Type Punjabi in Gurmukhi on your iPhone or Android in minutes. A step-by-step guide to adding a Punjabi keyboard, switching to it, and typing tips for beginners.
To type Punjabi (Gurmukhi) on your phone, add a Punjabi keyboard in your settings, then switch to it with the globe key. On an iPhone: Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard → Punjabi. On Android: add Punjabi inside Gboard's Languages. The whole thing takes about two minutes.
How to Type Punjabi on Your Phone: Step by Step
The process is the same idea on every phone — here it is in five steps, with device-specific details below.
- Open your phone's Settings and find the keyboard settings.
- Choose to add a new keyboard or language.
- Search for and select Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) — the Gurmukhi script.
- Tap the globe key (🌐) on your keyboard to switch to Punjabi.
- Start typing — tap a consonant, then its vowel sign to build each syllable.
On an iPhone or iPad (iOS)
- Open Settings and tap General.
- Tap Keyboard, then Keyboards.
- Tap Add New Keyboard…
- Scroll down and tap Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ).
- You're done — switch to it anytime with the 🌐 globe key next to the space bar.
On Android (Gboard)
These steps use Gboard, Google's keyboard. The exact wording can vary slightly by phone and Android version.
- Open Settings → System → Languages & input.
- Tap On-screen keyboard → Gboard → Languages.
- Tap Add keyboard and search for Punjabi.
- Pick the Punjabi (Gurmukhi) layout — or choose the transliteration option to type phonetically.
- Tap Done, then use the 🌐 globe key to switch to Punjabi.
On Samsung phones, go to Settings → General management → Samsung keyboard → Languages and types → Manage input languages and download Punjabi instead.
Switching to the Punjabi Keyboard
Once Punjabi is added, you don't need to go back into Settings. While typing, tap the globe key (🌐) — usually next to the space bar — to cycle to the Punjabi keyboard, and tap it again to switch back to English. On many phones you can press and hold the globe key to jump straight to a specific language.
Typing Tips for Gurmukhi
- Build syllables consonant-first. Type the consonant, then add its vowel sign (laga matra) — for example ਕ (ka) + the "i" sign makes ਕਿ (ki).
- Long-press a key to reach related characters, subscripts, and the bindi/tippi nasal marks.
- Try transliteration if the layout is new. Gboard's Punjabi transliteration lets you type sat sri akaal in English letters and converts it to ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ — the gentlest way to start.
- Learn the letters alongside. Typing clicks faster once you can read the script — start with our beginner's guide to the Gurmukhi alphabet.
Bonus: Typing Punjabi on a Computer
- Windows: Settings → Time & Language → Language & region → Add a language → Punjabi (Gurmukhi).
- Mac: System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Input Sources → + → Punjabi.
Once that's working, try writing your name in Punjabi as your first bit of real practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add a Punjabi keyboard to my iPhone?
Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard… and tap Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ). Switch to it while typing using the 🌐 globe key.
How do I type Punjabi on Android?
In Gboard, go to Languages → Add keyboard, search for Punjabi, and add the Gurmukhi layout. You can also choose the transliteration option to type Punjabi using English letters.
Can I type Punjabi using English letters?
Yes. Gboard's Punjabi transliteration layout lets you type phonetically in the Latin alphabet (e.g. "pyaar") and converts it to Gurmukhi (ਪਿਆਰ) — handy while you're still learning the keyboard.
Start Reading and Writing Punjabi with Alfaazo
A keyboard is most useful once the script feels familiar. Alfaazo teaches Gurmukhi with stroke-by-stroke guides, native audio, and bite-sized lessons you can finish in five minutes a day. Free on iOS and Android.
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