Tamil Keyboard Download: The Best Apps for Android and iPhone

Start with Gboard, which many Android phones already use: add Tamil and type in English letters or Tamil script. On a Samsung Galaxy, try Samsung Keyboard first. Choose Indic Keyboard if you want an open-source app that declares no data collection, SwiftKey or Indic Keyboard for Tamil99, and Keyman for the typewriter or Bamini layout. Setup steps are in our Android Tamil keyboard guide.

No. iPhone and iPad include Tamil keyboards: transliteration, Anjal, Tamil99 and an alphabetic layout. Add one in Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards. Our iPhone Tamil keyboard guide walks through it. Start with those built-in options before installing another keyboard for an occasional Tamil message.

It is free to download. Its Google Play listing says the Android app contains ads and offers in-app purchases. The iPhone version is listed as free on the App Store. Check the listing for your device before installing because pricing and purchase options can change. Free download does not mean that every feature is free or that the app has no advertising.

Use the official store or a download explicitly supplied by the developer, and verify the publisher. Keyboard apps handle sensitive input, so a familiar name on an APK mirror is not enough to establish trust. Check permissions and current privacy disclosures before enabling an app. Prefer the official links in this comparison when deciding which Tamil keyboard to try.

On Android, Indic Keyboard, Swarachakra Tamil and Azhagi Indic Keyboard all declare on Google Play that they collect and share no data. These are the developers’ own declarations. On iPhone, Apple’s built-in Tamil keyboard needs no Full Access. Recheck the current listing and permissions rather than treating a privacy label as a permanent guarantee.

Yes. Type in English letters on our Tamil typing page and copy the Tamil into any app. You can also add it to your home screen so it opens like an app and works offline. It does not replace your phone keyboard, though.

Shortlist a keyboard that explicitly lists Bamini, such as the relevant Keyman package, rather than choosing by the word Tamil alone. Keyman offers several Tamil layouts; inspect the package description and try a short sample. For a browser trial before installing, use our Bamini keyboard. Confirm whether the receiving document needs Unicode output or legacy Bamini encoding.

No. Store privacy labels are declarations from the developer, so read them alongside the permissions and the developer’s documentation. Recheck the current listing before installing because an app can change. For confidential workplace material, follow your organisation’s software rules. A keyboard’s layout, convenience and privacy are separate criteria; none of them can be inferred simply from the word Tamil in its name.

Choose according to how each person enters words, rather than installing one app by default. Let your parent test a short message with the available script and English-letter layouts, and practise switching back to English. Start with the built-in or already installed keyboard using our Android or iPhone instructions. Change apps only if a specific missing feature matters.

No. Check whether the app supports your device, your preferred Tamil layout and the output you need. Read recent reviews for your particular problem, then verify features against the developer’s current listing. A good transliteration app may still be the wrong choice for a trained Tamil99 or Bamini typist. Test a short message and mixed English text before depending on it for daily work.