User interface
The Prediction candidate window offers typeahead candidates.
General operations
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At this state |
Press this key |
To do this |
|---|---|---|
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Before focus enters the candidate window |
Tab |
Enter the prediction candidate window. |
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Shift + Tab |
Enter the prediction candidate window. |
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Down arrow |
Enter the prediction candidate window. |
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Up arrow |
Enter the prediction candidate window. |
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With focus inside the candidate window |
Tab |
Move the selection down. |
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Shift + Tab |
Move the selection up. |
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Down arrow |
Move the selection down. |
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Up arrow |
Move the selection up. |
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Number |
Select the corresponding candidate. |
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Enter |
Select the focused candidate. |
Other features
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Suggested candidates can be customized under IME settings > General > Predictive Input.
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Use input history
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Use system dictionary
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Use suggestion services (by turning this on, what you write will be encrypted and sent to Microsoft to get text suggestions from Bing.)
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You can click the cross icon or press Ctrl + Delete to remove the selected candidate.
Note: Some candidates can't be removed (e.g., dates).
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You can click the magnifier icon or press Ctrl + B to search the selected candidate on the internet.
The Conversion candidate window offers candidates whose reading matches what you type.
General operations
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At this state |
Press this key |
To do this |
|---|---|---|
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Before focus enters the candidate window |
Space |
1st press: Convert what you type. 2nd press: Open the conversion candidate window. |
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Shift + Space |
1st press: Convert what you type. 2nd press: Open the conversion candidate window. |
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With focus inside the candidate window |
Space |
Move the selection down. |
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Shift + Space |
Move the selection up (Microsoft IME template) / down (ATOK template). |
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Down arrow |
Move the selection down (Microsoft IME template) / Select the focused candidate. (ATOK template) |
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Up arrow |
Move the selection up. |
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Tab |
Expand to table view. |
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Number |
Select the corresponding candidate. |
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Enter |
Select the focused candidate. |
Other features
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IME can improve input accuracy based on what you type. This can be turned off / on with the Improve input accuracy based on what I type on this PC setting in IME settings > Learning and Dictionary.
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You can manually add a new word to the IME dictionary from below.
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Open the user dictionary tool in IME settings > Learning and Dictionary.
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Add Word in the context menu (right-click menu) of the IME mode icon in the notification area.
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You can turn on / off system dictionaries at System dictionaries in IME settings > Learning and Dictionary.
IME supports a UI called IME toolbar which offers an alternate way to quickly invoke specific IME functions. The IME toolbar is the UI renewed from the language bar.
To open the IME toolbar, right-click the IME mode icon in the notification area, then select Show/hide IME toolbar.
Keyboard shortcuts
IME offers keys or combinations of keys to use IME functions.
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Press this key |
To do this |
|---|---|
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Hankaku/Zenkaku |
Turn on / off Japanese input. |
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Eisu (Caps lock) |
Toggle between Hiragana and Alphanumeric mode. |
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Hiragana |
Enter Hiragana mode. |
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Alt + Hiragana |
Switch between Kana input and Romaji input. Prerequisite: Turn on the Switch Kana/Romaji input with Alt + Katakana Hiragana Romaji key setting in IME settings > General. |
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Shift + Hiragana |
Enter Katakana mode. |
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Convert |
Reconversion |
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Ctrl + Convert |
Open IME context menu (right-click menu). |
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NonConvert |
Toggle among Hiragana, Full-width Katakana, and Half-width Katakana. |
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Shift + NonConvert |
Toggle between Half-width Alphanumeric and Full-width Alphanumeric mode. |
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ImeOn (あ key) *1 |
Enter Hiragana mode. |
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Alt + ImeOn (あ key) *1 |
Switch between Kana input and Romaji input. Prerequisite: Turn on the Switch Kana/Romaji input with Alt + Katakana Hiragana Romaji key setting in IME settings > General. |
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Ctrl + ImeOn (あ key) *1 |
Reconversion |
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Shift + ImeOn (あ key) *1 |
Enter Full-width Katakana mode. |
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ImeOff (A key) *1 |
Enter Half-width Alphanumeric mode. |
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Ctrl + ImeOff (A key) *1 |
Toggle among Hiragana, Full-width Katakana, and Half-width Katakana. |
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Shift + ImeOff (A key) *1 |
Toggle among un-capitalized, all-capitalized, and first-character-capitalized full-width alphanumeric characters. |
*1: The ImeOn (あ) key and ImeOff (A) key are available on specific Japanese hardware keyboards. The ImeOn key and the ImeOff key work on the following operating systems.
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Windows 10 Version 1903 (OS build 18362.1049 or later)
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1909 (OS build 18363.1049 or later)
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2004 (OS build 19041.388 or later)
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Versions of Windows 10 later than 2004
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Windows 11
For developers, please refer to Keyboard Japan - ImeOn / ImeOff Implementation | Microsoft Docs for more details.
|
Press this key |
To do this |
|---|---|
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Hankaku/Zenkaku |
Turn on / off Japanese input. |
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Eisu (Caps lock) |
Toggle between Hiragana and Alphanumeric mode. |
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Hiragana |
Toggle between Hiragana and Alphanumeric mode. |
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Alt + Hiragana |
Toggle between Kana input and Romaji input. Prerequisite: Turn on the Switch Kana/Romaji input with Alt + Katakana Hiragana Romaji key setting in IME settings > General. |
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Shift + Hiragana |
Enter Katakana mode. |
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Convert |
Turn on / off Japanese input. |
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Shift + Convert |
Reconversion |
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NonConvert |
Toggle between Hiragana and Half-width Alphanumeric mode. |
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Ctrl + NonConvert |
Toggle among Hiragana, Full-width Katakana, and Half-width Katakana. |
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Shift + NonConvert |
Toggle between Hiragana, Full-width Alphanumeric, and Half-width Alphanumeric mode. |
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ImeOn (あ key) *1 |
Enter Hiragana mode. |
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Alt + ImeOn (あ key) *1 |
Switch between Kana input and Romaji input. Prerequisite: Turn on the Switch Kana/Romaji input with Alt + Katakana Hiragana Romaji key setting in IME settings > General. |
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Ctrl + ImeOn (あ key) *1 |
Reconversion |
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Shift + ImeOn (あ key) *1 |
Enter Full-width Katakana mode. |
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ImeOff (A key) *1 |
Enter Half-width Alphanumeric mode. |
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Ctrl + ImeOff (A key) *1 |
Toggle among Hiragana, Full-width Katakana, and Half-width Katakana. |
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Shift + ImeOff (A key) *1 |
Toggle among un-capitalized, all-capitalized, and first-character-capitalized full-width alphanumeric characters. |
*1: The ImeOn (あ) key and the ImeOff (A) key are available on specific Japanese hardware keyboards. The ImeOn key and the ImeOff key work on the following operating systems.
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Windows 10 Version 1903 (OS build 18362.1049 or later)
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1909 (OS build 18363.1049 or later)
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2004 (OS build 19041.388 or later)
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Versions of Windows 10 later than 2004
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Windows 11
For developers, please refer to Keyboard Japan - ImeOn / ImeOff Implementation | Microsoft Docs for more details.
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Press this key |
To do this |
|---|---|
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Ctrl + Delete |
Remove the selected candidate from the prediction candidate window. |
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Ctrl + B |
Search the selected candidate in the prediction candidate window. |
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Tab |
Expand / collapse the table view in the conversion candidate window. |
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Windows logo key + period (.) |
Open Emoji picker. |
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Ctrl + Shift + F10 |
Turn on / off IME private mode. |
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F6 |
Convert input string to Hiragana. |
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F7 |
Convert input string to Full-width Katakana. |
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F8 |
Convert input string to Half-width Katakana. |
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F9 |
Convert input string to Full-width Alphanumeric. |
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F10 |
Convert input string to Half-width Alphanumeric. |
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Press this key |
To do this |
|---|---|
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Alt + Backquote (`) |
Turn on / off Japanese input. |
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Ctrl + Caps lock |
Equivalent to Hiragana key on a Japanese keyboard (106/109 key). |
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Alt + Caps lock |
Equivalent to Shift + Hiragana key on a Japanese keyboard (106/109 key). |
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Shift + Caps lock |
Equivalent to Eisu key on a Japanese keyboard (106/109 key). |
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Press this key |
To do this |
|---|---|
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Ctrl + Delete |
Remove the selected candidate from the prediction candidate window. |
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Ctrl + B |
Search the selected candidate in the prediction candidate window. |
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Tab |
Expand / collapse the table view in the conversion candidate window. |
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Windows logo key + period (.) |
Open Emoji picker. |
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Ctrl + Shift + F10 |
Turn on / off IME private mode. |
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F6 |
Convert input string to Hiragana. |
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F7 |
Convert input string to Full-width Katakana. |
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F8 |
Convert input string to Half-width Katakana. |
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F9 |
Convert input string to Full-width Alphanumeric. |
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F10 |
Convert input string to Half-width Alphanumeric. |
IME settings
Find IME settings in Windows 11
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Select Start , then select Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
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In the Japanese row, select > Language options.
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In the Microsoft IME. row, select > Keyboard options.
Note: You can also search “Japanese IME settings” in the Search on the taskbar.
Find IME settings in Windows 10
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Select Start , then select Settings > Time & language > Language.
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Scroll down and select Japanese > Options.
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Scroll down and select Microsoft IME, then select Options.
Note: You can also search “Japanese IME settings” in the Search on the taskbar, or press Settings in the context menu (right-click menu) of the IME mode icon in the notification area.
Key customization
With IME, you can change a specific key function in IME settings > Key and touch customization.
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Key template: Key template is a set of key configurations. For Windows 11 and Windows 10 as of the October 2020 Update, IME offers the following templates. See keyboard shortcuts for more details.
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Microsoft IME
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ATOK
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Key assignment: If you want to customize a specific key function within the selected template, you can customize several keys at Key assignment.
How can I give feedback?
If you encounter any problems or have suggestions regarding Microsoft IME, please give us feedback through the Feedback Hub. You can open the Feedback Hub from Send feedback in the context menu (right-click menu) of the IME mode icon in the notification area or click here. Your feedback goes directly to our engineers working to improve IME. For more on steps for providing feedback, please refer to Send feedback with the feedback hub app.
Compatibility
Microsoft Japanese IME was renewed as of Windows 10 October 2020 Update (Version 2004) and is also available with Windows 11. IME supports a compatibility setting in IME settings > General. If you encounter issues with the new IME, you can enable the previous version of IME by turning on Use previous version of Microsoft IME. We'll continue to improve the new IME, so please consider filing feedback to help us deliver a great input experience to you.
