Typing in Maltese requires a few special letters that you won’t find on a standard English keyboard.

These unique characters are essential for spelling and pronouncing Maltese words correctly.

Setting up a Maltese keyboard on your device is completely free and only takes a few minutes.

I’ll show you exactly how to add the Maltese language to your computer and phone so you can start typing right away.

The special Maltese letters

Maltese uses the standard Latin alphabet with four additional special letters.

You need a Maltese keyboard to type the letters ċ, ġ, ħ, and ż easily.

Without these letters, your written Maltese will be grammatically incorrect and difficult to understand.

Below is a table showing the four unique letters you’ll be able to type once your keyboard is set up.

How to set up a Maltese keyboard on Windows

Windows has built-in support for the Maltese language.

Here are the exact steps to enable it on your PC.

Step 1: Open your Start menu and click on the Settings gear icon.

Step 2: Select “Time & Language” from the main menu.

Step 3: Click on “Language & region” on the right side of the screen.

Step 4: Under the “Preferred languages” section, click the “Add a language” button.

Step 5: Type “Maltese” into the search bar.

Step 6: Select Maltese from the search results and click “Next”.

Step 7: Click “Install” to add the keyboard layout to your computer.

You can now switch between your standard keyboard and your new Maltese keyboard by pressing the Windows key and the Spacebar at the same time.

How to set up a Maltese keyboard on Mac

Apple also includes a native Maltese keyboard layout on macOS.

Follow these instructions to add it to your Mac computer.

Step 1: Click the Apple logo in the top left corner of your screen.

Step 2: Select “System Settings” from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Scroll down the left sidebar and click on “Keyboard”.

Step 4: Under the “Text Input” section, click the “Edit” button next to Input Sources.

Step 5: Click the plus (+) button in the bottom left corner of the window.

Step 6: Search for “Maltese” in the search box.

Step 7: Select the Maltese keyboard and click the “Add” button.

You can now switch languages by clicking the input menu in your top menu bar or by pressing the Control key and the Spacebar together.

How to set up a Maltese keyboard on iPhone and iPad

Typing Maltese on an iOS mobile device is very straightforward.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.

Step 2: Tap on “General”.

Step 3: Scroll down and select “Keyboard”.

Step 4: Tap on “Keyboards” at the very top of the screen.

Step 5: Select “Add New Keyboard…”.

Step 6: Scroll through the list or use the search bar to find “Maltese”.

Step 7: Tap “Maltese” to instantly add it to your active keyboards.

To use your new letters, just tap and hold the globe icon on your keyboard while typing to switch languages.

How to set up a Maltese keyboard on Android

Android devices use different keyboards, but the Google Keyboard (Gboard) is the most common.

These steps will work for almost all Android phones.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your phone.

Step 2: Scroll down and tap on “System”.

Step 3: Select “Languages & input”.

Step 4: Tap on “On-screen keyboard” and then select Gboard.

Step 5: Tap on “Languages” at the top of the menu.

Step 6: Press the “Add keyboard” button at the bottom of the screen.

Step 7: Search for “Maltese” and select it from the list.

Step 8: Tap “Done” to finish the setup process.

You can switch to the Maltese keyboard by pressing and holding the spacebar while typing a message.