How to Add the Arabic Keyboard on Windows 10 and 11 (Step by Step)

Reviewed: August 27, 2026 · Reading time: 7 min

Prepared and reviewed by the QuickArabi team. We test the page function, check each instruction and update the guide when interfaces change. How we prepare content.

Your computer won't type in Arabic? The problem isn't the machine — it's just the language settings. Here's how to add the Arabic keyboard layout on Windows 10 and 11 in two minutes, with no software to install. And if you can't change the settings (work computer, library), just use the QuickArabi online Arabic keyboard instead.

Quick answer

On Windows 11, open Settings → Time & language → Language & region → Add a language, install Arabic, then press Windows + Space whenever you want to switch keyboards.

On Windows 11

Open Settings with Windows + I.
Go to Time & Language → Language & Region.
Click Add a language.
Search for Arabic, pick your country variant (for example, Arabic (Saudi Arabia)), then select Next.
If you only need to type, the basic language and keyboard are enough; optional speech or handwriting features are not required.
Select Install and wait until Arabic appears under Preferred languages.
The language icon appears next to the clock in the taskbar.

On Windows 10

Settings → Time & Language → Language.
Under "Preferred languages" click + Add a language.
Type "Arabic", choose the dialect, then Next → Install.

Switching Quickly Between Arabic and English

Windows + Space — fastest, shows the list of installed languages.
Alt + Shift — the classic direct-toggle shortcut.

How to Check the Arabic Key Layout

Open the Windows on-screen keyboard by searching for On-Screen Keyboard, switch to Arabic with Windows + Space, and the displayed keys will change to the Arabic layout. Type a short test such as مرحبا in Notepad before using the keyboard in another app.

Common Issue: The Arabic Letters Don't Show on My Keys!

That's expected: adding the language lets Windows type Arabic, but the letters printed on your physical keys won't change. Three fixes:

Arabic keyboard stickers: cheap and easy to apply.
Muscle memory: the Arabic layout is standardized — you'll learn it within days.
The online keyboard: use the QuickArabi Arabic keyboard where every letter is visible and clickable — perfect for beginners.

Troubleshooting

Arabic does not appear after installation

Restart the app you are typing in, or sign out and back in. If Arabic is still missing, remove that language under Language & region and add it again.

Windows switches to the wrong Arabic layout

Open the language's options, remove extra keyboard layouts, and keep only the layout you use. Country variants can have small punctuation differences.

The text is left-aligned

In Word, use the Right-to-Left paragraph command. In web apps, begin the line with an Arabic letter so the app detects the direction correctly.

Official source used for verification

We checked the setup path against first-party documentation. Menu names can vary slightly by system version and display language.

Manage language and keyboard layout settings — Microsoft