How to Type Hindi in Gmail — Compose Emails in Devanagari

You need to send a formal email in Hindi. Maybe to a government office, a Hindi-medium school, a client who prefers Hindi, or a family member who does not read English well. You open Gmail and realize — how do I actually type in Hindi here?

Gmail has built-in Hindi typing support. No extensions needed, no software to install. Let me show you.

Method 1: Gmail's Built-In Input Tools (Easiest)

Gmail has a native feature called "Input Tools" that lets you type in Hindi directly inside the compose window.

Enabling Hindi Input Tools in Gmail

1. Open Gmail on your desktop browser
2. Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top-right → See all settings
3. Scroll down to "Language" section
4. Click "Show all language options"
5. Next to "Enable input tools", check the box
6. Click Edit tools (pencil icon)
7. From the left panel, find "Hindi — हिन्दी"
8. You will see options:

- Hindi Transliteration — type "namaste" → नमस्ते - Hindi Inscript Keyboard — on-screen Devanagari keyboard

1. Select Hindi Transliteration → click the right arrow to add it
2. Click OK → scroll down → Save Changes

Using Hindi Input Tools While Composing

Once enabled:

1. Click Compose to write a new email
2. Look for the Input Tools icon in the toolbar (looks like a small keyboard or language symbol — usually between formatting options)
3. Click it → select Hindi Transliteration
4. Start typing in English — it converts to Hindi in real-time

You Type	Gmail Shows
namaskar	नमस्कार
kripya	कृपया
dhanyavaad	धन्यवाद
aavedan	आवेदन
pramaanpatra	प्रमाणपत्र

1. Press Space or Enter to confirm the Hindi word
2. If the wrong word appears, press Backspace immediately — Gmail shows alternatives

Keyboard Shortcut to Toggle Hindi

• Press Ctrl + Shift + K to toggle Input Tools on/off
• This lets you switch between English and Hindi mid-email without touching the mouse

Switching Back to English Mid-Email

If you need to type an English word in the middle of Hindi text:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + K to switch to English


2. Type your English word


3. Press Ctrl + Shift + K again to go back to Hindi

Or simply type the English word — if the transliteration does not match a Hindi word, it often keeps the English spelling.

Method 2: Google Input Tools Chrome Extension

If you want Hindi typing in Gmail AND across all websites:

Installing the Extension

1. Go to Chrome Web Store
2. Search "Google Input Tools"
3. Click Add to Chrome
4. After installation, click the extension icon in the toolbar
5. Go to Extension Options
6. Add Hindi (Transliteration) to your selected input tools
7. Click the extension icon → select Hindi when you want to type in Devanagari

Using the Extension in Gmail

1. Click the Google Input Tools icon in Chrome toolbar
2. Select "Hindi" from the dropdown
3. Open Gmail → Compose
4. Type in English — it converts to Hindi everywhere (subject line, body, even search)
5. Click the extension icon again to switch back to English

Advantage over built-in Input Tools: Works in the subject line, address bar, search, and across all websites — not just the compose body.

Method 3: Windows/Mac System-Level Hindi Input

If you have Hindi keyboard set up at the OS level, it works in Gmail automatically.

Windows

1. Press Win + Space or Alt + Shift to switch to Hindi (Inscript)
2. Open Gmail → Compose
3. Type using the Hindi keyboard layout
4. Switch back with Win + Space when done

Mac

1. Go to System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources
2. Add Hindi — Devanagari or Hindi — Transliteration
3. Switch with Ctrl + Space or the input menu in the menu bar
4. Open Gmail → type in Hindi

Pro: This method gives you Hindi typing in every application, not just Gmail. Con: You need to learn the keyboard layout (Inscript on Windows, QWERTY-mapped on Mac).

Method 4: Gmail Mobile App (Android & iPhone)

On your phone, Gmail uses whatever keyboard you have set up.

Android

1. Set up Hindi on Gboard (Settings → Languages → Add Hindi Transliteration)
2. Open Gmail app → Compose
3. Long-press spacebar → select Hindi
4. Type using transliteration or Devanagari keyboard
5. Send

iPhone

1. Add Hindi keyboard (Settings → General → Keyboard → Add Hindi Transliteration)
2. Open Gmail app → Compose
3. Tap globe icon (🌐) → switch to Hindi
4. Type → send

Gmail mobile fully supports Devanagari — subject, body, and even email signatures in Hindi.

Writing a Professional Hindi Email

Now that you can type Hindi, here is how to write a proper formal Hindi email:

Email Structure

विषय: [Clear subject line in Hindi]

महोदय/महोदया,    ← (Salutation)

सविनय निवेदन है कि...    ← (Opening — polite request)

[Body paragraphs]

आपके सहयोग के लिए अग्रिम धन्यवाद।    ← (Closing — thank you)

सादर,    ← (Regards)
[Your name]
[Your designation]

Formal Hindi Email Phrases

Purpose	Hindi Phrase	Transliteration
Dear Sir	महोदय	mahoday
Dear Madam	महोदया	mahodaya
Respected	आदरणीय	aadarneeya
I request that	सविनय निवेदन है कि	savinay nivedan hai ki
Please	कृपया	kripya
Regarding	के संबंध में	ke sambandh mein
As per	के अनुसार	ke anusaar
Thank you	धन्यवाद	dhanyavaad
Regards	सादर	saadar
Yours faithfully	भवदीय/भवदीया	bhavadeeya
Attached herewith	संलग्न है	sanlagn hai
For your kind attention	आपके कृपया ध्यानार्थ	aapke kripya dhyanarth

Sample Formal Hindi Email

विषय: वार्षिक अवकाश हेतु आवेदन

आदरणीय महोदय,

सविनय निवेदन है कि मुझे दिनांक 15 अप्रैल 2026 से
20 अप्रैल 2026 तक वार्षिक अवकाश की आवश्यकता है।
इस अवधि में मुझे पारिवारिक कार्यवश अपने गृहनगर
जाना है।

कृपया मेरा अवकाश स्वीकृत करने की कृपा करें।

आपके सहयोग के लिए अग्रिम धन्यवाद।

सादर,
[आपका नाम]
[पदनाम]
[विभाग]

Hindi Email Signature in Gmail

Setting Up a Hindi Signature

1. Gmail → Settings (gear icon) → See all settings
2. Scroll to "Signature"
3. Click Create new or edit existing
4. Use Input Tools (Ctrl + Shift + K) to type in Hindi:

सधन्यवाद,
[आपका नाम]
[कंपनी/संस्था का नाम]
फ़ोन: +91-XXXXXXXXXX
ईमेल: your@email.com

1. Save Changes

Your Hindi signature will automatically appear in every email you send.

Common Hindi Typing Challenges in Gmail

1. Subject Line Does Not Support Input Tools

Gmail's built-in Input Tools sometimes do not work in the subject line. Fix: Use the Google Input Tools Chrome extension (Method 2) — it works in the subject line. Or type the subject in the body first, then cut and paste it to the subject line.

2. Hindi Text Looks Different for the Recipient

Different email clients render Hindi fonts differently. Fix: Gmail sends Unicode text, which is universally supported. The recipient will see proper Hindi in any modern email client. However, if you use Krutidev (a non-Unicode font), the text will appear as garbage for the recipient. Always use Unicode (Inscript or transliteration) for email.

3. Spell Check Marks All Hindi Words as Errors

Gmail's spell check is English-only by default and will underline every Hindi word in red. Fix: Right-click → select "Add to dictionary" for common words. Or ignore the red underlines — they do not affect the sent email.

4. Formatting Resets When Switching Languages

Sometimes bold/italic formatting breaks when you switch between Hindi and English. Fix: Apply formatting after you finish typing the complete email. Do not format while switching languages.

5. Reply Emails Mix English and Hindi Awkwardly

When replying to an English email in Hindi, the quoted text is in English and your reply is in Hindi, which can look messy. Fix: Add a clear separator. Type your Hindi reply first, then leave the English quote below. Consider adding "उपर्युक्त ईमेल के संदर्भ में:" (With reference to the above email:) before your Hindi text.

Quick Reference: Comparison of All Methods

Method	Setup Time	Works In	Subject Line	Offline	Keyboard Shortcut
Gmail Input Tools	2 min	Compose body only	No	No	Ctrl+Shift+K
Chrome Extension	2 min	Everywhere	Yes	No	Alt+Shift+N
Windows Hindi	5 min	Everywhere	Yes	Yes	Win+Space
Mac Hindi	3 min	Everywhere	Yes	Yes	Ctrl+Space
Mobile keyboard	1 min	Everywhere	Yes	Yes	Globe icon

For quick Hindi emails: Use Gmail's built-in Input Tools. For regular Hindi typing across all sites: Use the Chrome extension or system-level input. For mobile: Set up your phone's Hindi keyboard once and forget about it.

Hindi email is becoming standard in government, education, and regional business communication. Once you set up Hindi typing in Gmail, writing in Hindi becomes no different from writing in English — open, compose, send.