Hindi Typing Setup on Windows
Quick answer: Go to Settings › Time & language › Language & region, add Hindi, then open its Options and add a keyboard. Press Win + Space to switch. Windows includes the InScript keyboard and the Mangal font, but it does not include Remington GAIL or Kruti Dev.
You do not need any of this to practise here. This site's typing engine maps your keystrokes inside the browser, so every Hindi layout works on a plain English Windows install with nothing added. Do this setup when you want to type Hindi in Word, email or anywhere else — or if you just want your own machine to behave like the exam centre's.
Add the Hindi keyboard on Windows 11
- Open language settingsSelect Start › Settings, then Time & language › Language & region.
- Add HindiNext to Preferred languages, select Add a language. Type "Hindi" in the search box, select it, and choose Next.
- Install the language packLeave Install language pack ticked and select Install. This downloads, so stay online. It takes a couple of minutes.
- Add the keyboard layoutBack on Language & region, find Hindi in the list and open its Options (the three-dot menu). Under Keyboards, select Add a keyboard and pick the layout you need.
- Switch to HindiPress Win + Space to cycle input methods, or click the ENG / HIN indicator in the taskbar near the clock.
On Windows 10 the path is nearly identical — Settings › Time & Language › Language — and Win + Space works the same way.
Which layouts Windows actually gives you
This is where most guides quietly mislead people. Windows does not ship every layout an exam might name.
| Layout | Included in Windows? | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Mangal InScript (often listed as Hindi Traditional) | Yes | Nothing extra. Comes with the Hindi language pack. |
| Hindi Phonetic | Available to add | Added the same way, under the same Keyboards menu. Not usually the exam layout. |
| Remington GAIL | No | Not a Windows layout. Exam centres install their own software for it. Practise it in a browser-based simulator instead. |
| Kruti Dev 010 / DevLys 010 | No | These are legacy fonts, not keyboard layouts. Typing them on Windows needs the font installed plus a separate key-mapping tool. |
The Mangal font itself is bundled with Windows, so Unicode Hindi displays correctly out of the box once the language is added.
Unicode versus legacy fonts — the part that confuses everyone
Mangal is a Unicode font. The letter क is stored as the character क, so it survives copy-paste, email and search, and it looks right on any machine with a Devanagari font.
Kruti Dev and DevLys are legacy fonts. They store Devanagari in slots that a normal computer reads as Latin letters. That is why Kruti Dev text pasted somewhere without the font looks like Hkkjr ,d fo'kky ns'k gS rather than Hindi. Nothing is broken — the bytes are Latin and only the font makes them look Hindi.
If you have text in the wrong one, convert it rather than retyping: our Kruti Dev ↔ Unicode/Mangal converter runs in your browser and goes both ways.
Common problems
Hindi shows as empty boxes
The font in use has no Devanagari glyphs. Select the text and switch it to Mangal or another Devanagari font. This is a display problem, not a typing problem — the characters are fine.
Hindi shows as random Latin letters
You are looking at legacy Kruti Dev or DevLys text displayed in a Unicode font. Either apply the Kruti Dev font to that text, or convert it to Unicode.
The keys do not match what I expected
You are almost certainly on the wrong layout. InScript, Remington GAIL and Kruti Dev put the same letter in completely different places. Check your notice for the layout name, then look it up in the full key chart.
The vowel sign lands on the wrong side
On the legacy typewriter layouts you type in visual order: the vowel sign ि is typed before its consonant, and the half-र form र् after its cluster. InScript instead follows spoken order. This is a rule, not a fault — and it is the single most common reason Hindi practice fails to transfer to the exam.
Which layout should you practise?
Whichever your recruitment notice names — not whichever is easiest to install. If the notice says Mangal InScript, do not practise Kruti Dev because Windows made it awkward; the key positions do not transfer and you will spend the last weeks unlearning.
Our practice tests run all four layouts without any Windows setup, so the install question never decides what you practise. Pick from your notice, check the layout in the key chart, and start.
Start a free Hindi test →Frequently asked questions
Does Windows include a Hindi keyboard?
Yes — the traditional InScript keyboard comes with the Hindi language pack, and the Mangal font is bundled too. Phonetic keyboards can be added the same way.
Does Windows include Remington GAIL or Kruti Dev?
No. Windows ships InScript. Kruti Dev is a legacy font rather than a layout and needs the font plus a separate mapping tool. Neither is needed to practise in a browser simulator.
How do I switch between English and Hindi?
Press Win + Space, or click the ENG/HIN indicator in the taskbar.
Do I need this to practise on this site?
No. Keystrokes are mapped in the browser. The setup matters for typing Hindi in other applications.
Why does my Hindi look like boxes or junk letters?
Boxes mean the font has no Devanagari glyphs — switch to Mangal. Latin junk means legacy Kruti Dev text in a Unicode font — convert it.
Is there a Windows app for this typing test?
Yes — the same practice engine also runs as a native Windows app on the Microsoft Store. It works offline, locks editing keys at the OS level, and bundles all three Hindi layouts. One paid key unlocks the full test bank on both the website and the app.
Menu names follow current Windows 11 and Windows 10 builds; Microsoft occasionally renames Settings pages, so wording on your machine may differ slightly. Sarkari Exam Typing is an independent private practice tool, not affiliated with Microsoft or with any government body or recruiting authority.
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