Pick a Unicode font
Unicode Hindi fonts, such as the Devanagari families on Google Fonts, work with text typed in InScript, phonetic keyboards or HindiType. Preview a few with your own text before downloading, since Devanagari shapes, matras and conjuncts vary between designs.
Kruti Dev is a legacy font with a different encoding. Install it only if you open documents that were typed with it.
Install the font
- Download the font family. Google Fonts provides a ZIP file.
- Right-click the ZIP file and choose Extract All.
- Open the extracted folder, right-click each .ttf or .otf file and choose Install, or Install for all users if you have administrator access.
- Alternatively, drag the files onto Settings → Personalisation → Fonts.
- Restart Word or any app that was open so it picks up the new font.
Use the font
Select your Hindi text and choose the font from the font list. If the text turns into boxes or English characters, the text and font do not match: Unicode text needs a Unicode font, and Kruti Dev text needs the Kruti Dev font or conversion to Unicode.
When you share a document, the other person also needs the font installed. For files that must look identical everywhere, export to PDF, which embeds the font.
Try it on HindiType
More guides
- InScript vs Remington: which Hindi keyboard should you learn?How the two main Hindi typing layouts differ, and how to choose between them.
- How to convert Kruti Dev to Unicode in MS WordA step-by-step workflow for moving Kruti Dev documents into Unicode Hindi.
- How to type in Hindi on WindowsAdd a Hindi keyboard, switch languages and pick a typing method.
- How to improve your Hindi typing speedA practice plan for faster, more accurate Hindi typing.