Arabic Keyboard on Mac
Type Arabic on your Mac right here in your browser — no setup — or follow the steps below to add the built-in Arabic keyboard in macOS. Click the on-screen letters, use your own keys, or type by sound, add harakat, then Copy and paste into any Mac app.
Last updated: June 2026 · macOS System Settings
Quick answer: To add an Arabic keyboard on a Mac, open System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit → +, choose Arabic and a layout, then click Add. Switch with Control + Space or the Globe key. On macOS Monterey and earlier it lives in System Preferences → Keyboard → Input Sources. Don’t want to set anything up? Type in the keyboard above and copy your text.
Type Arabic on Mac right now — no setup
The keyboard at the top of this page is a full Arabic keyboard for Mac that runs in your browser. Click the on-screen letters, use your own physical keys, or switch to Transliteration and type by sound — salam becomes سلام. Add harakat, tap Copy, and paste into Pages, Mail, Safari, WhatsApp or any app. It’s the quickest option on a shared or managed Mac where you can’t change settings, or when you just need one line of Arabic.
How to add the Arabic keyboard on Mac (current macOS)
On macOS Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia and later, keyboards live in System Settings:
- Open the Apple menu → System Settings → Keyboard.
- Next to Text Input, click Edit….
- Click the + (add) button, select Arabic in the left column, choose a layout on the right (see below), and click Add.
- Turn on Show Input menu in menu bar so the flag/language icon appears near the clock.
Older macOS (System Preferences)
On macOS Monterey (12) and earlier, the menu is named System Preferences: open System Preferences → Keyboard → Input Sources, click the +, choose Arabic and a layout, then Add. Everything else works the same.
Which Arabic layout should you choose?
macOS offers three Arabic layouts. The letters are mostly in the same places; the right choice depends on what you’re used to:
| Layout | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Arabic-PC | The standard Arabic 101 layout — matches Windows and physical Arabic keyboards | Anyone who also types on Windows or an Arabic keyboard (most portable) |
| Arabic | The macOS native layout — a few letters in different spots | Long-time Mac users used to it |
| Arabic-QWERTY | Phonetic — letters sit near their English sound (a = ا, s = س, d = د) | Beginners on a US keyboard who don’t know the Arabic layout |
If you’re starting out, pick Arabic-QWERTY. If you already touch-type Arabic or switch between a Mac and a PC, pick Arabic-PC — it’s the same layout as the on-screen keyboard above, so practice here transfers directly.
Switch between English and Arabic on Mac
- Control + Space — switch to your last-used input source (the quickest).
- Control + Option + Space — cycle to the next input source.
- The Globe (🌐) key on newer MacBooks and Magic Keyboards.
- Click the flag / language icon in the menu bar and choose Arabic.
If Control + Space conflicts with Spotlight, change either shortcut in System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts.
See where the Arabic letters are — Keyboard Viewer
Your US keys won’t have Arabic printed on them. Turn on Show Keyboard & Character Viewers in menu bar (in Keyboard settings), then choose Show Keyboard Viewer from the menu-bar icon. With Arabic active, the viewer shows the live letter on each key; hold Shift or Option to reveal hidden characters and harakat.
How to type harakat (tashkeel) on Mac
On the Arabic-PC layout, the short-vowel marks are on the Shift layer — type the letter first, then hold Shift and press the matching key:
| Mark | Name | Mac keys |
|---|---|---|
| َ | Fatha | Shift + Q |
| ُ | Damma | Shift + E |
| ِ | Kasra | Shift + A |
| ْ | Sukun | Shift + X |
| ّ | Shadda | Shift + ` (key above Tab) |
| ً | Tanween Fath | Shift + W |
Not sure of the positions? Use the Keyboard Viewer with Shift held, or click the marks directly in the Arabic keyboard with harakat.
Remove or reorder an Arabic keyboard
To remove it: System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit, select Arabic, click the − (minus) button. If your Mac keeps switching to Arabic on its own, turn off Automatically switch to a document’s input source in the same panel.
MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMac
The steps are identical on every Mac — Arabic is a software layout, not a hardware change, so a built-in or external keyboard makes no difference. The only extra on recent MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models is the Globe key, which switches input sources with one tap.
Arabic keyboard on other devices
Also see our guides for Arabic on Windows, Arabic on iPhone, Arabic on Android, typing Arabic on WhatsApp, or test your speed with the Arabic typing test. French speaker? Use the clavier arabe.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add an Arabic keyboard on a Mac?
System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit → + → Arabic → choose a layout → Add. On macOS Monterey and earlier it’s System Preferences → Keyboard → Input Sources.
What’s the shortcut to switch to Arabic on Mac?
Control + Space for the last input source, Control + Option + Space for the next, or the Globe key on newer Macs.
Which Arabic layout is best — Arabic, Arabic-PC or Arabic-QWERTY?
Arabic-PC for portability (matches Windows and Arabic keyboards); Arabic-QWERTY (phonetic) for beginners on a US keyboard.
Can I type Arabic on Mac without adding a keyboard?
Yes — use the on-screen Arabic keyboard on this page, type, copy and paste. No install, no layout switch.
Where are the Arabic letters on my Mac keyboard?
Open the Keyboard Viewer to see the live mapping, or use our on-screen keyboard above.
How do I type harakat (tashkeel) on Mac?
On Arabic-PC hold Shift: Fatha = Shift+Q, Damma = Shift+E, Kasra = Shift+A, Sukun = Shift+X, Shadda = Shift+`. Or click them in our harakat keyboard.
Why did my Mac suddenly start typing in Arabic?
An Arabic input source got selected. Press Control + Space to switch back and disable “Automatically switch to a document’s input source”.
How do I remove the Arabic keyboard?
System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit, select Arabic and click the minus button.
Does this work the same on MacBook Air and Pro?
Yes — identical steps; only difference is the Globe key shortcut on newer models.