Usually this is because you're using a different keyboard map to the keys on the keyboard, i.e. A US-purchased Mac being used with a British English keyboard. Press alt-3 to get the other symbol above the number 3. Magic Keyboard combines a sleek design with a built-in rechargeable battery and enhanced key features. With a stable scissor mechanism beneath each key, as well as optimized key travel and a low profile, Magic Keyboard provides a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience. How to Install Arabic Keyboard for Mac. Apple has added enough languages in the MacOS and all the keyboards also are pre-installed. By default, Keyboard on most of the Mac machines come with the English (US) Layout. However, you still can use your physical English layout keyboard to type in Arabic. To do so, follow the below steps.
- Arabic Mac Keyboard Layout
- Mac Arabic Keyboard Layout For Windows
- Mac Arabic Keyboard Layout For Windows 10
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that at no cost to you, we may earn a small commission for qualifying purchases.
The Arabic keyboard we made is available on all the platforms. You would just need an internet connection to access the keyboard. However, many of our users got in touch with us on our feedback page and asked if there was an option to bring our keyboard offline. Sadly, being a small team, it's not very easy to bring quality apps or services in short time, that's why in this guide, we will show you different ways to use an Arabic Keyboard on your MacOS devices.
How to Install Arabic Keyboard for Mac
Apple has added enough languages in the MacOS and all the keyboards also are pre-installed. By default, Keyboard on most of the Mac machines come with the English (US) Layout. However, you still can use your physical English layout keyboard to type in Arabic. To do so, follow the below steps.
- Turn on your MacOS device.
- Open the System Preferences > Keyboard
- Navigate to 'Input Sources.'
- Click on the '+' button on the left hand corner of your screen.
- A list of languages would appear, select 'Arabic.' and the layout which you prefer. There are 5 layouts available, Arabic normal, Arabic AZERTY PC, Arabic North Africa, Arabic PC, Arabic QWERTY. Select the one which you are comfortable with.
- That's it, you've successfully enabled the Arabic Keyboard on your Mac device.
Although, the keyboard would be enabled, people who aren't comfortable with the Arabic layout might not find it easy. That's why you might need a tool to help you understand which key comes where. Our best suggestion would be buying the Arabic Keyboard stickers for your MacOS device.
- Want to use the offline version of the Arabic keyboard on a Non-Mac device? → Check our guide which helps you Download the Arabic keyboard on your Windows, iPhone or Android device.
- Own an Android device? Check our guide on Best Arabic Keyboard for Android.
If you still aren't comfortable with typing without an on-screen keyboard, don't worry, we're planning to build an offline Arabic keyboard. So that you won't need an internet connection to type in a language you love. In case you want the offline keyboard, please share this post on Facebook and tag our Facebook page and let us know how quickly do you want it.
Page Content
- Web Development
- Language Code: ar (Arabic)
- See additional country code variants
- See additional ISO-639-3 language code
About the Arabic Script
The Arabic script has two features which make it unique in terms of encoding. One is that it is written from right to left (or RTL). The other feature is that the shapes of individual letters change forms depending on whether the letter is alone, at the beginning of a word, the middle of a word or at the end.
In order to process Arabic correctly, a software must be able to display text from right to left and make sure the letter forms are displayed correctly depending on their positions within a word. Unfortunately, there is incomplete implementation of creating correct letter forms in many software packages.
Other Languages in Arabic Script
The Arabic script is used for other languages besides Arabic, but their local alphabets may include special characters for sounds not found in Arabic. Supporting these languages may require special fonts for extra keyboards and special keyboards.
Fonts for Arabic
Fonts by Platform
- Windows – Arabic Transparent, Andalus, Arabic True Type, others
- Mac OS X – Geeza Pro, Baghdad, Al Bayan, DecoTypeNashkh, KufiStandard GK, Nadeem, others
Additional Fonts
Before downloading any fonts, you may want to read Arabic Fonts on the Mac (and Windows). The site gives an overview of issues to look for when reviewing font options.
Note: Open Type fonts are the best option if available. Although earlier versions of OS X had incomplete Open Type support in comparison to Windows, the options have improved in recent OS X versions.
- Arabeyes.Org Fonts – Multiple options available
Test Sites
If you have your browser configured correctly, the Web sites above should display
the correct characters. If you have difficulties, see list below for font
and browser configuration instructions.
Typing in Arabic
Windows
Windows only has access to the native layout, but phonetic layout may be available for download.
Macintosh
A native Hebrew and QWERTY Arabic and two native Arabic keyboards are available on the Macintosh.
Best free mac clean up app. See the Macintosh Keyboard instructions and Arabic Keyboard Layouts (Muhlenberg) for more information.
See also
Mobile
- iPhone/iPad: Recent versions of iOS include an Arabic keyboard. You can see updated iOS instructions on the Mobile page.
- Droid: Multiple utilities are available from the Google Play store. This blog entry on Arabic on Droid explains some options.
RTL Typing Tips
For a person new to an RTL script, typing can be a little disorienting and different from LTR scripts. The RTL page presents some helpful information including how to right align a document and work with punctuation.
Web Development
Encodings
Unicode (utf-8
) is the preferred encoding for Arabic, especially if more unusual Arabic characters are used or multilingual support is needed. However some other encodings may be encountered.
Historical Enclodings
Some sites may use Windows Arabic (win-1256
).
Selected Language Tags
ar
– Arabic- See additional country code variants
- See additional ISO-639-3 language code
Format drive to work on mac and pc. See Using Encoding and Language Codes for more information on the meaning and implementation of these codes.
Specifying Text Direction
Some HTML editors set the direction automatically, but it can also be set manually using the new
attributes. See the Right-to-Left Alignment tips page for more details.Colloquial Arabic Forms
About Colloquial Arabic
Although most educated speakers learn to read, write and speak in the same Modern Standard Arabic or fusha(a form similar to the Classical Arabic used in the Koran), the spoken or colloquial varieties from each region vary widely. The variation is enough that linguists classify the totality of these forms as a series of closely related languages. Best ntfs for mac.
Colloquial Forms include
- Gulf Arabic (much of Arabian peninsula)
- Levantine Arabic (Syria/Lebanon/Palestine/Jordan) – comes in various national forms
- Egyptian Arabic
- Mesopotamian Arabic – some parts of Iraq (Baghdad) and elsewhere
- Maghrebi Arabic (North Africa) – comes in various national forms
- African Arabic forms (includes Sudanese Arabic, Chadic Arabic and Hassaniyya (Mauritania))
- Maltese Arabic or Maltese
- Judeo Arabic (written in the Hebrew alphabet)
Maltese
One local form which is written is Maltese Arabic from the island of Malta. Malta is formally a part of the European Union and uniquely uses the Western Roman alphabet. It's grammar has diverged further than some of the other forms of Arabic, but shares similarities with North African Arabic forms.
See the Maltese page for additional information writing the accents.
Language Codes
The use of Colloquial Arabic in formal writing is used for most formal publications, but can be found in some television dramas, local poems and local plays. If you are transcribing one of these forms, then it is recommended that one of the following language tags be used.
By Country Code
The following codes, as implemented by Microsoft, assume there is one variety of Arabic per country. The advantage of these codes is that there are utilities such as spell checkers which may be available, however there are colloquial forms which do not conform to national boundaries.
Middle East & North Africaar-DZ
– Algeriaar-BH
– Bahrainar-EG
– Egyptar-IQ
– Iraqar-JO
– Jordanar-KW
– Kuwaitar-LY
– Libyaar-MA
– Moroccoar-OM
– Omanar-SA
– Saudi Arabiaar-SY
– Syriaar-TN
– Tunisiaar-AE
– United Arab Emiratesar-YE
– Yemen
ar-TD
– Chadar-CO
– Comorosar-DJ
– Djiboutiar-ER
– Eritrea (rare)ar-MR
– Mauritaniaar-SD
– Sudan
Note: The Subsaharan African codes have not been implemented by Microsoft.
ISO-639-3 'Dialect' Language Codes
These ISO-639-3 codes from SIL codes are meant to match linguistic classification of the Colloquial Arabic forms and do not always match national boundaries.
Name | Code | Location |
---|---|---|
Algerian | arq | Algeria |
Algerian Saharan | aao | Algeria (minority language) |
Babalia Creole Arabic | bbz | Chad (minority language) |
Baharna Arabic | abv | Bahrain |
Chadian Arabic | shu | Chad |
Cypriot Arabic | acy | Cyprus (minority language) |
Dhofari Arabic | adf | Oman (Salala) |
Egyptian | arz | Egypt |
Egyptian (Eastern) Bedawi | avl | Sinai (Bedouin), Gaza, Red Sea coast |
Gulf Arabic | afb | Persian Gulf (Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. Zubair & Fau Peninsula |
Hadrami | ayh | Yemen, minority language |
Hijazi Arabic | acw | Saudi Arabia, Red Sea coast |
Levantine (South) | ajp | Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Kuwait |
Levantine (North) | apc | Syria, Lebanon |
Mesopotamian | acm | Iraq, eastern Jordan/Syria, western Iran, Turkey |
Mesopotamian (North) | ayp | Tigris & Euphrates north of Baghdad |
Moroccan | ary | Morocco |
Nadji | ars | Saudi Arabia |
Omani Arabic | acx | Oman, Hajar Mountains |
Saidi Arabic | aec | Southern Egypt |
Sanaani | ayn | Northern Yemen |
Standard | arb | Formal written standard |
Sudanese | apd | Sudan |
Sudanese Creole Arabic | pga | Southern Sudan (minority language) |
Tai'izzi-Adeni | acq | Yemen, except east |
Tajiki Arabic | abh | Afghanistan (minority language) |
Tunisian Arabic | aeb | Tunisia |
Uzbeki Arabic | auz | Uzbekistan (Central Asia), minority language |
Links
Arabic Script
Script Basics
- Omniglot Arabic
Alphabet – General overview, including variant shapes - Aranic Alphabet.com – Shows isolated letters with sound
files. Does not cover connected letters. - Wikipedia Arabic alphabet – includes information on other languages using the Arabic script
Font Downloads
- Arabeyes.Org Fonts – Multiple options available
Arabic Computing
Windows
Arabic Mac Keyboard Layout
Macintosh
Mobile
- iPhone4Arabs.com – In Arabic
Unix and Linux
- Ojuba Arabic Linux Distribution (see Wikipedia guide)
- Ubuntu and Arabic – In Arabic with screen captures