Microsoft® Windows® Japanese IME Shortcut Keys

September 14th, 2007 Pekk Posted in Japanese |

Since this is always something I’m forgetting, and it is a very important bit of information I’ll make this quick post to get the information up here.

The default keyboard shortcut for the Microsoft® IME to switch between languages is left alt + shift. This can be changed through the IME options though. Once you’re in Japanese mode the shortcuts are as follows:

• Switch to Hiragana - alt + caps lock
• Switch to Katakana (from Hiragana) - alt + capslock again.
• Switch to Hiragana (from Katakana) - ctrl + capslock
• Switch to direct input - alt + ~

I don’t think this is how it’s supposed to work, but this is how it seems to work for me, if I’m stuck in Katakana I can hit ctrl+caps to get back to Hiragana. But this is only what I’ve noticed for the Final Fantasy XI Windower IME plugin. I don’t really use my windows for anything else.

A document I found online stated:

Control + Shift:		This switches between IME languages (ie. between English & Japanese, and back again).
Control + CapLocks:		This shortcut switches to katakana input mode.
Control + CapLocks (Twice quickly):		This shortcut switches to hiragana input mode.
Control + ~ :		This switches between the current input mode and the English (Latin script — direct input) mode within the Japanese IME.

This might work better for other applications.