How to Add Arabic Keyboard on macOS (Mac)

Set up the Arabic 101 layout in under 2 minutes — and learn the shortcut to switch back and forth.

Last updated: May 2026

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macOS adds the Arabic keyboard through System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources. "Arabic - PC" is the most portable choice (it's the Arabic 101 layout used everywhere else), but if you prefer macOS's own "Arabic" layout, Arabic Typing 101 now supports that too — just set your keyboard variant to "Mac" in Account → Preferences and every lesson adapts.

Quick facts

Layout to pick: Arabic - PC (= Arabic 101)
Switch keyboards: Control + Space (or ⌃ + Option + Space to cycle)
Time required: About 2 minutes
Cost: Free (built into macOS)

Step-by-step instructions

1
Open System Settings
Click the Apple menu in the top-left, then System Settings. (On macOS 12 and older it's called System Preferences.)
2
Go to Keyboard → Input Sources
In the sidebar click Keyboard, then click Edit… next to "Input Sources" (or Text Input on older versions).
3
Click the + button
At the bottom-left of the input sources list, click the + button to add a new keyboard layout.
4
Pick Arabic in the left column
Scroll the left language list and click Arabic. The right panel will show all available Arabic layouts.
5
Select your layout (Arabic - PC or Arabic)
For the most portable setup choose "Arabic - PC" — the Arabic 101 layout used on Windows and standard Arabic keyboards. If you'd rather use macOS's native "Arabic" layout (a few letters like د، ذ، ة، و sit on different keys), pick that instead and set your keyboard variant to "Mac" in Account → Preferences — the course teaches both. Skip "Arabic - QWERTY" (a phonetic mapping) unless you specifically want it.
6
Click Add and enable the menu bar indicator
Click Add. Back in Keyboard settings, enable "Show Input menu in menu bar" so you can see which keyboard is active. Use Control + Space to switch.

Troubleshooting

macOS shows three Arabic options — Arabic, Arabic - PC, and Arabic - QWERTY. Which one?

"Arabic - PC" is the Arabic 101 layout — the one used by every Windows machine and standard Arabic-labelled keyboard, so it's the most portable choice. "Arabic" is macOS's own layout, which moves a handful of letters (د، ذ، ة، و and a few others) to different keys; Arabic Typing 101 fully supports it — set your keyboard variant to "Mac" in Account → Preferences and the lessons and on-screen keyboard match it. "Arabic - QWERTY" maps Arabic letters phonetically onto their nearest English sound (alif → A, ba → B) and is convenient for beginners, but it's not a standard Arabic layout and isn't what the course teaches.

Control + Space is bound to Spotlight on my Mac.

Open System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Input Sources, and rebind "Select the next source in Input menu" to a free shortcut like Control + Option + Space. Or change Spotlight's shortcut in Keyboard Shortcuts → Spotlight.

The menu bar indicator shows the flag but typing still produces English letters.

Click into a text field first, then check the indicator — input source is per-app and per-window on macOS. Apps that don't support multilingual input (rare, but some older or sandboxed ones) won't honour the switch.

Keyboard ready — what next?

Now that macOS can type in Arabic, the next step is muscle memory. Most learners reach 25 WPM in a few weeks with our structured course.

Try the free typing test →Start the structured course

Frequently asked questions

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Mac's built-in keyboard have Arabic letters printed on it?

No, Macs sold in Western markets ship with English-only keys. You can buy Arabic keycap stickers, an Arabic-labelled external keyboard, or — recommended — learn the Arabic 101 layout with touch typing so you don't need to look at the keys.

Can I use the Arabic keyboard with an external USB or Bluetooth keyboard?

Yes. Once you've added "Arabic - PC" as an input source, it applies to any keyboard you connect — built-in, USB, or Bluetooth. The layout is software, not hardware.

How do I type Arabic diacritics (harakat) on Mac with Arabic - PC?

Hold Shift + a letter key on the Arabic 101 layout. The five core marks: Shift + Q (fatha), Shift + A (kasra), Shift + E (damma), Shift + W (shadda), Shift + S (sukun). Tanween marks are Shift + R / G / T.