Microsoft keyboard layout creator vs Keyman

Struggling to choose between Microsoft keyboard layout creator and Keyman? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Microsoft keyboard layout creator is a Office & Productivity solution with tags like keyboard, layout, language, localization, typing, accessibility.

It boasts features such as Create custom keyboard layouts for any language, Visually design keyboard layout and see changes in real-time, Test new keyboard layouts before deploying, Generate keyboard layout installer for distribution, Support for different keyboard types (QWERTY, DVORAK, etc), Advanced options for dead keys, diacritics, alt+key shortcuts, Export layout data files for sharing and pros including Free and easy to use, Intuitive visual interface, No programming knowledge required, Works for any language script, Testing allows refinement before deployment, Customizable for special needs.

On the other hand, Keyman is a Office & Productivity product tagged with multilingual, typing, keyboard-manager.

Its standout features include Supports typing in over 1200 languages, Allows users to type in multiple languages within any application, Includes keyboards for a wide variety of languages, Works across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, Allows creation of custom keyboard layouts, Seamlessly switches between installed keyboards, Includes text prediction and auto-correction, Open source and extensible, and it shines with pros like Supports a very large number of languages, Easy to switch between languages and keyboards, Works across many platforms, Free and open source, Active development community, Customizable and extensible.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Microsoft keyboard layout creator

Microsoft keyboard layout creator

Microsoft keyboard layout creator is a free tool from Microsoft that allows you to visually design and test custom keyboard layouts. You can fully customize the keyboard to suit different languages or special purposes.

Categories:
keyboard layout language localization typing accessibility

Microsoft keyboard layout creator Features

  1. Create custom keyboard layouts for any language
  2. Visually design keyboard layout and see changes in real-time
  3. Test new keyboard layouts before deploying
  4. Generate keyboard layout installer for distribution
  5. Support for different keyboard types (QWERTY, DVORAK, etc)
  6. Advanced options for dead keys, diacritics, alt+key shortcuts
  7. Export layout data files for sharing

Pricing

  • Free

Pros

Free and easy to use

Intuitive visual interface

No programming knowledge required

Works for any language script

Testing allows refinement before deployment

Customizable for special needs

Cons

Limited to remapping keys

Cannot create completely new keyboard types

Advanced features may require learning curve

Limited documentation and community support

Windows only, no cross-platform support


Keyman

Keyman

Keyman is a keyboard manager software that enables typing in multiple languages on computers. It supports over 1,200 languages and allows users to type in those languages seamlessly within any application on their device.

Categories:
multilingual typing keyboard-manager

Keyman Features

  1. Supports typing in over 1200 languages
  2. Allows users to type in multiple languages within any application
  3. Includes keyboards for a wide variety of languages
  4. Works across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android
  5. Allows creation of custom keyboard layouts
  6. Seamlessly switches between installed keyboards
  7. Includes text prediction and auto-correction
  8. Open source and extensible

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

Pros

Supports a very large number of languages

Easy to switch between languages and keyboards

Works across many platforms

Free and open source

Active development community

Customizable and extensible

Cons

Set up can be complex for some languages

Limited options for non-Latin scripts

Predictive text not as robust as proprietary options

Limited native integration with mobile platforms

Requires installation of language packs