The Microsoft Pinyin keyboard: shortcuts and settings
Microsoft Pinyin is the Chinese input method built into Windows 10 and 11. You type pinyin without tones and it offers the matching characters. Shift switches between Chinese and English, Ctrl + . switches punctuation, Shift + Space switches full and half width, and Ctrl + Shift + F switches simplified and traditional.
This page is a reference for the keyboard once it is installed. To add it, follow how to type Chinese on Windows.
Every shortcut
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| Win + Space | Switch between installed keyboards, for example from ENG to Microsoft Pinyin. |
| Shift | Switch between Chinese mode (中) and English mode (英) inside Microsoft Pinyin. |
| Ctrl + . | Switch between Chinese and English punctuation. Works in Chinese mode. |
| Shift + Space | Switch between full-width and half-width characters. |
| Ctrl + Shift + F | Switch between simplified and traditional output. |
| Space | Take the highlighted candidate. |
| Number keys | Take the candidate with that number. |
| ↓ / ↑ | Move to the next or previous candidate. |
| ← / → | Move the insertion point inside the pinyin you typed. |
| Tab | Expand the candidate window and show text suggestions from Bing. |
| Enter | Close the candidate window and keep the letters as you typed them. |
| Esc | Close the candidate window and delete what you typed. |
These are the defaults. The keys for mode switching and candidate navigation can be changed under Keys in the settings.
What the taskbar shows
With Microsoft Pinyin selected, the system tray shows 拼 where it showed ENG, and a second icon beside it: 中 for Chinese mode, 英 for English mode. Click that icon to switch mode. Right-click it for a menu with Character width, Character set, Emoji & symbol, User defined phrases, Domain lexicon, Key configuration, IME toolbar and Settings.
How typing works
- Make sure the icon shows 中.
- Type
nihao. The candidate window opens with 你好 first. - Press Space.
Type the whole word before you press Space. For 夏天 type xiatian. The keyboard splits it into xia'tian by itself and puts 夏天 first. If you press Space after xia, you take whichever single character is highlighted, and that may be the wrong one.
Typing ü
Type v. nv gives 女 and lv gives 绿. After j, q, x and y the dots are not written in pinyin, so 去 is qu and 学 is xue.
Tone marks
Microsoft Pinyin does not type them. It takes untoned pinyin and gives characters. To write nǐ hǎo itself, see how to type pinyin with tone marks.
Full width, half width and punctuation
Chinese punctuation is full-width: ，。？！ each take the space of one character. In Chinese mode the keyboard types these by default, which is correct for Chinese text. Press Ctrl + . when you want English punctuation without leaving Chinese mode.
Character width is a separate switch. In full-width mode, letters and digits also become wide, like ＡＢＣ１２３. Most people want half-width. Shift + Space switches, and so does Character width in the right-click menu.
Simplified and traditional
Microsoft Pinyin can output either set from the same pinyin. Press Ctrl + Shift + F, or right-click the icon and choose Character set, then Simplified or Traditional. In traditional, zhege gives 這個 where simplified gives 这个.
Where the settings are
Right-click the 中 or 英 icon and choose Settings. The long way round on Windows 11 is Settings, Time & language, Language & region, the options next to Chinese (Simplified, China), Language options, then Keyboard options beside Microsoft Pinyin.
| Section | What is in it |
|---|---|
| General | Pinyin style (full or double pinyin), fuzzy pinyin, default modes. |
| Keys | Keyboard shortcuts for mode switches and candidate navigation. |
| Appearance | How the candidate window looks. |
| Lexicon and self-learning | Learning from what you type, and the Bing text suggestions. |
| Advanced | People name input, U-mode and V-mode. |
Fuzzy pinyin
Fuzzy pinyin tells the keyboard to treat sounds that some speakers merge as the same, such as z and zh, c and ch, s and sh. It helps native speakers whose accent merges them. A learner should leave it off: a wrong spelling that still produces the right character is a mistake you never find out about.
Double pinyin
Double pinyin (双拼) is a faster scheme in which every syllable is two keystrokes, one for the initial and one for the final. It takes memorizing a key chart. Learners should stay on full pinyin, which is the spelling you are studying.
U-mode and V-mode
No pinyin syllable starts with u or v, so the keyboard uses those two letters for special input. U-mode enters a character by its strokes or components, or enters a symbol. V-mode enters Chinese-format numbers, dates, times and formulas, and characters by Unicode code point. In double pinyin the triggers are Shift + U and Shift + V. Both modes are switched on and off under Advanced.
People name input
Press ; then R to bring up characters commonly used in personal names.
Common problems
I get English letters while the tray shows 拼
The second icon shows 英. You pressed Shift at some point. Press it once more.
Letters come out wide and spaced apart
Full-width mode is on. Press Shift + Space.
The comma and full stop look wrong
Punctuation mode has been switched. Press Ctrl + . to go between ，。 and ,.
Traditional characters appear and I did not ask for them
Ctrl + Shift + F was pressed, often by accident as another app's shortcut. Press it again.
Shift keeps switching mode when I do not want it to
Open the settings, go to Keys, and change the key used for the mode switch.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Microsoft Pinyin keyboard?
It is the Chinese input method built into Windows 10 and 11. It installs when you add Chinese (Simplified, China) as a language. You type pinyin on an ordinary keyboard and it converts what you typed into Chinese characters.
How do I switch between Chinese and English in Microsoft Pinyin?
Press Shift on its own. The icon by the clock changes between 中 (Chinese) and 英 (English). To leave Microsoft Pinyin for another keyboard layout altogether, press the Windows key + Space.
How do I switch Microsoft Pinyin to traditional characters?
Press Ctrl + Shift + F, or right-click the 中 icon and choose Character set, then Traditional. You keep typing the same pinyin. The same shortcut switches back.
How do I type ü in Microsoft Pinyin?
Type v. nv gives 女 and lv gives 绿. After j, q, x and y the ü is written u in pinyin, so you type qu for 去 and xue for 学.
Why is Microsoft Pinyin typing wide letters with gaps between them?
It is in full-width mode. Press Shift + Space to go back to half-width.
How do I install Microsoft Pinyin?
Add Chinese (Simplified, China) under Settings, Time & language, Language & region. The full walkthrough is in how to type Chinese on Windows.
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