Typing Bengali on Your Phone and Computer: Phonetic and Fixed Layouts

Bengali typing is well supported today, and there are several ways to do it depending on whether you'd rather think in Roman letters or learn a dedicated layout.

Unicode: one standard

Modern devices use Unicode for Bengali, so text you type displays properly on any phone, computer or website. Older, non-Unicode fonts used by some publishers and government offices can cause garbled text when pasted, so prefer Unicode wherever possible.

Phonetic typing

Phonetic keyboards let you type Roman letters that sound like the Bengali word, and convert them automatically. Typing ami produces আমি. Popular options include:

• Avro Keyboard for Windows, widely used in Bangladesh and India.
• Gboard on Android and iPhone, which offers Bengali transliteration and a native layout.
• Other Bengali keyboard apps and online input tools.

Phonetic typing is the fastest way for beginners to start, since you don't need to learn the layout.

Fixed layouts

A fixed layout places each Bengali letter on a specific key. The Bijoy layout is very common among professional typists in Bangladesh. It takes practice, but is faster for those who type a lot in Bengali.

Setting up on Android

Open Settings, choose System, then Languages and input, then on-screen keyboard, and add Bengali to Gboard or your preferred keyboard. Switch between languages with the globe icon.

Setting up on iPhone

Go to Settings, then General, then Keyboard, then Keyboards, and add Bengali. The iPhone offers a Bengali keyboard; check which layout options your iOS version provides.

Tips for typing conjuncts

Phonetic keyboards usually produce conjuncts by typing the letters in order, sometimes with a special key to join them. If a conjunct isn't forming, check for a separator character such as a hasanta (্), which suppresses the inherent vowel and joins consonants.

Common problems

• Words that look right but are typed with the wrong ি or ী, because they sound the same.
• Numbers and punctuation appearing in a different script than expected.
• Copy-pasted text from non-Unicode sources.

Improving as you type

Typing forces you to think about spelling, which strengthens reading. Type every new word you learn, then check it against a dictionary.

Practice

1. Install a Bengali keyboard today.
2. Type your name and the names of family members.
3. Send a short greeting in Bengali to a friend.
4. Check any doubtful spellings.

Check the spelling of any Bengali word with English Bangla Dictionary →