Choose Fast keyboard
Open Fast Arabic keyboard and select the Fast keyboard tab if it is not already active. Click inside the editor before typing. The virtual keyboard displays English keycaps because this method starts with English input.
Type on a physical keyboard or click the English keys. Both use the same local rules. A fresh visitor starts in Fast; a returning browser may remember a different method.
Type a short word
Type a'7md with no spaces. The a inserts alif, the apostrophe changes it to alif with hamza above, 7 inserts ha, m inserts mim, and d inserts dal. The name appears character by character; there is no need to press Space for a word request.
These are letter mappings, not an English translation. An English spelling may need adjustment to produce the Arabic you intend. Short vowels are not guessed, and case can matter: s and uppercase S select different letters.
Choose another letter form
Type a in a clear part of the draft and look at the alternatives beside the caret. Click a related form, or use Down and Enter. A displayed Alt+number shortcut also selects a candidate.
For a repeatable shortcut, type a followed by an apostrophe. The suffix changes the preceding alif into alif with hamza above. It affects that letter rather than the rest of the sentence.
When revisiting text with arrow keys, supported letters can show alternatives again. Left and right still move the caret. Press Down to enter those choices, then use Up or Down and Enter. Escape closes the popup.
Add vowel marks and review
Place the caret after the Arabic letter that needs a vowel mark. Click Fatha, Fathatan, Damma, Dammatan, Shadda, Sukun, Kasra, or Kasratan from the last row. The dotted circle shown on a key is a display aid, not an inserted character.
Use Undo to reverse a mistaken insertion or candidate choice; Redo restores an undone edit. Switching methods keeps the draft, so you can finish a difficult part with direct Arabic keys.
Copy or save the Arabic
Open Text style to change the whole draft. The starting appearance is Noto Kufi Arabic at 22 px. Font, size, color, emphasis, and overall direction also apply to Word and image downloads.
Copy keeps the words available for pasting as text. Save Word (.docx) creates an editable document. Save image (.png) creates a white-background image whose words are no longer editable as text in that image. Large image exports may need to be shortened.
Fast conversion and these downloads run in your browser. A saved browser draft is convenient, but copy or download important work before changing devices or clearing browser data.
Useful choices
Choose Fast for letter control
Use it when English sound shortcuts feel natural and you want to choose individual Arabic forms.
Choose Smart for complete words
Choose Smart when a completed transliterated word should return possible Arabic spellings. That lookup needs the word service.
Try it yourself
Try an alif variation
In Fast keyboard, type a followed by an apostrophe. Compare the resulting letter, then undo the change.
Compare with the example
أThe suffix changes the preceding alif to alif with hamza above. It does not insert a literal apostrophe.
Questions about this method
Does Fast need the Smart suggestion service?
No. Fast letter conversion and related-letter choices run locally. Loading the website still needs a connection unless it is already available in the browser.
Does typing sh automatically give shin?
Do not assume that every English two-letter spelling is a special rule. For shin, use the sin alternative or type s followed by an apostrophe.
Why does the same key differ in Simple keyboard?
Fast interprets English input through letter rules. Simple inserts the Arabic character at the matching physical position. Check the selected method and its keycaps.
Put it into practice
Open the keyboard and try the example with your own text.