How to type Vietnamese: the Telex method
Updated · By the Chào team
How do you type Vietnamese accents on a keyboard?
Most people type Vietnamese with the Telex input method, built into Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. Double or combine letters for the special vowels (aa → â, aw → ă, dd → đ, ow → ơ, uw → ư) and add s, f, r, x or j after a word for the tone: "vieetj" becomes "việt".
Special letters
| Type | Get |
|---|---|
| aw | ă |
| aa | â |
| dd | đ |
| ee | ê |
| oo | ô |
| ow | ơ |
| uw (or w) | ư |
Tone marks
| Key | Tone | Example |
|---|---|---|
| s | sắc | mas → má |
| f | huyền | maf → mà |
| r | hỏi | mar → mả |
| x | ngã | max → mã |
| j | nặng | maj → mạ |
| z | remove the tone | máz → ma |
Turning it on
- macOS: System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources → add Vietnamese → Telex.
- Windows: Settings → Time & language → Language → add Vietnamese, then choose the Telex keyboard.
- iPhone / Android: add the Vietnamese keyboard and pick Telex in its options.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Telex and VNI?
Telex uses letters for marks (s, f, r, x, j), VNI uses numbers (1–5 for tones). Telex is the most common on phones and computers.