How to type Vietnamese on computers

I previously talked about how to type Vietnamese on computers in my very first post. However, that post focused on Vietnamese alphabet, and the keyboard was mentioned at the very end.

In order to make it easier for you to search for the guide when you need it, I am making this separate post, which is a more updated and comprehensive guide on how to type Vietnamese on computers.

If you want to know how to type Vietnamese on phone, I have written a post for that here: How to text in Vietnamese.

In order to type Vietnamese on computers, you will need Vietnamese keyboard. In my first post, I only mentioned one way to get the keyboard and that was to get Unikey software. It was the only way back in the day but Windows and Mac now have built-in Vietnamese keyboard as well.

Table of Contents

• Unikey
  • VNI method
  • Telex method
• Vietnamese keyboard on Windows 10
  • What if you don’t have Windows 10?
• Practice typing Vietnamese

Unikey

Unikey is a software that helps you to type accents and certain letters in Vietnamese. I’ve been using Unikey for many years, and it still works just fine even on Windows 10. Unikey releases updated versions periodically, which is amazing considering they already provide the software for free. If you find one that is not compatible with your version, you can check for a more updated version.

You can download it for free at https://www.unikey.org/download.html. After you install and run it, you will see this:

VNI method

You will want to change the options if they are not already Unicode and VNI. After that, click on Đóng (Close) to close the window.

Now that you have the keyboard, how do you type? Simply follow these rules:

Telex method

Another popular typing style is Telex. To use Telex, from the above window, at Kiểu gõ, instead of VNI, choose Telex. Here are the rules for Telex:

Telex is considered to be a faster typing method and more popular by many people. However, I personally prefer VNI because if I have to type Vietnamese and another language together, I don’t have to be mindful of each word I write (for example, “as” in Telex becomes “ả”), which definitely increases my typing speed for sure. Another reason is because I have been using VNI since I was little so I’m too used to it by now. It is, however, up to you to decide on the method that works best for you.

Vietnamese keyboard on Windows 10

If you have Windows 10, you may not need to use Unikey as Windows 10 comes with built-in Vietnamese keyboard option. To set up Vietnamese keyboard on Windows 10, here are the steps:

Open Language settings

Type “language” in the Search box on the taskbar at the bottom of your screen. “Language settings” option will pop up at the top. Click on “Language settings” to open it.

Add a language

Under “Preferred languages,” click on the “+” sign next to “Add a language.”

Choose a language to install

After you click on “Add a language,” a window called “Choose a language to install” will pop up. In the search box, type in “Vietnamese.” Then select “Tiếng Việt Vietnamese” (the only option that pops up) and click “Next.”

Install language features

After you click Next, you will be prompted to select the features that you’d like to install. Check the boxes of what you want to keep and uncheck the boxes of what you don’t want to install. Optional language features are “Install language pack,” “Set as my Windows display language,” “Text-to-speech” and “Handwriting.” Once you have selected the features you want to install, click Install.

To switch between languages, press the following combination: Alt + Shift

When Vietnamese is selected, you will see “VIE” on your taskbar at the bottom right of your screen.

To switch input methods, press Windows tab + Space bar. If you don’t see the icon “VIE” at the bottom right of your screen, don’t worry. You can select it by going to Language settings (guide above) then click on “Vietnamese” under the “Preferred language” section and choose Options. Then under Language options: Vietnamese, find Keyboard section and click on the input method you want. If there is not an input method you want, click on “Add a keyboard” to see available input methods and add it.

To use Telex, refer to the guide under Unikey section above.

What if you don’t have Windows 10?

If you don’t have Windows 10, you can use Unikey. Mac also has built-in Vietnamese keyboard that you can try.

I grew up using Unikey and I am still using Unikey to type on computer, even on Windows 10, with no problem. I have used Unikey on both Windows and Mac computers, and it works just fine.

Practice typing Vietnamese

Now that you have the Vietnamese keyboard installed and activated, if you are interested in practice typing Vietnamese, check out this Vietnamese Typing Test.

Also see 3 Best Websites to Practice Typing Vietnamese.