Pinyin

How to Type Pinyin Tone Marks on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone

You do not need a special Chinese IME to write a few Pinyin syllables with marks. You need a way to put ā, á, ǎ, à on the vowel.

Fastest option on this site

In the Pinyin Writer, type the syllable and a number: hao3 becomes hǎo. Use 5 when you want the dotted neutral-tone style the tool describes.

Windows

The US International keyboard and the built-in Pinyin IME can both produce marked vowels, but they take setup. For a short caption, the Writer is less fiddly than adding a keyboard layout.

macOS

Press and hold a vowel in many apps to see accent choices. That works for á and à more easily than for the third-tone caron (ǎ), which is why learners still like number input.

Android and iPhone

Press and hold vowels on the system keyboard. Coverage varies by keyboard app. Gboard and Apple's keyboard both offer some accents; the third tone may still be missing.

If you already have Chinese characters, skip typing marks and generate Pinyin from the text.