Hindi Typing Guide: Inscript vs Remington GAIL vs Phonetic — and How to Set It Up
12 minute read
Hindi typing confuses many beginners for one simple reason: there isn't just one way to type Hindi. The same word, नमस्ते, can be typed with completely different keystrokes depending on which keyboard layout you use. Choosing the wrong layout early can waste weeks of practice, especially if you're preparing for a government typing test. This guide explains the options clearly, then walks you through the setup.
First, understand Unicode vs non-Unicode fonts
Before comparing layouts, you need to know about one important technical difference that affects everything else.
Unicode Hindi (fonts like Mangal, Nirmala UI, Noto Sans Devanagari) stores actual Devanagari characters. Text typed in Unicode works everywhere — websites, WhatsApp, Google search, Word, email — and looks the same on any device.
Non-Unicode fonts like Krutidev work very differently. You actually type English letters, and the special font simply draws them as Hindi shapes. If someone opens that text on a computer without Krutidev installed, they see meaningless English characters. Krutidev became popular because it mimics the old mechanical Hindi typewriter, and many older typists learned on it.
The three main Hindi keyboard layouts
1. Inscript (Hindi Traditional)
Inscript is the standard Indian-script keyboard layout promoted by the Government of India. Its big design idea is logical: vowels and matras are mostly on the left side of the keyboard, and consonants are mostly on the right side. Because the same layout logic is used across many Indian scripts, someone who learns Inscript for Hindi can adapt to Marathi, Bengali, Tamil and others with relatively little extra effort.
On Windows, Inscript is built in — it appears as "Hindi Traditional" when you add Hindi as a language, so you don't need to download anything.
- Pros: Built into Windows, Unicode by default, logical structure, government-standard, easy to find learning material.
- Cons: People who already learned typewriter-style Hindi find it completely different and must relearn.
2. Remington (typewriter layout) and Remington GAIL
The Remington layout comes from the era of mechanical Hindi typewriters. For a long time, most Hindi typists in courts and government offices learned on it, often using the Krutidev font on computers. Its key positions are based on typewriter history rather than on a vowel/consonant logic, so it feels less systematic to new learners.
Remington GAIL is a Unicode keyboard that copies the Remington key positions. It gives experienced typewriter-style typists a way to produce proper Unicode Hindi without relearning everything. Unlike Inscript, it is generally not built into Windows — it requires installing a separate keyboard driver. Only download such installers from official or well-known trusted sources.
- Pros: Familiar to anyone trained on typewriter or Krutidev Hindi; produces Unicode.
- Cons: Needs a separate install; layout is harder to learn logically from scratch.
3. Phonetic / transliteration typing
Transliteration tools let you type Hindi words using English letters the way they sound — you type namaste and the software converts it to नमस्ते. Google's input tools, Gboard on Android, and several other keyboards support this.
- Pros: Easiest to start with; perfect for casual messaging, emails and social media.
- Cons: Relies on word suggestions and auto-conversion, which typing tests usually don't allow. It doesn't build real Hindi keyboard skill.
Which layout should you learn?
🎯 Preparing for a specific exam
Read the official notification carefully. It usually says which font and layout (Inscript, Remington GAIL, or Krutidev) will be available at the exam centre. Learn exactly that one.
🆕 Starting from zero, no exam yet
Inscript is usually the sensible default — it's standardised, built into Windows, and works across Indian scripts.
⌨️ Already trained on typewriter / Krutidev
Remington GAIL lets you keep your muscle memory while moving to Unicode.
💬 Just want to chat in Hindi
Phonetic typing is perfectly fine — you don't need to learn a full layout.
How to enable Hindi typing on Windows
- Open Settings → Time & language → Language & region.
- Click Add a language, search for Hindi, and install it. You can skip the optional speech and handwriting features if you only want typing.
- Click the three dots next to Hindi → Language options. Under Keyboards you should see Hindi Traditional — that is Inscript.
- Switch between English and Hindi with Win + Space, or from the language indicator on the taskbar.
- Open the typing test, choose the हिंदी track, switch your keyboard to Hindi, and start typing.
For Remington GAIL, you'll need to install its keyboard separately, after which it appears as another keyboard option under Hindi in the same settings screen.
How to enable Hindi typing on Android
- Open Gboard settings (long-press the comma or globe key, or go through your phone's language & input settings).
- Go to Languages → Add keyboard and choose Hindi.
- Select the layout you want — a native Devanagari layout for learning key positions, or the transliteration (Hinglish) option for casual use.
- Switch keyboards using the globe or space-bar long-press while typing.
Honestly, phone typing is useful for messaging, but serious exam preparation should be done on a physical keyboard, since that's what you'll use in the test.
How to enable Hindi typing on Mac
Open System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources → Edit, click +, and add a Hindi / Devanagari input source. macOS offers a few Devanagari options including a transliteration-style one, so choose based on whether you want a fixed layout or phonetic typing.
A practical 4-week Hindi typing plan
Week 1 — Learn the map
Print or keep an image of your chosen layout nearby. Spend 15 minutes a day learning where the most common letters and matras sit. Accuracy only — ignore speed.
Week 2 — Simple words
Use Beginner Hindi passages in Practice mode. Focus on conjuncts (संयुक्ताक्षर) like क्ष, त्र, ज्ञ and half letters, which cause most early errors.
Week 3 — Timed practice
Switch to Test mode with 5-minute runs. Watch your accuracy; aim for 90%+ before chasing speed.
Week 4 — Exam stamina
Move to Expert and Advanced passages and practise at your real exam duration (10 or 15 minutes). Long passages auto-continue, so you never run out of text.
Common Hindi typing mistakes
- Wrong matra order. In Unicode, you type the consonant first and then the matra, even for ि (chhoti i), which appears before the consonant on screen. Typing it "visually" in the wrong order is the most common beginner error.
- Confusing similar letters like ब/व, ष/श/स, and ढ/ड़. Slow down on these until they become automatic.
- Anusvara vs chandrabindu (ं vs ँ). Many passages use both; know where each sits on your layout.
- Nukta characters such as ड़ and ढ़. Depending on the layout, these may be a single key or a combination.
- Switching layouts mid-preparation. Pick one layout and stick with it. Switching destroys muscle memory.
Frequently asked questions
Can I practise Krutidev typing on this site?
No. Krutidev isn't Unicode — it sends English letters that a special font draws as Hindi — so the characters won't match our Unicode passages. If your exam uses Krutidev, you'll need practice software that supports that font specifically.
Is Hindi typing speed measured the same way as English?
The general idea is similar — speed is measured over a fixed time with a penalty for mistakes — but the exact method (words, keystrokes, or key depressions per hour) varies between exams. Check the notification for how your exam counts it.
How long does it take to learn Hindi typing?
With 20–30 minutes of daily practice, most learners become comfortable with a layout in a few weeks, and exam-ready speed usually takes one to three months depending on starting skill. Consistency matters much more than long occasional sessions.