IPA Font Installation

The IPA Unicode 6.2 (v1.5) MAC keyboard layout lets you type International Phonetic Alphabet characters on macOS. This article explains how to download the keyboard layout package, install the layout file, and add the layout as an input source so you can switch to it from the menu bar.

Before You Begin

You will need an internet connection and the ability to log out of and back in to your Mac. 

Download the Keyboard Layout Package

Steps

  1. Go to the IPA Unicode Keyboards page on the SIL website.
  2. Download the Mac package.
  3. Double-click the downloaded package to expand it.
  4. Confirm the expanded folder contains a PDF documentation file and a keyboard layout file.

Install the Keyboard Layout File

Choose one of the two locations below. Installing for all users requires an administrator password.

Install for All Users

  1. Open Finder.
  2. Press Command + Shift + G.
  3. Type /Library/Keyboard Layouts and press Return.
  4. Drag the keyboard layout file from the downloaded folder into this folder.
  5. Enter an administrator password if prompted.
  6. Log out of your Mac and log back in.

Install for Your Account Only

  1. Open Finder.
  2. Press Command + Shift + G.
  3. Type ~/Library/Keyboard Layouts and press Return. If the folder does not exist, create it.
  4. Drag the keyboard layout file from the downloaded folder into this folder.
  5. Log out of your Mac and log back in.

 

Add the Keyboard Layout as an Input Source

Steps

  1. Click the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen.
  2. Select System Settings.
  3. Scroll down the left sidebar and click Keyboard.
  4. In the Text Input section, click Edit.
  5. Click the + symbol in the bottom left corner.
  6. Scroll to the bottom of the left column and select Others.
  7. Select IPA Unicode 6.2 (v1.5) MAC.
  8. Click Add.
  9. Click Done to close the input source list.

Switch Between Keyboard Layouts

  • Click the input source icon in the menu bar and select the layout you want to use.
  • Or press Control + Option + Space to cycle through your installed input sources.
  • If the input source icon does not appear in the menu bar, return to System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input > Edit and turn on Show Input menu in menu bar.

Troubleshooting

  • The layout does not appear under Others. Confirm the layout file is in the Keyboard Layouts folder, then log out and back in. The layout will not appear until after a fresh login.
  • You cannot drag the file into /Library/Keyboard Layouts. You do not have administrator rights on the Mac. Use the per user install steps above or submit a ticket for assistance.
  • Characters do not display correctly after typing. The application or document may be using a font that does not include IPA characters. Switch to a Unicode font that supports IPA, such as Doulos SIL or Charis SIL, both available from SIL.

External Resources

See Related Articles to the right for more information.

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