Keyboard shortcuts
| Letter | Windows (Alt code) | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| ă Ă | — | Telex: aw · VNI: a8 (Vietnamese input source) |
| â Â | Alt + 0226 / 0194 | Option + I, then A · Telex: aa |
| đ Đ | — | Telex: dd · VNI: d9 (Vietnamese input source) |
| ê Ê | Alt + 0234 / 0202 | Option + I, then E · Telex: ee |
| ô Ô | Alt + 0244 / 0212 | Option + I, then O · Telex: oo |
| ơ Ơ | — | Telex: ow · VNI: o7 (Vietnamese input source) |
| ư Ư | — | Telex: uw · VNI: u7 (Vietnamese input source) |
Mac: On a Mac, add a Vietnamese input source in System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources: choose Telex or VNI. Then type plain letters and the input method builds the Vietnamese letter for you, for example Telex “vieejt” becomes Việt. Only â, ê and ô also work on the normal layout (Option + I, then the vowel).
Windows: Windows Alt codes only exist for â, ê and ô, and none of the tone-marked letters. Add the “Vietnamese Telex” or “Vietnamese Number Key-based” (VNI) keyboard in Settings > Time & language > Language & region, then type with Telex or VNI as described below. Many Vietnamese users install a free input tool such as Unikey for the same methods.
iPhone and Android: On iPhone and Android, add the Vietnamese keyboard. Most phone keyboards let you choose between a Telex, VNI or simple layout; with Telex you type “vieejt” and get Việt, and you can also press and hold a vowel to pick a tone mark.
Seven letters and five tone marks
Vietnamese marks two different things. The seven letters on this keyboard change the vowel or consonant itself: ă, â, ê, ô, ơ, ư and đ. On top of that, any vowel can carry one of five tone marks, which change the pitch of the syllable. Combined, that is well over a hundred letter forms, which is why nobody types Vietnamese by picking characters from a list.
The tone is part of the word, so a missing tone mark can change the meaning completely:
- ma (ghost) · no mark, level tone (thanh ngang)
- má (mother, cheek) · acute, rising tone (sắc)
- mà (but) · grave, falling tone (huyền)
- mả (tomb) · hook above, dipping tone (hỏi)
- mã (horse, code) · tilde, broken rising tone (ngã)
- mạ (rice seedling) · dot below, heavy tone (nặng)
How Telex typing works
Telex is the most popular method. You type only normal letters: doubling a letter or adding w makes the new vowel, and a letter typed after the syllable adds the tone.
- Letters: aa → â, aw → ă, ee → ê, oo → ô, ow → ơ, uw → ư, dd → đ.
- Tones: s → sắc (á), f → huyền (à), r → hỏi (ả), x → ngã (ã), j → nặng (ạ). z removes a tone.
- Examples: “xin chaof” → xin chào, “camr own” → cảm ơn, “tieengs Vieejt” → tiếng Việt.
How VNI typing works
VNI uses the number keys instead of letters, which some people find easier to remember.
- Letters: 6 → circumflex (â, ê, ô), 7 → horn (ơ, ư), 8 → breve (ă), 9 → đ.
- Tones: 1 → sắc, 2 → huyền, 3 → hỏi, 4 → ngã, 5 → nặng.
- Examples: “xin cha2o” → xin chào, “ca3m o7n” → cảm ơn, “tie61ng Vie65t” → tiếng Việt.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type Vietnamese on a keyboard?
Add a Vietnamese keyboard (Vietnamese Telex or VNI) in Windows or Mac settings, then type with Telex or VNI: for example, Telex “dd” gives đ, “ow” gives ơ and “as” gives á. You can also click the base letters on this page and copy them.
What is the difference between Telex and VNI?
Both turn plain keystrokes into Vietnamese letters. Telex uses letters (aw for ă, s for the sắc tone), and VNI uses numbers (a8 for ă, 1 for the sắc tone). Telex is more common because you never leave the letter keys.
How do I type đ?
With a Telex keyboard, type d twice (dd). With VNI, type d9. There is no Windows Alt code for đ; in Microsoft Word you can type 0111 and press Alt+X. Or click đ on this page and copy it.
Why doesn't this keyboard show every tone mark?
Each of the 12 Vietnamese vowels can take five tone marks, which makes more than a hundred combinations. Telex and VNI let you add any tone to any vowel with one extra keystroke, which is much faster than choosing from a list.