How to Add a Korean Keyboard on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android

Before you change a setting

Save any important form you are editing and note the input indicator in the taskbar or menu bar. A language switch changes what key presses produce, including on a password screen. It does not translate existing text and normally does not change the device interface.

Choose the 2-set layout—often written 2-Set Korean, 두벌식, or Korean 2-Set—unless you already know that you need a specialist layout. Seoul Keys lessons use 2-set key positions. On phones, a 10-key or handwriting layout can be convenient for messaging but will not match desktop typing drills.

• Keep your normal Latin keyboard installed.
• Add Korean as an additional input, not a replacement.
• Prefer 2-set for lessons that show a desktop key map.
• Learn the language-switch shortcut before opening a password field.

Windows 11 and Windows 10

Microsoft separates the Windows display language from keyboard layouts. Depending on what is already installed, you may be able to add a Korean keyboard under an existing language entry, or you may first add Korean to Preferred languages. You do not need to select Korean as the Windows display language.

1. Open Start → Settings → Time & language → Language & region.
2. If Korean is absent, choose Add a language, search for Korean, and install it. Leave “Set as my Windows display language” off unless you intentionally want Korean menus.
3. Open the language’s options and confirm that a Korean keyboard/input method is listed.
4. Use the input indicator in the taskbar to select Korean, or hold the Windows key and tap Space to cycle through installed layouts.
5. When the Korean IME is active, confirm that its A/가 state is set to 가 for Hangul rather than Latin input.

macOS

On current macOS versions, keyboard languages are called input sources. Adding Korean enables the Input menu and lets you choose how a shortcut changes sources. Apple also offers an option to use Caps Lock to switch between a non-Latin source and the last-used Latin source.

1. Choose Apple menu → System Settings → Keyboard.
2. Find Text Input and choose Edit.
3. Select the add button, choose Korean, then choose 2-Set Korean.
4. Enable Show Input menu in menu bar if you want a visible source indicator.
5. Switch with the configured Control+Space shortcut, the Globe/Fn key, the Input menu, or the optional Caps Lock setting.

iPhone and iPad

iOS and iPadOS keep additional keyboards under General settings. The globe key appears when more than one keyboard is enabled. Hardware keyboards connected to an iPad have their own layout settings, so check both the on-screen and hardware sections if they behave differently.

1. Open Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards.
2. Tap Add New Keyboard, choose Korean, and select the 2-set option when prompted.
3. In any text field, tap or hold the globe key to choose Korean.
4. For an attached hardware keyboard, open Settings → General → Keyboard → Hardware Keyboard and confirm the Korean layout.

Android with Gboard

Android manufacturers can rename settings, but Gboard’s language menu is consistent. Adding a Gboard language does not change the Android system language. If another keyboard app is active, use that keyboard’s own language settings or select Gboard first.

1. Tap a text field so Gboard appears, then open Gboard Settings.
2. Choose Languages → Add keyboard → Korean.
3. Select the layout you want and choose Done; use 2-set when you want the desktop-style Seoul Keys map.
4. Hold the space bar to switch languages, or enable the language-switch key in Gboard Preferences.

Run a thirty-second setup test

Open a plain note so autocomplete does not hide the result. Switch to Korean and press G, K, S on a QWERTY-labelled keyboard. A working 2-set input method produces 한. Switch back and type the same keys again; you should see gks. This A/B test proves both the input source and the switch shortcut are working.

If you see individual compatibility letters such as ㅎㅏㄴ instead of one block, the app or field may not be using a normal Korean input method. Test in the operating system’s basic Notes or text editor. If the block composes there, the original app—not the keyboard installation—is the likely cause.