android equivalent of this guide, see how to install Sindhi keyboard on Android. For background on why Sindhi needs different characters than Urdu in the first place, see the Sindhi vs Urdu script differences article.