Malayalam · InScript
Malayalam InScript keyboard
The standard Malayalam InScript layout with chillu letters, an on-screen keyboard and a key chart. Copy Unicode Malayalam into any app.
Press keys on your keyboard, or click the keys below. Ctrl+Space switches to English and back.
Hold Shift or AltGr (right Alt) on your keyboard to see the other layers. ◌ marks a sign that attaches to the letter before it.
01 · Why InScript
One standard layout for Malayalam, and every other Indian script.
Malayalam has chillu letters (ൽ ൻ ർ ൾ ൺ) that are separate Unicode characters. On InScript they sit on the Shift and AltGr layers, so you never need the older consonant + halant + ZWJ trick. Output is Unicode, readable in Kartika, Noto Sans Malayalam and Manjari.
02 · Malayalam on this layout
What to know when typing Malayalam.
- 01
Chillus have their own keys
ൻ is Shift+V, ൺ is Shift+X, ൽ is Shift+>, and ർ and ൾ are AltGr+j and AltGr+Shift+N.
V X > AltGr+j AltGr+Nൻൺൽർൾ
- 02
A key for the ്ര sign
Shift+3 types the ്ര sign in one key; the halant (d) then ര (c) gives the same text. Chillus need no ZWJ trick.
#്ര
- 03
Vowel signs േ െ ൊ ോ come after the consonant
Type the consonant, then the sign; the font draws the sign on the left. കേരളം is k, s, j, N (ള), x (ം).
k s j N xകേരളം
03 · Key chart
Every key on the Malayalam InScript layout.
Generated from the same table the keyboard above uses. Letters in the top-left of each key are what a US keyboard prints; ◌ marks a sign that attaches to the letter before it.
Without Shift
With Shift
With AltGr (right Alt)
With AltGr + Shift
04 · Practice
Common Malayalam words, and the keys that type them.
Each sequence was generated from the layout and typed back through it when this page was built. “Try” puts the word in the box above.
- മലയാളംcn/eNx
- കേരളംksjNx
- സർക്കാർm\kdke\
- വിദ്യാലയംbfod/en/x
- നന്ദിvvdof
- പുസ്തകംhgmdlkx
- തിരുവനന്തപുരംlfjgbvvdlhgjx
- സ്കൂൾmdkt*
- കൊച്ചിk`;d;f
- നമസ്കാരംvcmdkejx
Keys shown are the characters on a US keyboard, with “AltGr+” before keys that use the right Alt key.
05 · Exercises
Vowel signs and conjuncts, drilled in Malayalam.
Every row was generated from the Malayalam layout table and typed back through it when this page was built, so the keys shown always give the text shown. Press the keys in order; the display reorders vowel signs that are drawn before their consonant.
Every vowel sign on the letter ഴ
- ഴൊB `
- ഴൃB =
- ഴൗB q
- ഴൈB w
- ഴാB e
- ഴീB r
- ഴൂB t
- ഴോB a
- ഴേB s
- ഴിB f
- ഴുB g
- ഴെB z
- ഴംB x
- ഴഃB _
- ഴൄB AltGr+=
- ഴൌB AltGr+q
- ഴൣB AltGr+r
- ഴൢB AltGr+f
Words with conjuncts
വിദ്യാർത്ഥി
b f o d / e \ l d L f
11 keystrokes. Conjuncts: ദ്യ, ത്ഥ (consonant, halant, consonant). Signs: ◌ി ◌ാ.
സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യം
m d b e l v d l # d / x
12 keystrokes. Conjuncts: സ്വ, ന്ത്ര്യ (consonant, halant, consonant). Signs: ◌ാ ◌ം.
ക്ഷേത്രം
& s l # x
5 keystrokes. Conjuncts: ക്ഷ, ത്ര (consonant, halant, consonant). Signs: ◌േ ◌ം.
പ്രശ്നം
h # M d v x
6 keystrokes. Conjuncts: പ്ര, ശ്ന (consonant, halant, consonant). Signs: ◌ം.
അമ്മ
D c d c
4 keystrokes. Conjunct: മ്മ (consonant, halant, consonant).
കണ്ണ്
k C d C d
5 keystrokes. Conjunct: ണ്ണ (consonant, halant, consonant).
06 · FAQ
Questions about Malayalam InScript
Is this the same as typing in ML-TT Karthika?
No. ML-TT Karthika is a legacy font with an ASCII typewriter-style layout. InScript types Unicode. Convert old ML-TT text with the ML-TT Karthika to Unicode converter.
What if a chillu looks wrong in my document?
Older fonts lack the atomic chillu glyphs. Switch to Kartika, Manjari or Noto Sans Malayalam.
What is InScript?
InScript (“Indian Script”) is the standard keyboard layout for Indian scripts, defined by C-DAC and standardised by the Bureau of Indian Standards. Every script uses the same logical arrangement: vowels and vowel signs on the left, consonants on the right, and the halant key for conjuncts.
How do I add InScript to my own computer?
On Windows, open Settings, then Time & language, then Language & region. Add the language and choose its InScript (or standard) keyboard from the keyboard list, then switch with Win+Space. Linux desktops include InScript variants in the keyboard settings too. This page needs nothing installed.
Can I use this on a phone?
Yes. Tap the on-screen keys; they work in the same layout. On touch devices the phone’s own keyboard is hidden so it does not interfere, and there is a link to bring it back.
Is my text sent anywhere?
No. Typing, copying and the Word download all happen in your browser. The text you typed is kept only in this tab’s session storage so a refresh does not lose it.