Switch to a Japanese input source on Mac
After you set up the input sources you want to use on your Mac, you can easily switch between them.
Switch to a Japanese input source
On your Mac, do any of the following:
Use the Input menu: Click the Input menu in the menu bar, then choose an input source. If the input source is dimmed, the current app doesn’t support it.
You can also press Control-Option-Space bar to select the next input source in the Input menu, or Control-Space bar to select the previous input source. Or, to view all your input sources (displayed close to where you’re typing as characters or letters that represent each source), hold the Control key and press the Space bar. Continue pressing the Space bar until the input source you want to switch to is selected.
Use the Caps Lock key: You can set an option in Input Sources settings to change between Latin and non-Latin input sources by using the Caps Lock key. Choose Apple menu
in the sidebar (you may need to scroll down). Go to Text Input on the right, click Edit, then turn on “Use the Caps Lock key to switch to and from [last used Latin input source].”Press the Caps Lock key to switch between a non-Latin input source (such as Japanese) and a Latin input source (such as English).
Use the Fn key or the Globe key
(if available on the keyboard): You can set an option in Keyboard settings to change input sources by using the Fn key or the Globe key. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Keyboard in the sidebar (you may need to scroll down). Click the “Press fn key to” or “Press key to” pop-up menu, then choose Change Input Source.Press the Fn key or the Globe key to switch to the next input source and show all your input sources close to where you’re typing (displayed as characters or letters that represent each source). Continue pressing the key until the input source you want to switch to is selected.
Use the Touch Bar: If your Mac has a Touch Bar and you customized the Control Strip by adding
, tap it, then tap a Japanese input source. To learn how to change the Control Strip, see Customize the Touch Bar.
Switch between Japanese input modes
On your Mac, do one of the following:
Switch to Hiragana: Do any of the following:
On a keyboard: Press Control-Shift-J or Option-Shift-Z.
On a JIS keyboard: Press the Kana key (かな).
Switch to Romaji: Do any of the following:
On a keyboard: Press Control-Shift-Apostrophe ('). The Romaji input mode must be selected in settings for the Japanese input source.
Note: You can also press Shift if the “Shift key action” option is set to “Enter Romaji mode.”
To select the option, click the Input menu in the menu bar, choose Open Japanese - Kana Settings or Open Japanese - Romaji Settings, then click Japanese - Kana or Japanese - Romaji in the sidebar.
On a JIS keyboard: Press Control-Shift-Semicolon (;) or press the Eisu key (英数).
Switch to Full-width Romaji: Press Control-Shift-L. The Full-width Romaji input mode must be selected in settings for the Japanese input source.
Switch to Katakana: Do any of the following:
On a keyboard: Press Control-Shift-K or Option-Shift-X. The Katakana input mode must be selected in settings for the Japanese input source.
On a JIS keyboard: Press Shift-Kana key (かな).
Note: You can also press Shift if the “Shift key action” option is set to Type Katakana.
To select the option, click the Input menu in the menu bar, choose Open Japanese - Kana Settings or Open Japanese - Romaji Settings, then click Japanese - Kana or Japanese - Romaji in the sidebar.
Switch to Half-width Katakana: Press Control-Shift-Semicolon (;). The Half-width Katakana input mode must be selected in settings for the Japanese input source.