Old English was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons in England from about the 5th to the 11th century. Its alphabet was based on Latin but included distinctive letters such as ash (æ), eth (ð), thorn (þ), and wynn (ƿ); modern editions also use macrons and dotted consonants to show vowel length and pronunciation. This keyboard lets you type and copy these Unicode characters, including long s (ſ) and Tironian et (⁊), then continue with the Old English translator.
How to Use the Old English Keyboard
Step 1
Choose Old English letters
Tap a key to insert an Old English letter at the current cursor position.
Step 2
Edit your text
Use Shift, Space, Enter, and Backspace, or edit directly in the text box.
Step 3
Copy and use it
Copy your text for notes, lessons, or documents, or continue with the Old English translator.
FAQ
Old English Keyboard Questions
Answers about typing, copying, and using Old English letters online.
Is this Old English keyboard free?
Yes. This online Old English keyboard is free to use, with no download or account required.
Do I need to install an Old English keyboard?
No. The virtual keyboard works in your browser, so you can type Old English without installing software or changing your device settings.
Which Old English characters are included?
The keyboard includes the traditional Old English alphabet, macron vowels such as ā and ǣ, editorial ċ and ġ, long s (ſ), and Tironian et (⁊).
What is the difference between þ and ð?
Thorn (þ) and eth (ð) both represented dental sounds now commonly written as th. Old English spelling did not consistently separate them by sound, so their use varies among manuscripts and editions.
What do ċ and ġ mean?
Modern editors use dotted ċ and ġ to mark palatal pronunciations. They help learners distinguish these sounds but were not separate letters in original Old English manuscripts.
What are ƿ, ſ, and ⁊?
Wynn (ƿ) represented the w sound, long s (ſ) was a historical form of s, and Tironian et (⁊) was a common abbreviation for and.
Is my Old English text uploaded?
No. Keyboard input and editing happen locally in your browser and are not uploaded by this tool.
Where can I use the copied Old English text?
You can paste the Unicode text into notes, lessons, documents, messages, search boxes, or the Old English translator.
