Setup and Shortcuts

Before you begin

Setting up any device takes three steps: enable UnimeType in your system keyboard settings, pick 1 to 3 conversion languages in Input languages (English stays active at all times), and connect an AI service or local model.

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iPhone and iPad

1. Install and enable the keyboard

1. Install UnimeType from the App Store.
2. Open the UnimeType app once to choose your target languages and AI service.
3. Open iOS Settings › General › Keyboard › Keyboards › Add New Keyboard… and select UnimeType.
4. Tap UnimeType in the keyboard list and turn on Allow Full Access.

Why Allow Full Access is required: iOS sandboxes third-party keyboards so they cannot make network requests or read your saved app settings without Full Access. Ordinary typing stays local on your device; UnimeType only connects when you tap Convert, Polish, or Explain. See Privacy and protected content and Why iOS third-party keyboards ask for Full Access.

2. Toolbar, gestures, and feedback

Above the key rows, tap Convert, Polish, or Explain after typing a phrase or selecting text. Immediately after Convert or Polish, tap Another if you want to cycle to an alternative reading, or use Insert, Copy, and Close when reviewing panel results.

You can also long-press vowel or letter keys to slide and pick accented characters or tone marks directly. Key click sounds, haptic feedback, and key press previews can be toggled in the UnimeType app (key click sounds also require iOS Settings › Sound & Haptics › Keyboard Feedback › Sound to be on).

3. 30-second first Convert check

Open Notes or Messages, hold the globe key to switch to UnimeType, type wo jintian ba release notes fa gei ni, and tap Convert. Confirm the sentence becomes 我今天把 release notes 发给你.

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Android

1. Install and enable the IME

1. Install UnimeType from Google Play (UnimeType ships through Google Play; we do not offer a standalone APK on the website).
2. Open the UnimeType app, tap Enable keyboard on the setup card, and turn on UnimeType in Android's on-screen keyboard list.
3. Return to the UnimeType app, tap Choose keyboard, and select UnimeType in the system input method picker.
4. Accept the in-app AI text-processing consent (Android uses in-app consent rather than iOS's Full Access toggle), choose 1 to 3 conversion languages and your AI service, and tap Test Connection.

2. Toolbar, gestures, and feedback

Tap Convert, Polish, or Explain on the top toolbar after typing or selecting text. Long-pressing any letter key opens the full popup of tone and accent variants, and you can adjust vibration strength, key sound, and keycap popup behavior in UnimeType Settings.

3. 30-second first Convert check

Open any chat or note app, type kyou wa Tokyo de meeting ga arimasu (with Japanese enabled), and tap Convert. Confirm the text updates in place.

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Mac

1. Install and enable the input method

1. Download the signed and notarized UnimeTypeMac.dmg from the Download page, open it, and drag UnimeType to Applications.
2. Launch UnimeType from Applications and click Install / Enable Input Method in the setup window.
3. If macOS prompts you, open System Settings › Keyboard › Text Input › Input Sources › Edit…, click +, and add UnimeType.
4. Turn off macOS's built-in Caps Lock input switcher: In that same Edit… window, select All Input Sources in the left sidebar and turn off "Use the Caps Lock key to switch to and from last used Latin input source" (on Chinese keyboards, "Use the 中/英 key to switch to and from last used Latin input source"). Otherwise macOS intercepts Caps Lock to switch input sources before UnimeType can run Convert. For more background, see Mac Chinese-English input switching guide.
5. In UnimeType Settings, select your conversion languages, configure your AI service (or local Transliteration-2.0 endpoint), and click Test Connection.

2. Desktop shortcuts on macOS

3. 30-second first Convert check

Switch your macOS menu bar input source to UnimeType, open TextEdit or Notes, type wo jintian wanshang review PR, and press Caps Lock. Confirm it replaces the text with 我今天晚上 review PR.

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Windows

1. Install and select the input method

1. Download the signed Windows x64 or ARM64 installer from the Download page (labeled Beta) and run the setup wizard.
2. Open UnimeType Settings from the Start menu or system tray to configure your target languages and AI service.
3. Press Win + Space (or click the language indicator on the taskbar) and switch to UnimeType.

2. Desktop shortcuts on Windows 11

3. 30-second first Convert check

Open Notepad, switch to UnimeType, type a short mixed-language sentence, and press Caps Lock or Alt + Enter. If a particular desktop app does not allow automatic paragraph reading, highlight the sentence first and press Caps Lock.

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Linux

1. Install and configure on Ubuntu / Debian or Fedora / RHEL

1. Download unimetype-linux_amd64.deb (Ubuntu / Debian) or unimetype-linux.rpm (Fedora / RHEL) from the Download page.
2. Install the package in your terminal:

   # Ubuntu / Debian
   sudo apt install ./unimetype-linux_amd64.deb
   
   # Fedora / RHEL
   sudo dnf install ./unimetype-linux.rpm

3. Launch UnimeType Settings from your application launcher (or run unimetype-settings) to configure your AI service, local model endpoint, and enabled languages.
4. Confirm desktop accessibility / text-input integration is active as prompted by the settings window.

2. Shortcuts and usage on Linux

Press Caps Lock or Alt + Enter to run Convert on your typed buffer or active selection. In terminals or editors that restrict accessibility text read-back, type your phrase continuously and press Caps Lock, or select the text before triggering Convert.

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ChromeOS

1. Load the ChromeOS IME extension

1. Download UnimeType-chromeos.zip (Beta) from the Download page and unzip it to a folder in your Files app.
2. Open Chrome and navigate to chrome://extensions.
3. Turn on Developer mode in the top-right corner, click Load unpacked, and select the unzipped UnimeType folder.
4. Open ChromeOS Settings › Device › Keyboard and inputs › Input methods, click Add input methods, and check UnimeType.
5. Open the UnimeType extension options to set your AI service and conversion languages.

2. Shortcuts and Crostini Linux terminal support

Switch to the UnimeType input method on your shelf (or press Ctrl + Space), type in any browser field or ChromeOS app, and press Right Alt or Alt + Enter to run Convert (ChromeOS uses Right Alt or Alt + Enter rather than Caps Lock because ChromeOS reserves the Search/Launcher key).

In Crostini Linux apps, UnimeType tracks your continuous typed keystrokes so you can type a phrase in your Crostini terminal and press Right Alt or Alt + Enter to replace it in place.

Related

• Overview
• Convert, Polish, and Explain
• Input languages
• AI service, models, and credits
• Privacy and protected content
• Application compatibility
• Troubleshooting