Online Urdu Keyboard – Type in Urdu Instantly
All Keyboards is a free online Urdu keyboard that lets you type in Urdu (Perso-Arabic (Nastaliq) script, right to left) directly in your browser – no software or fonts to install. Type with your own keyboard or click the on-screen keys using the Urdu – Phonetic layout, where each key types the Urdu letter that sounds like it, or simply speak and let voice typing write Urdu for you. Copy the text into WhatsApp, email, Word or social media, download it as a file, print it, or translate it in one click.
How to Use the Urdu Keyboard
- Choose the layout. Keep Keyboard Type on Urdu – Phonetic to type in Urdu, or switch to English – QWERTY for English. The text box writes from right to left.
- Start typing. Click the keys of the on-screen keyboard with your mouse or finger, or type on your computer keyboard – each key types the Urdu letter that sounds like its English letter, for example k → ک, b → ب and s → س.
- Use Shift and Caps Lock for more letters. They switch to the second set of characters – letters with dots and the vowel marks, such as خ, ڑ, ئ and ض (Shift + k → خ).
- Use Ctrl or Alt for special characters. The third set holds the Urdu numerals ۱ ۲ ۳ and other signs.
- Or type in Roman letters. In English – QWERTY mode, type Urdu words the way they sound and pick the Urdu word from the suggestions.
- Type by voice. Click the microphone in the text box and speak in Urdu – your words appear as Perso-Arabic (Nastaliq) text (works in Chrome and Edge).
- Save or share your text. Use the toolbar above the text box to start a new text, download it as a .txt file, copy, print, share it on WhatsApp or by email, work in full screen, or translate it into English and other languages.
How Urdu Letters Join to Make Words
Urdu is written from right to left, and most letters join the letter after them, changing shape as they do. Short vowels are small marks called aʿrāb (اعراب) above or below a letter; they are usually left out, because readers know the words. Long vowels are written with the letters ا و ی ے.
Three rules to remember
- Letters join: ک + ت + ا + ب = کتاب (kitāb, book) – press k t a b.
- Some letters never join the next one: ا د ڈ ذ ر ڑ ز ژ و join only to the letter before them – دروازہ (darvāza, door) – press d r w a z o.
- Short vowels are marks: zabar, zer and pesh are usually left out, but you can add them – کِتاب – press k Shift+i t a b.
Practice words
| Word | Meaning | Letters | Keys to press |
|---|---|---|---|
| گھر | house | گ + ھ + ر | g Shift+h r |
| پانی | water | پ + ا + ن + ی | p a n i |
| کتاب | book | ک + ت + ا + ب | k t a b |
| پاکستان | Pakistan | پ + ا + ک + س + ت + ا + ن | p a k s t a n |
| اردو | Urdu | ا + ر + د + و | a r d w |
| سلام | hello | س + ل + ا + م | s l a m |
| محبت | love | م + ح + ب + ت | m h b t |
Want to learn every letter first? See the complete Urdu alphabet with pronunciation and examples.
About the Urdu Language
Urdu (اردو) is an Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European family. It is the national language of Pakistan and one of the 22 scheduled languages of India. In everyday speech Urdu and Hindi are so close that their speakers understand each other easily – linguists call the shared spoken language Hindustani – but Urdu is written in the Perso-Arabic script, from right to left, usually in the flowing Nastaliq style, and takes many literary words from Persian and Arabic. Urdu is loved for its poetry: the ghazal and the songs of Hindi films owe much to it.
- Script
- Perso-Arabic script in the Nastaliq style (نستعلیق), right to left
- Language family
- Indo-Aryan (Indo-European)
- Official status
- National language of Pakistan; scheduled language of India, official in Jammu and Kashmir, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states
- Related languages
- Hindi, Punjabi, Sindhi; vocabulary from Persian and Arabic
How old is Urdu?
Urdu grew out of the Khari Boli speech of the Delhi region between the 13th and 18th centuries, mixing with Persian, Arabic and Turkish under the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughals. Its name comes from the Turkic word ordu, "army camp". The poet Amir Khusrau (13th–14th century) wrote in its early form, and Mir, Ghalib and Iqbal made it one of the great literary languages of South Asia.
How many people speak Urdu?
About 70 million people speak Urdu as their mother tongue – around 50 million in India (2011 Census) and over 20 million in Pakistan – and more than 230 million speak it as a second language, mostly in Pakistan, where it is the common language of the whole country.
Where is Urdu spoken?
Urdu is spoken throughout Pakistan, and in India especially in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana (Hyderabad), Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Large Urdu-speaking communities live in the UK, the USA, Canada and the Gulf countries.
India celebrates Urdu Day (یومِ اردو) on 9 November, the birthday of the poet Muhammad Iqbal, who wrote the famous song "Saare Jahan Se Achha".
Common Urdu Phrases
A greeting and everyday phrases, to see how Urdu looks. Click a phrase to add it to the text box.
Urdu Alphabet at a Glance (ḥurūf-e-tahajjī)
The Urdu alphabet is called ḥurūf-e-tahajjī (حروفِ تہجی). It has 39 letters, written from right to left. Most letters join the next one and change shape, and short vowels are small marks above or below the letters.
Vowels اعراب 7
اَ اِ اُ آ ای او اے
Written as full letters at the start of a word or on their own.
Letters حروف 39
- Alif
- ا
- The be family
- ب پ ت ٹ ث
- The jīm family
- ج چ ح خ
- The dāl family
- د ڈ ذ
- The re family
- ر ڑ ز ژ
- Sīn and svād
- س ش ص ض
- Ṭoe and ẓoe
- ط ظ
- ʿAin and ghain
- ع غ
- Fe and qāf
- ف ق
- Kāf and gāf
- ک گ
- Lām, mīm, nūn
- ل م ن ں
- Vāo, he and ye
- و ہ ھ ء ی ے
Grouped by shape – dots above or below tell the letters of a group apart.
Numerals ہندسے
۰ ۱ ۲ ۳ ۴ ۵ ۶ ۷ ۸ ۹
Urdu digits – written left to right, even inside right-to-left text. The international digits 0–9 are common too.
Hear every letter and practise reading on the Urdu alphabet page.
Urdu Keyboard – Frequently Asked Questions
How do I type in Urdu?
Click the keys of the on-screen Urdu – Phonetic keyboard, or type on your own keyboard – each key types the Urdu character shown on it. You can also switch Keyboard Type to English – QWERTY, type Urdu words in Roman letters and pick the word from the suggestions.
Is the online Urdu keyboard free?
Yes. The keyboard, translator, typing tutor and image to text tool are free to use, with no sign-up and nothing to install.
Do I need to install Urdu fonts?
No. The page loads a Unicode font for the Perso-Arabic (Nastaliq) script, so Urdu text shows correctly in any modern browser, and the text you copy works in WhatsApp, Word and email.
How many letters does the Urdu alphabet have?
The Urdu alphabet has 39 letters, 3 short vowel marks and 4 shapes per letter. See every letter with its pronunciation on the alphabet page.
Where is Urdu spoken?
Urdu is spoken throughout Pakistan, and in India especially in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana (Hyderabad), Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Large Urdu-speaking communities live in the UK, the USA, Canada and the Gulf countries.
Can I translate Urdu text?
Yes. Type your text, choose a language next to Translate and press the button – the translator opens with your text translated into English or any other supported language.
Can I type Urdu by voice?
Yes. Click the microphone in the text box and speak in Urdu – it works in Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.