How to type Chinese on Android

By Carson 木林森 · October 2026 · Updated October 2026

Gboard, the Google keyboard on most Android phones, already types Chinese. Tap Settings at the top of the keyboard, then Languages, Add keyboard, and choose Chinese (Simplified) with the Pinyin layout. Touch and hold the space bar to switch to it, type the pinyin without tones, and tap the characters you want.

Add Chinese to Gboard

1. Open any app you can type in, such as Messages or Keep, and tap a text field so the keyboard opens.
2. At the top of the keyboard, tap Settings (the gear).
3. Tap Languages, then Add keyboard.
4. Search for Chinese and pick Chinese (Simplified).
5. Pick the Pinyin layout.
6. Tap Done.

If there is no gear above the keys, touch and hold the comma key and slide your finger to Settings. If your phone does not use Gboard at all, install Gboard from the Play Store first, or see the Samsung section below.

Switch to it and type

1. Tap a text field.
2. Touch and hold the space bar, then choose Chinese.
3. Type nihao. Candidates appear in the strip above the keys.
4. Tap 你好.

You never type tone marks. The keyboard takes plain letters and offers the words that match the sound. Type the whole word before you pick: shijian gives 时间 first, while shi alone gives a long list, because many characters are pronounced shi.

Pinyin has a ü and the keyboard has no key for it, so you type v. 女 is nv and 绿 is lv. After j, q, x and y the dots are not written, so 去 is qu and 学 is xue.

A faster switch: the globe key

1. Open Gboard Settings.
2. Tap Preferences.
3. Turn on Show language switch key.

A globe key now sits beside the space bar and one tap changes language. If the option is greyed out, turn off Show emoji switch key first. The two keys share one spot.

Ways to switch, side by side

Handwriting

Gboard can also read characters you draw. In Settings, Languages, tap Chinese (Simplified) and select the Handwriting layout along with Pinyin. Switch to it the same way you switch languages, draw the character in the writing area, and tap the match.

This is the fastest way to look up a character you can see but cannot say. Draw it, tap it, then paste it into the dictionary.

Traditional characters

Add another keyboard. In Languages, Add keyboard, pick Chinese (Traditional) and the layout you want. Keep both and switch with the space bar. If you are studying for the HSK, use simplified.

Samsung Keyboard

Galaxy phones ship with Samsung Keyboard as the default. You can install Gboard and follow the steps above, or add Chinese to Samsung Keyboard:

1. Open the Samsung Keyboard settings.
2. Tap Languages and types.
3. Tap Manage input languages.
4. Find Chinese in the list. Tap the download icon if there is one, then turn on its switch.

While typing, swipe left or right on the space bar to change language.

Common problems

I cannot find the Settings gear

Touch and hold the comma key at the bottom left of Gboard and slide to Settings.

Holding the space bar does nothing

Only one language is installed. Open Languages and check that Chinese (Simplified) is in the list.

The wrong characters come out

You are probably typing one syllable at a time. Type the full word or phrase, then pick. wojintianhenmang comes out as 我今天很忙 far more reliably than seven separate syllables.

My keyboard looks nothing like this

Your phone is using a different keyboard app. Menu names differ by maker and Android version. Installing Gboard from the Play Store gives you the screens described here.

Now that you can type it: how much Chinese do you know? The free HSK placement test takes about ten minutes and returns your level on the new HSK 3.0 scale.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add a Chinese keyboard on Android?

In Gboard, tap a text field, tap Settings at the top of the keyboard, tap Languages, then Add keyboard. Pick Chinese (Simplified), pick the Pinyin layout and tap Done.

How do I switch between English and Chinese in Gboard?

Touch and hold the space bar and choose the language. If you turn on Show language switch key in Gboard Preferences, a globe key appears and one tap switches.

Do I need a separate Chinese keyboard app?

No. Gboard, the Google keyboard that ships on most Android phones, includes Chinese. If your phone does not have Gboard, install it from the Play Store, or add Chinese to the keyboard your phone came with.

Can I draw Chinese characters with my finger on Android?

Yes. When you add Chinese in Gboard, choose the Handwriting layout as well as Pinyin. Switch to it and draw the character. Gboard shows the matches and you tap one.

How do I add Chinese to Samsung Keyboard?

Open the Samsung Keyboard settings, tap Languages and types, then Manage input languages, and switch on Chinese. Swipe left or right on the space bar to change language while typing.

Related guides: Type Chinese on iPhone and iPad · Type Chinese on a Chromebook · Type Chinese on Windows · Type Chinese on a Mac · Type pinyin with tone marks · The Microsoft Pinyin keyboard