How to Type Romanian Letters on Windows: Ă Â Î Ș Ț

TL;DR

If you need to type ș / ț / ă / â / î on Windows right now, you have four reliable options:

1. Install the Romanian keyboard layout (best long-term solution)
2. Use Alt codes (works without changing layouts)
3. Copy–paste as a fallback (fast, no setup)
4. Fix common mistakes (comma vs cedilla)

This guide shows exact steps, not theory.

Romanian alphabet pronunciation hub

If you want the full system behind these sounds, see the Romanian alphabet pronunciation hub

Explore the practice hub →

Why typing Romanian letters on Windows is confusing

Romanian uses five special letters:

• Ă ă
• Â â
• Î î
• Ș ș (S with comma below)
• Ț ț (T with comma below)

The problem is that many systems still confuse:

• Ș / Ț (comma) ❌ vs Ş / Ţ (cedilla)

Only comma-below letters are correct in modern Romanian.

Method 1: Install the Romanian keyboard layout (recommended)

This is the cleanest and fastest method if you type Romanian often.

Step-by-step (Windows 10 / 11)

1. Open Settings
2. Go to Time & Language → Language & Region
3. Click Add a language
4. Search for Romanian
5. Add Română
6. Select Romanian – Standard keyboard

You can now switch keyboards using:

• Win + Space

Romanian keyboard basics (what to press)

On the Romanian Standard layout:

Use Shift for uppercase versions.

This layout follows the official Romanian keyboard standard, not the old legacy one.

Method 2: Alt codes (no keyboard change)

If you can’t install layouts, Alt codes work anywhere on Windows.

Num Lock must be ON, and you must use the numeric keypad.

Romanian Alt codes

This method is slower but layout-independent.

Method 3: Copy–paste fallback (fastest in emergencies)

If you only need a few letters: ă â î ș ț Ă Â Î Ș Ț

You can also use:

• Online Romanian keyboards
• Notes app snippets
• Browser bookmarks with characters saved

This is common among beginners and perfectly fine short-term.

Method 4: Browser-based typing tools

If you’re on a locked computer or public PC:

• Use a Romanian typing web tool
• Type normally, then copy into your document

This avoids system changes and works everywhere.

How to type Romanian letters on Android

Typing Romanian letters on Android is fast and built in — no third-party apps required.

Method 1: Enable Romanian keyboard (recommended)

1. Open Settings
2. Go to System → Languages & input
3. Tap Languages → Add a language
4. Select Română (Romanian)
5. Choose a keyboard layout (standard Latin works fine)

Once enabled, switch keyboards using the globe 🌐 icon on your keyboard.

Method 2: Long-press shortcuts (works immediately)

On most Android keyboards (Gboard, Samsung Keyboard):

• Long-press A → ă â
• Long-press I → î
• Long-press S → ș
• Long-press T → ț

This is the fastest method if you only need Romanian letters occasionally.

Method 3: Gboard auto-suggestions

If Romanian is enabled in Gboard → Languages:

• The keyboard suggests ș / ț / ă / â / î
• Many spelling mistakes are corrected automatically

Common Android issues (and fixes)

• Only Ş / Ţ appear → Update your keyboard app
• No long-press options → Enable “Show accents” in keyboard settings
• Wrong symbols → Switch to standard Latin layout

Common mistake: Ș / Ț vs Ş / Ţ (very important)

Many older systems still produce:

• Ş (S with cedilla) ❌
• Ţ (T with cedilla) ❌

Correct Romanian requires:

• Ș (comma below) ✅
• Ț (comma below) ✅

How to check

• Zoom in: comma is clearly visible
• Copy into a dictionary: wrong characters won’t match

Using the Romanian Standard keyboard avoids this issue entirely.

Troubleshooting tips

“My Romanian letters look wrong”

You’re likely using:

• Romanian Legacy keyboard
  Switch to Romanian – Standard.

“Alt codes don’t work”

• Num Lock is off
• Laptop has no numeric keypad
  Use keyboard layout instead.

“Windows autocorrect changes letters”

Disable language-specific autocorrect or spellcheck for Romanian input.

Which method should you choose?

Most learners eventually settle on the Romanian keyboard layout.

Final takeaway

To type Romanian letters on Windows:

• Install Romanian – Standard for speed
• Use Alt codes if layouts aren’t allowed
• Avoid cedilla letters at all costs
• Practice until diacritics feel automatic

Once set up, typing ș, ț, ă, â, î becomes effortless.

Next steps:
Learn how to type Romanian letters on Mac or return to the Romanian alphabet pronunciation hub to connect stress with real sound patterns.