Keyswap – IAST Diacritics Windows Software (for Sanskrit Scholars)

Keyswap is a Windows transliteration application that runs in the background. It let's you add diacritics to roman letters by pressing ‘ = ‘ after any key. Actually any trigger key of choice can be assigned.
It was initially made for private use during my years of learning Sanskrit at Uni. Handwriting was too slow. Thus came idea of typing IAST quickly.
Example how to use: Keep pressing ‘ = ‘ after letter ‘ n ‘ and we get: n > ṇ > ṅ > keeps cycling…
Keyswap can also be used to map additional letters in any language, by editing the text file.
About IAST:
IAST (ISO 15919) is neat and legible. Unlike ITRANS format, unacceptable for serious scholars. For example…
ITRANS / SLP: bRhadAraNyaka upaniShad 😯
IAST: bṛhadāraṇyaka upaniṣad 😀
Practical Uses:
- Can complete Sanskrit homework quickly and submit to your teacher.
- Can quickly type in MS Word or WordPress.
- Can look up words in Sanskrit dictionary, as demonstrated below…

Our favorite Sanskrit > English Dictionary.
Step 1:
- Download Keyswap for Windows. No install needed.
- Mac? Should be coming by March 2021.
- Access Online Version.
Step 2:
Before launching: Right-click on “keyswap” > Properties > Advanced > Run as Administrator. (Else it won't work in some applications)
Step 3:
Continue typing as normal.
To add diacritic to a character, press = after it. (TIP: Can change = with any key desired)
Now we can quickly type: Rāmāyaṇam, saṃsāra, śiṣyaṁ, etc.
Editing config.txt file to add extra characters:
Right-click on ‘config.txt' > Open with > Notepad
Add/remove characters.
After saving, EXIT keyswap from taskbar. Launch again.
Adding Keyswap to Windows Startup:
Right-click on the green Keyswap icon in taskbar > Add to startup
Known Conflicts:
- Won't work with Keyman running in background.
thanks brother ……..
I’m using the Keyswap and it is very useful. If you are in sanskrit transliteration this should be one of the tool must add.
I have just installed keyswap downloaded from the above link. However, I was trying to type Krsna with the dots under r, s, and n. Pressing “=” worked for r and s. Howver, after n when I press “=”. It is converting Word from Print layout to Draft Layout and it is deleting n. Then “=” works like backspace deleting the typed letters.
Kindly help.
Here, all letters are working with ‘=’, in any program, including MS Word. Both on Win 7, XP and Win 10. Perhaps change ‘=’ to diff key.
Also, ensure to run Keyswap as Admin. Right-click: Run as Administrator.
Great tool, thanks a lot!
Hi Andre, thank you for your tool! I have just downloaded it, it seems to work beautifully.
I have been typing IAST for years just in Word after asigning some combination of keys to each letter.
Eg: (ctrl+alt+acute) + a= ā
Your tool works in all Windows, so it is a huge plus. It is very helpful.
My computer has a Spanish keyboard with “ñ” and a slightly different configuration, so instead of “=” I have to use “+” to make Keyswap work.
By the way, sometimes we need to use IAST with capital letters, when the sanskrit is part of a paragraph in English / Spanish.
Eg: “Śivāya” means “to Śiva”.
It would be nice if your tool included the capital letters.
Thank you!
Glad it’s helping. Already includes capitals also.
It didn’t work with Capitals for me. I watched the video (I hadn’t done it before, sorry) and found your explanation about the Config file.
The file I downloaded didn’t have the Capitals, but I added them now.
Thanks a lot again!
Added capitals to download ver. Thanks.
How to change the given font in your app to Balaram font.
Keyswap will type in any font selected in your word processor.
I use WordPerfect but can’t seem to get Keyswap to work in the program. Any ideas on how I can use it in WordPerfect? Thank you!
Before launching: Right-click on “keyswap” > Properties > Advanced > Run as Administrator.
Still doesn’t work? Right-click on “WordPerfect” > Run as Administrator.
Still doesn’t work? No further solutions.
As per dictionaries such as Merriam Webster, an A with a line over it, means it is pronounced as the letter A sounds. Like in Ate, Ape, etc. For an aa sound as in father, far, etc they recommend either two dots or an angle sign: Ä or  BUT NOT Ā
Raja, there is no Ä, Â (they’re all result of bad conversions to online ver). There is only ā (IAST). Stick to encoding: http://yesvedanta-sanskrit.s3.amazonaws.com/sankrit-encoding-table.jpg
If want proper Merriam Webster, which maintains correct encoding (no errors), here’s the the #1 Sanskrit Dictionary site: http://andhrabharati.com/dictionary/sanskrit/index.php (Under Display, choose: Roman Diacritics)
Is there a way to add chandrabindu diacritic above letters in this program?
Step 1: Go to: https://www.lexilogos.com/keyboard/sanskrit_latin.htm
Step 2: Type in letter, then click chandrabindu icon. EG: e̐
Step 3: Copy paste inside config.txt file of Keyswap.
Thanks! Works very well.
This is life changing! Thank you so much!
So simple! Works great! Thanks!
Keypad doesn’t download when I click on the link in this page. Anyone with the same problem?
Working just fine. Attempt different browser. Chrome/Firefox.
Mac version, please!
Can you add ISO 15919 letters, mostly r̥̄ and r̥ ?
Add them in text file. See if works.