How to Add Arabic Keyboard on Linux (GNOME / KDE / Ubuntu)
Set up the Arabic 101 layout in under 2 minutes — and learn the shortcut to switch back and forth.
Last updated: May 2026
Practice this now
Move from reading to hands-on typing with Arabic Typing 101.
Linux desktops add the Arabic 101 layout through the desktop environment's region/language settings. The exact location depends on your distribution and desktop environment, but the layout itself is identical across all of them.
Quick facts
- Layout to pick
- Arabic (Standard) = Arabic 101
- Switch keyboards
- Super + Space (GNOME) / Alt + Shift (KDE, default-customisable)
- Time required
- About 2 minutes
- Cost
- Free (built into Linux)
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Open Settings (Ubuntu / GNOME)
Click the system menu (top-right) → Settings → Keyboard. On older GNOME or Ubuntu Unity it may be under Region & Language.
- 2
Find Input Sources
In Keyboard settings, scroll to Input Sources. You'll see your current keyboard layouts listed.
- 3
Click + to add a layout
Click the + below the input sources list, search for Arabic, then pick Arabic (or Arabic (Standard) on some distros).
- 4
Confirm the Arabic 101 variant
Most distros offer multiple variants. "Arabic" (no suffix) is the standard Arabic 101 layout. Variants like "Arabic (AZERTY)", "Arabic (Buckwalter)", or "Arabic (QWERTY)" are alternates — pick the plain one unless you have a specific reason.
- 5
Switch with Super + Space
GNOME defaults to Super + Space to cycle input sources. KDE Plasma uses a different default (often Ctrl + Shift) — customise via System Settings → Input Devices → Keyboard → Advanced.
- 6
Test in any app
Open a terminal, gedit, KWrite, or any text field and confirm Arabic letters appear.
Troubleshooting
I added Arabic but the layout switcher in the panel doesn't appear.
On GNOME the layout indicator only appears when more than one input source is configured. Ensure both English and Arabic are listed under Input Sources. On Ubuntu, you may also need to log out and back in for the panel applet to refresh.
Arabic letters render as squares ▢ ▢ ▢.
Install Arabic fonts: `sudo apt install fonts-noto fonts-noto-extra` (Debian/Ubuntu) or `sudo dnf install google-noto-sans-arabic-fonts` (Fedora). For Quran-style typography also install `fonts-hosny-amiri` or `fonts-sil-scheherazade`.
KDE doesn't list "Arabic 101" specifically.
KDE labels the standard layout simply "Arabic". The "101" in the name is a Windows convention — every major Linux distro's default Arabic layout matches the Arabic 101 key positions.
Keyboard ready — what next?
Now that Linux can type in Arabic, the next step is muscle memory. Most learners reach 25 WPM in a few weeks with our structured course.
Frequently asked questions
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does the layout work in the terminal?
Yes, modern terminals (GNOME Terminal, Konsole, Alacritty, Kitty, Wezterm) all handle RTL Arabic input correctly. Older terminals like xterm may render incorrectly — switch to a modern one if you need Arabic terminal support.
I use Wayland — does that affect anything?
No. Both Wayland and X11 use the same XKB layout data underneath, so Arabic input works identically. Some IME quirks exist on Wayland for CJK languages, but Arabic is unaffected.
Setting up Arabic on a different device?
Or see the all-platforms overview.