Windows Vista Chinese Pinyin Setup
A Quick Start Guide to Using Pinyin Input for
Simplified AND Traditional Chinese Characters
in Western Versions of Microsoft Windows Vista
This page is for anyone who needs the Pinyin input method to type Chinese characters into Western versions of Windows Vista.
If you only want Pinyin with tone marks, you may be interested in my Pinyin macro for Microsoft Word, or you may want to look at my survey of third-party fonts, input methods and tools.
Windows Vista comes with Pinyin input methods for both traditional and simplified Chinese characters, and a basic set of fonts for each. Use the following simple steps to set up Pinyin input:
1. Adding Simplified Chinese Pinyin Input (this page)
2. Adding Traditional Chinese Pinyin Input
3. Adjusting the Language Bar and shortcuts
4. English User Guide for the Microsoft Pinyin IMEs
1. Adding Simplified Chinese Pinyin Input
For simplified characters, set up the "Chinese (Simplified) Microsoft Pinyin IME", also known as "MSPY", as follows:
 Open the "Regional and Language Options" control panel:
- Click on the Windows Start menu.
- Click on "Control Panel".
In Control Panels, do one of the following:
- In Control Panels Home, find "Clock, Language and Region" and click on "Change keyboards or other input methods." (See screen shot #1 below.)
- or, if you are in Control Panels Classic View, Find and double-click on the "Regional and Language Options" icon. (See screen shot #2 below.)
1. Click here in Control Panels Home:
2. Or double-click here in if you are in Control Panels "Classic View":
When the "Regional and Language Options" control panel appears:
- Click the "Change keyboards..." button. (Don't worry, despite the name of this button your English keyboard will remain available at all times after we're done.)
When "Text Services and Input Languages" appears:
- Click on the "Add..." button:
When "Add Input Language" appears:
- Scroll down to "Chinese (PRC)".
- Click on the plus signs next to "Chinese (PRC)" and "Keyboard".
- Click the checkbox to select "Chinese (Simplified) - Microsoft Pinyin IME".
(Note: "IME" stands for "Input Method Editor", if you really need to know.)
- Click the "OK" button.
You can click the Add button again to select more input methods, but most of the others are more appropriate for professional speed typists. Waiguoren - and the average Chinese user - usually don't want to go there. And we'll come back to the "Chinese (Taiwan)" keyboard later under installing Hanyu Pinyin for Traditional Chinese.
For now we'll leave the properties of your Simplified Chinese IME alone, but you may find it useful to remember the location of the following controls:
- Click once on the name of the input method, "Chinese (Simplified) - Microsoft Pinyin IME" to select it, then click on the "Properties" button. (Note: These settings can also be accessed later via the Options menu in the Language Bar.)
- Here you will find many options for each of the three Pinyin input method versions included with this IME:
I recommend you leave these options as they are for now, unless you are very accustomed to the older "Classic" style or the "ABC" style. These settings can also be accessed later via the Options menu in the Language Bar when this input method is selected. The Getting Started guide in the Help menu has more information on all of this.
You will now find the Language Bar at the lower-right of your screen, in the Taskbar:
When "Chinese (PRC)" is selected, if you click the Options icon at the far right, you can click "Options..." in the menu to adjust this IME's settings:
To install more features, make adjustments to the Language Bar and learn how to use this input method, please read on...
Next steps:
2. Adding Traditional Chinese Pinyin input
3. Adjusting the Language Bar and shortcuts
4. English User Guide: the Microsoft Pinyin IMEs Help Files
« top |
