How to Type Japanese in Windows 11 & 10: Add Japanese Keyboard

Want to type in Japanese on your Windows PC? You can do it by adding the Japanese keyboard layout. Here’s how.

If you are learning or already know how to read and write Japanese, typing in Japanese on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 system might be a necessity. For example, I started learning Japanese a few months back. As part of the learning process, I regularly chat with native speakers and fellow learners to cement my understanding of Japanese vocabulary and grammar.

To type Japanese in Windows, you need to install the Japanese keyboard layout and language pack via the Settings. Once installed, you can switch the keyboard layout to type in Japanese on Windows. In this quick and straightforward tutorial, I will show you how to do it in simple steps. Let’s get started.

Before You Start

• Internet connection is required to install the Japanese keyboard layout and language pack.

Add Japanese Keyboard Layout to Windows

On Windows 11

1. Press “Windows key + I” to open “Settings“.
2. Go to the “Time & Language” tab on the sidebar.
3. Click the “Language & Region” option on the right page.
4. Click the “Add a language” button.
5. Search for “Japanese” in the top search bar.
6. Select the “Japanese” language from the list.
7. Click “Next“.
8. Let the default option be as is and click “Install“.
9. Let Windows 11 install the Japanese language pack.
10. Once the language pack is installed, you can start typing in Japanese by switching the keyboard layout via the taskbar (instructions below).

On Windows 10

Follow the steps below to install the Japanese language and start typing in Japanese in Windows 10.

1. Open Settings with the “Windows Key + I” shortcut.
2. Go to “Time & Language“.
   
3. Go to the “Language” tab.
4. On the right page, click the “Add a language” button under the “Preferred Languages” section.
5. Type “Japanese” in the search bar.
6. Select the language and click “Next“.
7. Select the optional features you want to install and click “Install“.
8. Windows 10 will install the Japanese keyboard layout and language pack.
9. From now on, you can type in Japanese by switching the keyboard layout via the taskbar (instructions below).

Switch Keyboard Layout to Type in Japanese (Windows 11 & 10)

After installing the Japanese keyboard layout, you need to change the keyboard layout to it to start typing in Japanese. Here’s how.

Note: The steps below work in both Windows 11 and Windows 10.

1. Click the input language indicator icon on the taskbar or press the “Windows key + Space” shortcut.
   
2. Select the “Japanese Microsoft IME” keyboard layout.
   
3. By default, the Japanese keyboard layout is set to type in English. To change that, click the “A” icon appearing before the “Language” icon.
4. The above action changes the icon to a Hiragana character “あ“, signifying the ability to type in Japanese.
   
5. You can now start typing in Japanese.
   

As you type in Japanese, Windows will show suggestions and relevant Kanji characters and vocabulary in a drop-down list. By selecting the suggestions, you can type in Kanji.

If you want to keep the Japanese keyboard layout but want to type in English, click on the “あ” icon. This action will change the input mode to English.

To change the keyboard layout, click on the language icon and select the “English” keyboard layout.

Troubleshooting – Input Indicator Icon Is Not Visible on the Taskbar

If you are not seeing the input indicator icon on the taskbar, it might be hidden. To unhide it, follow one of the methods below.

Note: Even if the input indicator icon is not visible, you can use the “Windows key + Space” shortcut to activate it.

Show Input Indicator Language Icon on Taskbar (Windows 11 & 10)

1. Press “Windows key + I” to open Settings.
2. Go to “Time & Language” > “Typing” page.
3. Click the “Advanced Keyboard Settings” option.
4. Uncheck the “Use the desktop language bar when it’s available” checkbox.
5. With that, you will see the “input language indicator” icon

Using Taskbar Settings (Works only on Windows 10)

1. Open Settings using the “Windows key + I” shortcut.
2. Go to “Personalization” > “Taskbar“.
3. Click the “Turn system icons on or off” option.
4. Turn ON the “Input Indicator” toggle.
   

That is it. As soon as you turn on the option, you will see the language icon appear on the taskbar.

Uninstall the Japanese Keyboard Layout and Language Pack in Windows

Just as you can install it, when you no longer need it, you can easily uninstall the Japanese language pack and keyboard layout. Here’s how.

On Windows 11

1. Open Settings using the “Windows key + I” shortcut.
2. Go to “Time & Language” > “Language & region“.
3. Click the “…” icon next to the Japanese language pack.
4. Select the “Remove” option.
5. With that, Windows 11 uninstalls the Japanese language pack.

On Windows 10

1. Open Settings using the “Windows key + I” shortcut.
2. Go to “Time & Language” > “Language“.
3. On the right page, click on the “Japanese” language option.
4. Click “Remove“.
   

That is it. As soon as you click the button, Windows will uninstall the language pack and its associated features.

Wrapping Up — Installing Japanese Language Pack and Keyboard Layout to Type in Japanese in Windows 11 and 10

Whether you are a student, a professional, or a native speaker, you can easily type in Japanese by installing the Japanese language pack and keyboard layout in Windows 11 and Windows 10. Once installed, switch to the Japanese layout using the input language indicator icon on the taskbar or by pressing the “Windows key + Space” shortcut to start typing in Japanese.

If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.

Good to know: how to change the display language from Chinese to English.

Update: This tutorial is updated to be compatible with Windows 11 and Windows 10.