Tips from Technology for Development

Let’s face it, sometimes we want to write in Ukrainian or Russian but we don’t feel like translating everything on Google Translate. We want to be able to type words directly on our computers. Follow these steps to add a Ukrainian or Russian keyboard to your operating system.

Mac Users:

Under the Apple on the far left of the top menu bar select “System Preferences”. Click on the “International” icon, which should be in the top row. In the “International preferences” click on the “Input Menu” tab. Scroll down and select “Russian”. This will give you the Russian standard keyboard. Toward the bottom make sure that the following are both selected: “Allow a different input source for each document” and “Show input menu in menu bar”. Close the “System Preferences”. At the top right of your menu bar, just to the left of the clock you should now see an American flag. Click on it and you will also see the Russian flag. To switch between input languages just click here and select the appropriate flag.

Windows 7 & Vista Users:

Press the Windows Key and type “Keyboard Language” then press enter. A box should open with a tab labeled “Keyboards and Languages”, press the button that is labeled “Change Keyboards…” Under “Installed Services”, choose “Add”. Expand Ukrainian or Russian, then Keyboard and check the appropriate language. Press “OK”. Back under “Text Services and Input Languages” click “Apply”. The language bar should now be near your clock. If it isn’t, you can right-click near the clock and choose “Toolbars” and make sure “Language Bar” has a checkmark next to it. To switch between languages quickly, press ALT+SHIFT.

Windows XP Users:

Click “Start”, click “Control Panel”, and then double-click “Regional and Language Options”. On the “Languages” tab, under “Text services and input languages”, click “Details”. Click “Add” under “Installed Services”, and then click Russian language and the Russian keyboard layout you want to use for that language. Back in “Text services and input languages”, under “Preferences”, click “Language Bar”. Select the “Show the Language bar on the desktop” check box.