Korean Keyboard
The standard layout
Because Korean syllables alternate consonant and vowel, typing Korean alternates hands almost every keystroke. It is why 두벌식 is fast, and why the layout is worth ten minutes of learning rather than hunting for letters forever.
Blocks assemble themselves
The block reshapes itself as you type — 가 becomes 간 when the ㄴ arrives, and if the next letter is a vowel instead, the ㄴ jumps to the next block on its own: 가나. This is the IME doing what 연음 does in speech, and it is why you never have to think about block shapes while typing.
Switching it on
macOS
System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources → + → Korean → 2-Set Korean. Switch with Caps Lock or ⌃Space.
Windows
Settings → Time & Language → Language & Region → Add a language → 한국어. Switch with the 한/영 key, or right Alt on a non-Korean keyboard.
iPhone / iPad
Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard → Korean. Choose 2-Set for the layout above, or 10 Key for 천지인.
Android
Settings → System → Languages & input → Virtual keyboard → Gboard → Languages → add 한국어, then pick 두벌식 or 천지인.
The trick worth knowing
Type just the first consonant of each syllable and Korean autocomplete will find the word: ㄱㄱ finds 가격, ㅎㄱㅇ finds 한국어. It is how Koreans search their own contacts and messages, and it is the fastest way to find a word you half remember.
The search on this site does it too — press / and type in Hangul, in romanization, in initial consonants, or in English.
Common questions
How do I type Korean on my computer?
Add the Korean input source in your system settings — on macOS: System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources → Korean (2-Set); on Windows: Settings → Time & Language → Language → add Korean, then use the 한/영 key or Alt to switch. No extra software, and nothing to buy: every modern system ships the IME.
What is the 두벌식 keyboard?
The standard Korean layout, and the only one worth learning. 두벌식 means “two sets”: consonants on the left hand, vowels on the right. You type the letters of a syllable in order and the input method assembles them into a block as you go.
How do I type tense consonants like ㄲ?
Shift plus the plain letter. Shift+R gives ㄲ, Shift+E gives ㄸ, Shift+Q gives ㅃ, Shift+T gives ㅆ, Shift+W gives ㅉ. The only other shifted keys are Shift+O for ㅒ and Shift+P for ㅖ.
How do I type compound vowels like ㅘ?
Type the parts in order: ㅗ then ㅏ gives ㅘ. Same for every compound — ㅜ + ㅓ gives ㅝ, ㅡ + ㅣ gives ㅢ. There are no dedicated keys, and none are needed.
How do I type Korean on a phone?
Add the Korean keyboard in your keyboard settings. Two layouts are offered: 두벌식 (the same as the computer layout, on a small QWERTY grid) and 천지인, a 10-key layout built from the three vowel marks — ㆍ ㅡ ㅣ — that is faster with one thumb once learned.