Google Input Tools: How to Type in 80+ Languages Anywhere

Google Input Tools is a free Google service that lets you type in more than 80 languages and scripts — Hindi, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Tamil, and dozens more — using an ordinary QWERTY keyboard. Instead of installing language packs or memorizing new key layouts, you type words the way they sound in Latin letters and Google Input Tools converts them into the correct native script as you go. It works inside Chrome (as a browser extension), directly in Gmail and Google Docs, and across other Google services — no separate software required.

This guide covers everything: what Google Input Tools actually is, how to set it up in Chrome, Gmail, and Docs, which languages it supports, what happened to the discontinued Windows desktop version, and the best alternatives if you need offline typing today.

What Is Google Input Tools?

Google Input Tools is a family of virtual input methods built by Google to solve one problem: most of the world's languages don't map cleanly onto the physical keyboard in front of you. It bundles four different input methods under one name:

• Transliteration — you type a word phonetically in Latin letters ("namaste"), and it converts to the native script (नमस्ते). This is the flagship feature and the reason most people search for the tool. It is smarter than simple letter mapping: it uses dictionary-backed suggestions, so typing "mera naam" reliably produces मेरा नाम even though several spellings are possible.
• Virtual keyboards — an on-screen keyboard in the target language's own layout. Useful when you already know the native layout (for example, Russian ЙЦУКЕН or Arabic keyboards) but your physical keyboard doesn't have the labels.
• Input Method Editors (IMEs) — full composition engines for Chinese (Pinyin, Zhuyin, Wubi), Japanese, and Korean, where multiple keystrokes build one character and you pick from candidate lists.
• Handwriting input — draw characters with your mouse, trackpad, or finger; available for a subset of languages and services, and especially handy for Chinese characters you can recognize but can't type.

Everything runs in the browser or inside Google's own products. There is nothing to license and nothing to pay — Google Input Tools is completely free.

Which Languages Does Google Input Tools Support?

Google Input Tools supports 80+ languages, with particularly deep coverage of South Asian, Middle Eastern, and East Asian scripts. Highlights include:

Region	Languages (selection)	Primary input method
South Asia	Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Urdu, Nepali, Sinhala	Transliteration
Middle East	Arabic, Persian (Farsi), Hebrew	Transliteration + virtual keyboard
East Asia	Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), Japanese, Korean	IME (Pinyin, Kana, Hangul)
Europe	Russian, Ukrainian, Greek, Serbian, Bulgarian, Armenian	Transliteration + virtual keyboard
Southeast Asia	Thai, Lao, Khmer, Burmese, Vietnamese	Virtual keyboard / transliteration
Africa	Amharic, Tigrinya, Somali, Swahili	Transliteration / keyboard

For most alphabetic and abugida scripts (Devanagari, Arabic, Cyrillic, and similar), transliteration is the default and by far the fastest method for newcomers. For Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, you get proper IMEs comparable to the system input methods built into Windows and macOS.

How to Use Google Input Tools in Chrome

The Chrome extension is the most flexible way to use Google Input Tools, because it works on any website — not just Google products. Setup takes about two minutes:

1. Open the Chrome Web Store and search for "Google Input Tools," or go to the extension page directly. Click Add to Chrome.
2. Click the extension's icon in the Chrome toolbar (pin it first via the puzzle-piece menu if it's hidden), then choose Extension options.
3. In the options page, pick your languages from the left column and click the arrow to add them to your active list. You can add multiple input methods per language — for example, both Hindi transliteration and the Hindi virtual keyboard.
4. Back on any webpage, click the extension icon and select the input method you want. The icon turns into a language badge to show it's active.
5. Click into any text field and type phonetically. Suggestions appear in a small dropdown; press Space or Enter to accept, or pick an alternative with the arrow keys.
6. To switch back to plain English, click the icon again and select Turn off.

One practical tip: the extension operates per-tab, so if a text field seems unresponsive, reload the tab after enabling the input method. And because it's a browser extension, it works in web apps like WordPress editors, social media composers, and webmail — anywhere Chrome renders a text box.

How to Use Google Input Tools in Gmail

Gmail has Google Input Tools built in — no extension needed:

1. In Gmail, click the gear icon and choose See all settings.
2. On the General tab, find the Language section and click Show all language options.
3. Tick Enable input tools, then click Edit tools to select your languages and input methods (transliteration, keyboard, or handwriting where available).
4. Save your changes. A new input tools icon appears in the Gmail toolbar next to the settings gear.
5. When composing a message, click that icon (or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+K / ⌘+Shift+K) to toggle your selected input method on and off.

This is the easiest entry point for anyone who mainly needs to write email in Hindi, Arabic, Tamil, or another non-Latin language — the transliteration engine is identical to the one in the Chrome extension.

How to Use Google Input Tools in Google Docs

Google Docs exposes input tools through the document language setting:

1. Open a document and go to File → Language, then select your target language.
2. For languages that need special input, an input tools selector (a small keyboard or language icon) appears on the right side of the toolbar.
3. Click it and choose your preferred method — phonetic transliteration, the on-screen keyboard, or handwriting input for supported languages.
4. Type in the document body; conversion happens inline exactly as in Gmail.

Working in Docs with input tools pairs well with the rest of the Google Docs ecosystem — if you're getting started there, our overview of Google Docs and how to get the most out of it covers sharing, offline mode, and formatting fundamentals. And if you use other Google apps for communication, our guide to Google Duo's filters and effects shows a very different, lighter side of the same product family.

What Happened to Google Input Tools for Windows?

Google discontinued the downloadable Google Input Tools desktop application for Windows years ago. The offline installer that let you type Hindi, Arabic, and other languages system-wide in any Windows program is no longer offered by Google, and copies floating around third-party download sites are old, unsupported builds — installing them is a security risk we don't recommend.

If you need system-wide multilingual typing on Windows today, use one of these supported alternatives:

• Windows built-in language packs and IMEs. Windows 10 and 11 ship free input methods for virtually every language Google Input Tools supported. Go to Settings → Time & Language → Language & region → Add a language, install your language, then switch keyboards with Win+Space. For Indian languages, Windows 11 includes phonetic (transliteration-style) keyboard layouts — for example, Hindi Phonetic — that behave much like Google's transliteration.
• Microsoft Indic input and regional IMEs. Microsoft provides dedicated phonetic input tools for Indic scripts that integrate with all desktop applications, not just the browser.
• The Chrome extension. If your multilingual typing happens mostly in the browser (email, docs, social, CMS work), the extension fully replaces the desktop app for that use case.
• Gboard on mobile. For phones and tablets, Google's Gboard keyboard supports hundreds of language varieties with transliteration, handwriting, and voice input — it is effectively the modern successor to Input Tools on Android and iOS.

ChromeOS users don't need anything extra: the same Google input methods are built into the operating system under Settings → Languages and inputs.

How Transliteration Works: Typing in Hindi, Arabic, and Beyond

Transliteration is what makes Google Input Tools feel effortless. You spell the word the way it sounds using English letters, and the engine maps that phonetic spelling to the correct native-script word — using context and a dictionary rather than a rigid one-letter-to-one-letter table.

A few concrete examples:

You type	Language	You get
namaste	Hindi	नमस्ते
shukran	Arabic	شكراً
vanakkam	Tamil	வணக்கம்
spasibo	Russian	спасибо
dhonnobad	Bengali	ধন্যবাদ

Because multiple native words can share one phonetic spelling, the suggestion dropdown matters: the first candidate is usually right, but the arrow keys let you pick alternatives, and the engine learns common word patterns. Two habits speed things up considerably — type whole words rather than syllable fragments (the dictionary works at word level), and accept suggestions with Space so your typing rhythm never breaks.

Transliteration is not translation. Typing "thank you" in Hindi transliteration mode gives you थैंक यू (the English words written in Devanagari), not धन्यवाद. If you need actual translation, that's Google Translate's job; Input Tools only changes the script, never the language.

Troubleshooting: When Google Input Tools Doesn't Work

A few fixes cover nearly every problem users hit:

• The extension icon is active but nothing converts. Reload the tab — the extension only attaches to text fields loaded after it was enabled. On complex web editors (Notion, some CMS fields), try clicking directly into the field before typing.
• No input tools icon in Gmail. Recheck Settings → General → Language → Show all language options and confirm Enable input tools is ticked and at least one language is added under Edit tools.
• No keyboard icon in Google Docs. The selector only appears after you set a relevant document language under File → Language.
• Suggestions are wrong or missing. Transliteration needs an internet connection; on flaky networks the dropdown can lag or fall back to raw Latin text. Type whole words, and check you selected transliteration rather than the virtual keyboard layout for that language.
• Conflicts with system IMEs. If your OS input method is also active (say, Windows Hindi keyboard plus the Chrome extension), the two fight over keystrokes. Turn one off.

Alternatives to Google Input Tools

Google Input Tools is free and excellent inside the browser, but depending on your platform and workflow you may prefer:

• Gboard (Android/iOS) — Google's own mobile keyboard; transliteration for Indic languages, handwriting, voice typing, and glide typing in one app.
• Windows / macOS system IMEs — best for offline, system-wide input in desktop apps; both operating systems now cover the vast majority of scripts natively for free.
• Microsoft SwiftKey (mobile) — strong multilingual autocorrect and seamless mixed-language typing, popular with bilingual users who switch languages mid-sentence.
• Language-specific web editors — for one-off needs, in-browser typing pages (including Google Translate's input options) let you produce native-script text without installing anything.

For browser-based work in 80+ languages at zero cost, though, Google Input Tools remains the default recommendation — and if you write multilingual content for the web professionally, pairing it with an automated content workflow like AutoSEO takes care of the publishing and SEO side while you focus on the words.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Google Input Tools free?

Yes. Google Input Tools is completely free across all its forms — the Chrome extension, the built-in Gmail and Google Docs integrations, and the input methods included in ChromeOS. There are no paid tiers, subscriptions, or usage limits.

Can I still download Google Input Tools for Windows?

No — Google discontinued the offline Windows desktop application and no longer offers the installer. Files claiming to be Google Input Tools for Windows on third-party download sites are outdated, unofficial builds and a potential malware risk. Use the Windows built-in language keyboards (Settings → Time & Language → Language & region), which include phonetic layouts for Indian languages, or the Chrome extension for browser-based typing.

How do I type in Hindi using Google Input Tools?

Enable Hindi transliteration in the Chrome extension, Gmail, or Google Docs, then type Hindi words phonetically in English letters — "aap kaise hain" becomes आप कैसे हैं automatically. A suggestion dropdown lets you choose alternative spellings with the arrow keys, and pressing Space accepts the current suggestion and moves on.

Does Google Input Tools translate text?

No. Google Input Tools transliterates — it converts the sounds you type into another script of the same language. Typing "good morning" in Hindi mode produces गुड मॉर्निंग (the English phrase in Devanagari letters), not the Hindi word सुप्रभात. For actual translation between languages, use Google Translate.

Does Google Input Tools work offline?

The browser-based versions require an internet connection because transliteration suggestions are generated server-side. For fully offline multilingual typing, use your operating system's built-in input methods on Windows or macOS, the input options bundled with ChromeOS, or Gboard's downloadable language packs on mobile.

Which languages does Google Input Tools support?

More than 80 languages, including all major Indian languages (Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Urdu), Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, Russian, Greek, Chinese (via Pinyin, Zhuyin, and Wubi IMEs), Japanese, Korean, Thai, Amharic, and many more. Input methods vary by language: transliteration for most phonetic scripts, full IMEs for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, plus virtual keyboards and handwriting for many languages.