FAQ: Double Pinyin vs. Full Pinyin
Why is it only letting me type two letters at a time? 
Q: Help, I am using Microsoft Pinyin in Windows and it is inserting an apostrophe after every one or two letters, then suggesting a Chinese character. Also some keys produce unexpected letters, like y = "v" but v = "zh" or "ue". How can I fix this?
Q: Help, I am using Google Pinyin in Android and it is inserting a space after every letter or two, so for example when I type "xuexi" it appears as "x ue xi", and the wrong Chinese character candidates appear. Must I learn some special Pinyin rules, or is there something wrong with my settings?
Q: Help, I'm using Ibus Pinyin in Ubuntu Linux and I'm experiencing this same problem no matter what I do. Can this be fixed?
A: Your Pinyin input method has been changed from Full Pinyin to Double Pinyin, a speed typing method. This happens to a lot of people, and don't worry it's easy to fix in most cases. You can learn more about Double Pinyin on Wikipedia https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/双拼  but I for one type quickly enough with good old midcentury modern Hanyu Pinyin, and I bet you'd rather just change this back to the default setting.
In Windows 10, go to Settings > Time & Language > Region & language / Languages / 中文 (PRC or Singapore) > Options > Keyboards / Microsoft Pinyin > Options > Pinyin style / Choose Pinyin style, and change from "Double Pinyin" to "Full Pinyin". Then close Settings.
In Windows 7, right-click on the Taskbar "CH" button, and select "Settings". The Text Services and Input Languages control panel will appear. In the General tab, under Installed Services, click once on the Simplified Chinese input method you are using. Click the "Properties" button. In the options panel that opens next, in the General tab under Pinyin Style, click the button for "Full Pinyin". Then click the "OK" button there and also on the Text Services panel.
In Android, some manufacturers and versions use slightly different names for the Settings options, but basically go to Settings > Personal / Language & input > Google Pinyin Input > Input > Pinyin scheme > and then in the choices that pop up select "Full Pinyin". If you use a Chinese Pinyin keyboard other than Google Pinyin, look for the Full/Double Pinyin selection in the options for that keyboard.
In Ubuntu Linux, normally this is also just a Settings thing, but in Ubuntu 14.04 and 14.10 you may find the Ibus libraries are mixed up and giving you Double Pinyin even when you have Full Pinyin selected. See my FAQ on fixing Ubuntu 14 bugs. For the rest of you I will come back here to post a few more details soon, but feel free to ask questions directly if you can't make this work.
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