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What methods or programs are available for typing the characters with accents on system Windows and Windows Mobile?

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    I suggest you broaden the question to include all operating systems. The answers are already there. Also to catch the search "how to type esperanto letters". Maybe like this: "How do I type the Esperanto letters? What methods or programs are available for typing the accented characters on the different operating systems Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Android and iOS?"
    – LaStranga
    Aug 25, 2016 at 10:42
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    I think this question is too broad and should be more specific relating to only one operating system. Keeping track of changes over a zoo of OS on just one page is probably not easily possible. And the probably to have one right answer for all OS is really low.
    – mondano
    Aug 25, 2016 at 17:50
  • Haha, I started the question with just windows. We can change it back and create new questions for the other OS, if that makes sense.
    – Charlotte SL
    Aug 25, 2016 at 19:01
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    Yes I think "mondano" might be right. I saw the answer from Andrew Young below, and it seemed he was able to include most operating systems. But then there might be a different method for say Windows 7 and 10, or Ubuntu and Linux Mint, or different versions of Android. This page would get out of control. We are better of with one question per OS.
    – LaStranga
    Aug 26, 2016 at 10:03
  • It seems confusing for me to have a bunch of different pages with the same answers on them though. The fact of the matter is that except for Windows and iOS, all major operating systems support Esperanto out of the box. There's not really a lot to discuss on a per operating system basis.
    – Andrew Young
    Aug 30, 2016 at 12:39

19 Answers 19

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Linux, Mac OS, and Android all supply built-in keyboards for typing accented letters. Windows computers and iPhones require additional software to support accented characters.

Android

In Android you can use the Google Keyboard, which has a setting for Esperanto and is usually already installed on the phone. There is also an Esperanto Language Pack for the popular AnySoftKeyboard app.

Linux

In Linux, you can add the Esperanto keyboard under your system settings the same way that you add any other keyboard.

Mac

In MacOSX you can use the "ABC Extended" keyboard, which has "dead keys" for the necessary accents. Press Option+6 and then the required base letter to get a version with a hat. For example: Option+6 and then "s" produces "ŝ". For "ŭ" you can press Option+b and then "u".

Windows

For Windows computers I suggest using Tajpi.

iOS

On iOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad you can install "Esperanta Klavaro"

Windows Phone

For Windows Phone, there is an app called "Esperanta Klavaro", that allows you to type the text into the app and then copy and paste it into another application.

Others / Web-based solution

Other than that, you can use a web based input system such as the one at [typeit.org][7].
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  • I use the iPhone app you mentioned. It works, but is glitchy. Sometimes when switching to it, the keyboard will just disappear and you are left with no way to type anything.
    – Chris McDowell
    Aug 24, 2016 at 23:23
  • I just added the info on Esperanta klavaro for the Windows Phone. It works well, but I find copy/paste annoying.
    – Charlotte SL
    Aug 24, 2016 at 23:24
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    On Linux, you even don't need to add a special Esperanto layout. You can use the "dead keys" feature on the e.g. German or US international keyboard. To type a "ĉ", one type just a "^", and then "c". For other characters, it works similar.
    – Aviadisto
    Aug 25, 2016 at 6:24
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    On Linux, it is also possible to write the special charactes by just holding down AltGr and pressing the key. E.g. hold AltGr and press C → you get Ĉ. This requires the following command: setxkbmap -option esperanto:qwerty. That works only for the current session, so it has to be done at every start of the computer, which can easily be done to happen automatically. For me that breaks the Alt+Shift combination (I also have Bulgarian layout), so I needed to also do setxkbmap -option grp:lalt_lshift_toggle immediately after that first command. It works perfectly!
    – Lyubomir Vasilev
    Aug 25, 2016 at 13:19
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    On Linux distributions based on Gnome or Cinnamon, e.g. on Ubuntu or Linux Mint, there is a keyboard layout option called "Adding Esperanto circumflexes". If you click it in your keyboard settings, you will be able to type Esperanto letters by holding AltGr and the key of the letter.
    – Marcos Cramer
    Aug 25, 2016 at 14:00
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I use Windows 10 and I customized the US international keyboard to type the Esperanto characters, and I don't have the hassle of switching it on and off like some other programs.

I used a software program called "Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator 1.4", you can download this from the Microsoft website and it's quite easy to use (and free), just follow the instructions and you'll have a keyboard that will type whatever characters you want in whatever script you want (provided you can remember where you put said characters of course).

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For any small touchscreens (Android and iOS) (e.g. smartphones), I prefer to use Messagease. It's a completely different way to enter characters, rather than a special Esperanto keyboard. The motivation to use it is because the normal QUERTY layout is designed for typewriters. On the smartphones touchscreen, the characters of the QUERTY layout are generally too small. For me, it was always really painful to type them. The keys for Messagease are much bigger, please watch the video to see how it works.

Messagease is very well suited to type any diacritic signs. I use just one keyboard layout to type german öäüß, french éèç and Esperanto ĉŝĥĵŭ. For example, i type "s" (typing the bottom right character) and then "^" (dragging the top middle character up) for receiving a "ŝ".

At first, this kind of typing method appears to be really alien and slow. One need to get used to it for a couple of days. Then it is very convenient and fast.

UPDATE:

Messagease usage example

One can easily customize layouts. Please look at the bottom in the middle, I added an "ŭ" there (in fact, the basic layout is German)

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    Interesting. It does look like it would take some time to get used to it, but I think I'll try it out.
    – Chris McDowell
    Aug 25, 2016 at 9:31
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    I started using it a few months ago, and it didn't take me very long. It does make it much easier to type various diacritics and the like, and I also use it to type Japanese without having to go into my phone keyboard settings.
    – Vincent Oostelbos
    Oct 19, 2016 at 22:59
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I like to use WinCompose, which adds Compose key functionality to Windows. This means by pressing the set compose key (e.g. right Windows key), followed by more or less intuitive keystrokes you enter various Unicode symbols, e.g.:

  • ^, h for ĥ (and analogously for ĉ, Ĝ, ĵ, Ŝ)
  • U, U for Ŭ
  • u, u for ŭ
  • ', i for í
  • ,, C for Ç
  • <, < for «
  • ,, , for „
  • ', ' for ”
  • <, 3 for ♥
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    WinCompose is pretty neat, thanks! I'm trying out these key sequences that convert x-sistemo into Unicode: <Multi_key> <h> <x> : "ĥ" <Multi_key> <s> <x> : "ŝ" <Multi_key> <g> <x> : "ĝ" <Multi_key> <c> <x> : "ĉ" <Multi_key> <j> <x> : "ĵ" <Multi_key> <u> <x> : "ŭ" <Multi_key> <H> <X> : "Ĥ" <Multi_key> <S> <X> : "Ŝ" <Multi_key> <G> <X> : "Ĝ" <Multi_key> <C> <X> : "Ĉ" <Multi_key> <J> <X> : "Ĵ" <Multi_key> <U> <X> : "Ŭ"
    – Luís Oliveira
    Jul 8, 2018 at 10:32
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In addition to the ones already mentioned for Windows, there is yet another called Ek: http://www.esperanto.mv.ru/Ek/

Despite the program needing an update (and the website), I have used it successfully in both Windows 7 and Windows 10. In fact, it's the only one I've ever used.

I use Firefox and have had no issues, however I can't say whether it works with everything. I've heard of others having issues with it in Windows 10.

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Unless I missed it, I don't think anyone has mentioned XK yet, which makes sense because I don't think it's very popular. Still, it's the one I use. It's pretty simple, uses the X-system, and it forms ŭ by v+x rather than u+x, because there are cases (in some languages, like French, and actually English as well) where the combination u+x is used naturally.

Krom se mi maltrafis ĝin, mi ne pensas, ke iu jam menciis XK, kio havas sencon, ĉar mi ne pensas, ke ĝi tre popularas. Tamen tiun mi uzas. Ĝi estas sufiĉe simpla, uzas la X-sistemon, kaj ĝi formas ŭ per v+x anstataŭ u+x, ĉar okazas (en kelkaj lingvoj, kiel la franca, kaj fakte ankaŭ la angla) ke la kunmetaĵo u+x uzatas nature.

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    Vincent, bonvenon al Stack Exchange! Dankon pro la interesa programkonsilo!
    – Charlotte SL
    Oct 18, 2016 at 21:24
  • Dankon! Ĉi tiu jam estas mia dua komento, sed tamen dankon. Kaj nedankinde.
    – Vincent Oostelbos
    Oct 19, 2016 at 22:57
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I use TypeIt. I have had no problem with it whether on Windows 7 or Windows 10. Since a lot of Esperanto speakers like learning languages, it is also a plus that this keyboard is also useful to type a lot of languages and even IPA. http://www.typeit.org/app/?lang=esperanto&side

Mi tajpas ĉapelojn per TypeIt kaj mi havis nenian problemon. Ĝi bone funkcias per Windows 7 aŭ Windows 10. Esperanto-parolantoj ofte estas lingvemuloj, tial, estas ankaŭ bone, ke per tiu klavaro oni povas tajpi aliajn lingvojn kaj eĉ la Internacian Fonetikan Alfabeton.

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    I also prefer TypeIt. Theres not swapping keyboards it just sits in the background until you need it.
    – simon831
    Sep 3, 2016 at 12:24
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I use "duoblilo" (language of homepage: German) for my laptop and desktop PC. It's a JavaScript-based tool which works quite well for me. I would only type the letter, which needs to get the circumflex above, twice and "jen ĝi".

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Another option for Windows is EK (Esperanta Klavaro); the newest OS the page says it works on is Vista, but the program may still work on newer operating systems even if the site hasn't been updated.

For Android I use AnySoftKeyboard, it supports Esperanto characters by default (by long-pressing c, g, etc), and you can also install an Esperanto add-on, to have the Esperanto letters on the main keyboard, and the added bonus of Esperanto word-suggestion. AnySoftKeyboard's autocorrect is pretty bad (replacing legitimate words), so I keep it turned off, but I hate all autocorrect and keep it turned off anyway, so that doesn't bother me. (ASK also supports a lot of other keyboard add-ons (downloaded separately): various Cyrillic layouts, Arabic, even Klingon, and is very customizable in things like appearance, gestures, user dictionaries, etc.)

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  • Haha, I just submitted the same answer. Oops! I guess you types faster than me :) I'll delete mine.
    – Chris McDowell
    Aug 24, 2016 at 23:37
  • Cliff, no need to delete the answer. There are supposed to be many answers and the best ones are voted up. Thank you!
    – Charlotte SL
    Aug 24, 2016 at 23:40
  • I'll just add here what I mentioned in my now deleted answer. I used Ek in Windows 7 without issue and now in Windows 10. I use Firefox mainly so I can't vouch for it working other browsers. I've also used it in Excel, but it was a little buggy at certain times.
    – Chris McDowell
    Aug 24, 2016 at 23:40
  • The Google keyboard also does Esperanto word suggestion in the Esperanto mode. It doesn't support Klingon, but it supports all the others you mentioned. :)
    – Andrew Young
    Aug 24, 2016 at 23:41
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    +1 for recommending AnySoftKeyboard. I find it the easiers to use on Android. I'm using the US layout, where you long press the letters to find the accented ones. To me that is better than a separate layout because I already have another layout (Bulgarian) so Esperanto would be a 3-rd one.
    – Lyubomir Vasilev
    Aug 25, 2016 at 6:33
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For Windows computer, I have used the Esperanto keyboard available here for download since Windows 7 (worked as well with Windows 8, 8.1, and 10, and it was designed for XP and Vista!). Switching keyboards between English and Esperanto using the Windows key + SPACE is quick.

This is the layout of the keyboard; in my opinion, it didn't take long to get used to.

Esperanto keyboard layout.

So one has quite the number of options!

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This question inspired me to created a very simple HTML program that will do this easily. You write the text with the x-system and then the program adds the hats. I hope that others will help improve the program.

It is free and open source. You don't need to install anything. Just download the file and open it as you would any webpage. https://github.com/alkanadi/E-Hats

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    See also this question which is specifically asking about this sort of tool.
    – Neil Roberts ♦
    Dec 1, 2016 at 10:21
  • Dankon por tiu ĉi programo. Mi ne povas uzi ĝin en Internet Explorer, nur en Google Chrome. Kial ĝi ne funkcias en IE?
    – Karlomanio
    Dec 2, 2016 at 17:05
  • @Karlomanio Mi uzas ĝin en Chrome, Firefox, kaj Microsoft Edge. Ĝi ne funkcias en IE, ĉar IE havas multajn problemojn. Kiam vi malfermus la programon, vi nur devus tajpi en x-sistemo, kaj la programo konvertus ĝin al ĉapela sistemo. Ekzemple: Tajpu "Gxin" kaj vidu la rezulton.
    – Lumo5
    Dec 4, 2016 at 7:14
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There is an Esperanto Keyboard Layout for Windows 10 now available here.

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I just found this Esperanto keyboard layout for Windows, that allows typing the special letters by pressing AltGr + the letter without hat/breve. It is available in QWERTY and DVORAK variants. I haven't tested it because I do not use Windows but it seems a good option. Get it from here: http://esperantajxo.blogspot.com/2014/07/qwerty-klavaro-kun-esperantaj.html

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If you're using iOS, you can install the Klavaro app for your phone, though this appears to be only available on the App Store. https://slava-sh.github.io/klavaro/

On desktop, you can play with the settings to change your keyboard from a US Standard to a US International, which lets you type breves with Alt + B and circumflexes with Alt + 6. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/306560

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  • Can you make ĉ, etc, with the US International keyboard on Windows? In my past experience it only works for the Latin-1 characters like ê, û, î, ô, and â, but maybe they've fixed that. Can someone confirm?
    – Andrew Young
    Aug 24, 2016 at 23:36
  • The United States - International layout doesn't support Esperanto characters on my computer. Alt + 6 yields ¼. Edit: my computer is fairly old, so that my have changed since then. But the link in the answer gives instructions for XP, 7, and Vista, none of which, in my experience support said characters.
    – kristan
    Aug 24, 2016 at 23:43
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Most info on: https://www.duolingo.com/comment/8841170

Smartphone best implementation is Swiftkey (including auto correction/glossary with EN/EO kbd): https://support.swiftkey.com/hc/en-us/articles/201598431-What-languages-are-currently-supported-for-SwiftKey-on-Android-

There's MS Windows Esperanto Language option with Canadian keyboard but no complete Language pack with dictionary yet. MS needs to be reminded more frequently to get serious.

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Of those Android keyboards I've used I find Swiftkey the best. Pressing and holding will raise a menu from which you can select the letter you wish. It also allows swipe texting which greatly improves the speed of texting. In addition to that it supports predictive texting in both English and Esperanto, but best of all you don't need to switch between keyboards - it will recognise whether you are attempting either an English or Esperanto word.

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The 'no software required' method:

Open https://traduku.net .

Type with x-surrogates. The ĉapelitaj letters instantly appear.

Paste in a text written with x-surrogates and click the 'cx, gx ...' button.

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Saluton

I accidentally opened a page on the Internet, which displayed the Esperanto keyboard for various operating systems. https://keyman.com/keyboards/install/esperantohx

screenshot of the Keyman website, download page for their Esperanto keyboard for macOS

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Easy writing of Esperanto characters on Windows 8.1, 10, 11 as well as Linux and mobiles is described here (for free): Esperanta klavaro por komputiloj kaj poŝtelefonoj. There is no need to install anything anymore.

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