Katakana Keyboard Online – Type Romaji or Tap the Keys
Free Online Japanese Katakana Keyboard – Type Katakana Anywhere
Type romaji, get katakana. This keyboard starts in Romaji mode: type a word on your own keyboard the way it sounds and it turns into katakana as you go — 'ka' → カ, 'nippon' → ニッポン, and a hyphen is the long-vowel mark ー, so ko-hi- becomes コーヒー. There is no Japanese IME to install. Tap the Romaji button to turn it off, and your keys type the JIS kana layout printed on a Japanese keyboard instead (Q is タ, T is カ). On a phone or tablet, tap the on-screen keys.
What is Katakana? Katakana (カタカナ) is one of three Japanese writing systems (along with Hiragana and Kanji). It has 46 basic characters representing syllables. Katakana is used for: foreign loanwords (コーヒー = coffee), onomatopoeia (ワンワン = woof), emphasis, technical terms, and company names.
The Katakana syllabary: 46 basic characters organized by vowel sounds: ア行 (a-row): ア イ ウ エ オ; カ行 (ka-row): カ キ ク ケ コ; and so on through ワ行 and ン. Plus small kana (ァ, ィ, ゥ), voiced marks (ガ, ザ, ダ), and half-voiced marks (パ, ピ, プ).
Perfect for: Japanese learners, translators, anyone typing foreign words in Japanese, game localization, anime/manga fans, and anyone needing to type Katakana without a Japanese IME installed.
Your privacy is guaranteed – all typing happens 100% locally in your browser. Nothing is ever sent to any server. Your Japanese text stays on your device only.
Explore related keyboards: For complete Japanese typing, also try our Hiragana keyboard and Romaji keyboard. For other East Asian scripts, explore our Korean Hangul keyboard or Chinese Pinyin keyboard. All free and instant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Katakana used for in Japanese?
Katakana is used for: foreign loanwords (コンピューター = computer), onomatopoeia (ニャー = meow), emphasis (like italics in English), scientific/technical terms, company and product names, and telegrams/signage.
What's the difference between Katakana and Hiragana?
Both are syllabaries with 46 characters each representing the same sounds. Hiragana (ひらがな) is curvy and used for native Japanese words. Katakana (カタカナ) is angular and used for foreign words and special purposes.
How do I type small Katakana (ァ, ィ, ゥ)?
Mostly you do not have to: in Romaji mode 'fa' → ファ, 'thi' → ティ and 'kyo' → キョ write the small kana for you, and a doubled consonant writes the small ッ, as in 'nippon' → ニッポン. For a small kana on its own, type x before it: 'xa' → ァ, 'xi' → ィ, 'xtsu' → ッ. With Romaji off, Shift and the key give the small form on the keys that carry one.
How do I type voiced (ガ) and half-voiced (パ) Katakana?
Type the voiced sound in Romaji mode: 'ga' → ガ, 'za' → ザ, 'da' → ダ, 'ba' → バ, and 'pa' → パ for the half-voiced ones. The ゛ and ゜ keys on the on-screen keyboard type the marks on their own; they do not join the letter before them.
Is this Katakana keyboard really free to use?
Absolutely free! AnyKeyboard's Katakana keyboard has no hidden costs, no registration required, and no usage limits. The site is supported by advertising, which is what keeps the keyboard free to use for everyone.
Does the Katakana keyboard work on mobile devices?
Yes. On a phone or tablet, tap the on-screen keys to type katakana; Romaji mode is for typing on a hardware keyboard, and works with one plugged into a tablet too.
How do I copy, save, or search my Katakana text?
After typing, click 'Copy' to copy your Katakana text to the clipboard. Click 'Save' to download as a UTF-8 .txt file. You can also click 'Google' or 'YouTube' to search directly.
Can I type Hiragana instead?
Yes. The Japanese Romaji keyboard turns the same romaji into hiragana, so ka becomes か there, and the Kana keyboard has the hiragana keys. Pick either from the Layout dropdown. None of the Japanese keyboards converts to kanji.
How do I type Katakana (カタカナ) for English loanwords?
Spell the word the way it is said in Japanese, with a hyphen for each long vowel: konpyu-ta- becomes コンピューター, inta-netto becomes インターネット, and chokore-to becomes チョコレート. Romaji mode writes each syllable as you type it.
How do I type Katakana online without a Japanese keyboard?
Type romaji on the keyboard you already have. This page starts in Romaji mode and writes katakana as you type, with no Japanese IME to install. Turn Romaji off to type the JIS kana layout instead, or tap the on-screen keys, then copy your text with one click.
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