Transliteration Browser Extension — Type in Indian Languages Anywhere Online

The problem with most Indian language input solutions is they work in one place. You install an input method editor, it works in some apps but breaks in others. You use a web tool, and when you need to type on Twitter, Facebook, or a government portal, you're back to square one. The TranslitHub browser extension takes a different approach — it works on every website, in every text field, without you having to go back to a separate tool.

This guide covers installation, what the extension does and doesn't do, how to use it on different types of websites, and some practical tips that aren't obvious from the UI.

What the Extension Does

The TranslitHub browser extension adds phonetic transliteration to any text input field on any website you visit. When the extension is active and you click into a text box — a comment field, a search box, a social media post composer, a government form — your keystrokes are intercepted and converted to your selected Indian script in real time.

From the website's perspective, it's receiving standard Unicode Indian language text. The website doesn't need to do anything to support this. It works on Gmail, Facebook, Twitter/X, WhatsApp Web, Reddit, Google Search, Wikipedia's edit mode, government portals, banking websites, anything that accepts text input.

You can enable or disable the extension for individual websites, and you can toggle it on and off with a keyboard shortcut so it doesn't interfere when you're typing in English.

Installation

Chrome / Chromium browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera):

1. Go to the Chrome Web Store and search "TranslitHub"
2. Click "Add to Chrome"
3. The extension icon appears in your toolbar

Firefox:

1. Go to the Firefox Add-ons page and search "TranslitHub"
2. Click "Add to Firefox"

Safari: Available via the Mac App Store for macOS 12+. Search "TranslitHub Transliteration".

After installation, click the extension icon to select your default language and configure basic settings.

Setting Up: First-Time Configuration

When you open the extension popup for the first time:

1. Select your primary language — the script the extension converts to by default (e.g., Hindi, Tamil, Bengali)
2. Set the toggle shortcut — the keyboard shortcut to enable/disable transliteration (default is Ctrl+Shift+I on Windows/Linux, Cmd+Shift+I on Mac)
3. Choose activation mode — either "Always on" (converts in every text field automatically) or "On demand" (only converts when you press the shortcut)

For most people, "On demand" mode works better day-to-day. You're browsing in English most of the time; you activate transliteration only when you need it.

Using the Extension

Once configured, using the extension is simple:

1. Click into any text input field on any website
2. Press your toggle shortcut (or click the extension icon and toggle it on)
3. Type phonetically in English — text converts to Indian script in real time
4. When done, press the toggle shortcut again to return to normal English input

While transliteration is active, a small indicator appears near the active text field (a dot or a flag icon, configurable in settings) so you always know which mode is active.

The suggestion dropdown works identically to the TranslitHub web editor — when a word has multiple possible interpretations, a dropdown appears with alternatives numbered 1-5. Press the number or arrow keys to select, or continue typing to accept the default.

How It Works Under the Hood (Without Getting Technical)

Without going into engine specifics, the extension inserts itself between your keyboard and the browser's text input handling. It sees the raw keystrokes before they reach the text field, processes them into Indian script characters, and inserts those characters into the field instead.

This approach works on virtually all websites because it hooks into the browser's fundamental input handling, not into any website-specific code.

Website-Specific Notes

Gmail and Google Workspace

Works in:

• Email compose window


• Subject line


• Google Docs (experimental — works in most cases but complex formatting interactions may occur)


• Google Sheets cells (text cells only)


• Google Search bar

In Google Docs, the extension coexists with Docs' own input handling. If you encounter issues (characters doubling or not appearing), try pressing Escape once to reset the Docs input state, then continue.

Social Media

Facebook: Works in post composer, comments, Messenger, groups, events. Twitter/X: Works in the tweet composer and replies. Character count shows correctly (Twitter counts Unicode characters, which includes Indian script characters as single characters each). Instagram Web: Comment fields and bio editing work. Story text fields don't accept external keyboard input on web. WhatsApp Web: Works in the message input field. WhatsApp Web handles Unicode correctly, and your contacts receive the Indian language text perfectly regardless of what phone or app they're using. LinkedIn: Works in posts, comments, and messages.

Government and Banking Websites

Government portals in India are often the primary reason people want Indian language input in the browser. The extension works on most government websites, but a few older portals use custom input handling that can conflict.

If a government portal's text field isn't accepting the converted text:

1. Disable the extension for that site


2. Open TranslitHub in a separate tab


3. Type your content there, copy the Unicode text


4. Paste into the government portal's field

This workaround covers 100% of cases because you're pasting standard Unicode — no input method required.

For banking websites: most modern Indian banking websites accept Unicode in text fields without issue. Some older net banking portals have restrictive character filtering. If you see characters not appearing or getting rejected, the paste workaround applies here too.

Content Management Systems

WordPress (admin panel): Works in the classic editor, post titles, tags, categories. In the Gutenberg block editor, works in paragraph blocks and most text blocks. Medium: Works in the post editor. Substack: Works in both the editor and the email compose window.

Form Fields

Standard HTML form fields (text inputs, textareas) all work. Notable exceptions where the extension may have limited effect:

• Canvas-based text rendering (some web apps draw text on canvas rather than using HTML inputs)
• PDF form fields viewed in-browser (PDF form handling is outside the browser's standard input pipeline)
• Custom JavaScript text components built without standard input elements

Switching Languages While Typing

You can switch the active language without leaving the text field:

• Click the extension icon → select a different language → continue typing
• Or use Ctrl+Shift+L (configurable) to cycle through your saved languages

This is useful when typing bilingual content — for example, a WhatsApp message that needs to contain both Hindi and Bengali text.

Managing Multiple Profiles

The extension supports profiles for people who regularly work in more than two languages or have different settings for different contexts:

• Personal profile: Hindi, suggestions on, auto-activate in comment fields
• Work profile: Marathi + English mixed, suggestions off, manual activation only
• Learning profile: Tamil, character picker overlay enabled, strict transliteration mode

Switch profiles from the extension popup. Profiles are synced to your browser account if you're signed into Chrome/Firefox.

Disabling for Specific Websites

If certain websites conflict with the extension:

1. Click the extension icon


2. Click the three-dot menu


3. Select "Don't run on this site" or "Pause on this domain"

The extension remembers this site and stays inactive there permanently until you re-enable it. Your blocklist syncs across devices.

Common Issues and Fixes

Problem	Likely Cause	Fix
Characters appear doubled	Extension conflict with site's own input handling	Press Escape once, then retype; or disable extension for that site
Suggestion dropdown obscures content	Dropdown positioning issue	Settings → change dropdown direction (up vs down)
Extension icon grayed out	Extension disabled for current site	Click icon → enable for this site
Toggle shortcut not working	Shortcut conflict with another extension	Reassign the shortcut in extension settings
Text reverts to English after submit	Form is clearing and reinserting	Normal behavior — the submitted content was correct
No conversion happening	Toggle is off	Press toggle shortcut or click icon to activate

Privacy Notes

The extension does not transmit text from private browsing sessions. By default, it doesn't log any text you type — it processes input locally in the browser for common characters and batches server requests for less common word lookups.

You can review exactly what data is sent in Settings → Privacy. For users who want fully offline operation (no server requests at all), the extension has an offline mode that uses a locally cached vocabulary — accuracy is lower for uncommon words, but nothing leaves your browser.

Differences from the Web Editor

The browser extension is optimized for input — typing in text fields on the web. It doesn't have the TranslitHub editor's formatting tools, export features, or voice input. For composing full documents with formatting and export needs, use the TranslitHub editor directly. The extension and the editor complement each other rather than competing.

Related Tools

• Transliteration Editor — full editor for formatted document creation
• Embeddable Widget — add transliteration to your own website
• Virtual Keyboard — on-screen character input for precise character entry