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GeezerVison is showing software.sil.org — Ukelele - Keyboard Layout Editor for macOS

Ukelele

Keyboard Layout Editor for macOS

Ukelele

Simplify Keyboard Layout Editing

Ukelele is a user-friendly Unicode Keyboard Layout Editor for macOS, making the tedious, error-prone task of editing XML-based keyboard layouts a breeze. Designed to support macOS versions 10.2 and later, Ukelele allows users to drag and drop characters directly onto keys using a graphical interface, streamlining the process of creating or modifying keyboard layouts.

With Ukelele, you can easily assign multiple-character strings, create “dead keys” to modify subsequent keystrokes, and more. It’s an essential tool for anyone working with diverse scripts and characters, providing an intuitive solution for keyboard customization.

Feature Highlights

Easy-to-Use Interface

Ukelele’s graphical interface makes it simple to drag and drop characters onto keys, eliminating the need to manually edit complex XML files.

Advanced Functionality

Assign multiple-character strings and create “dead keys” to enhance your typing experience and meet your specific needs.

Seamless Integration

Integrate seamlessly with Keyboard Juggler to manage your keyboard layouts effortlessly, especially useful for macOS 10.10 and later versions.

Experience the power and convenience of Ukelele, and transform how you interact with your keyboard.

Downloads

Note: Keyman Keyboarding Software

A more flexible, cross-platform keyboard utility for macOS 10.7 (Lion) and later is Keyman. However, Keyman does not use the same .keylayout files as Ukelele and must be installed separately.

Download the software from the table below. Then follow the steps in Installation Instructions to activate your .keylayout files.

Ukelele 3.7.1for Mac DMG | 51.56 MB | 4 Nov 2026
Ukelele 3.7.0for Mac DMG | 51.56 MB | 19 Oct 2026
Ukelele 3.6.1for Mac DMG | 54.74 MB | 11 Mar 2026

Installation Instructions

Follow these steps to install and enable the .keylayout files:

  1. Copy .keylayout files to /Library or ~/Library
  2. Enable the .keylayout files:
    1. macOS 10.10 and later: System Preferences > Keyboard > Input Sources
    2. macOS 10.6 to 10.9: System Preferences > Language & Text > Input Sources
    3. macOS 10.5 and earlier: System Preferences > International > Input

Version Notes

  • The latest version works with macOS 12.0 and later.
  • See Previous Versions (below) for more download options.

Please see our Release Notes for a detailed version history.


Previous Versions (for older versions of macOS)

Previous Version Notes

  • Version 3.6.1 requires macOS 10.14.6 (Mojave) or above.
  • Versions 3.4.2 and 3.5.7 require macOS 10.9 (Mavericks) or above.
  • Versions 3.3 and later require macOS 10.9 (Mavericks) or above.
  • Version 3.2.7 requires macOS 10.8 (Mountain Lion) or above.
  • Version 2.2.8 requires macOS 10.4 (Tiger) or above.

Ukelele 3.4.2for Mac DMG | 36.60 MB | 24 Feb 2020
Ukelele 3.3.0for Mac DMG | 37.53 MB | 18 Jan 2019
Ukelele 3.2.7for Mac DMG | 25.94 MB | 7 Oct 2017
Ukelele 2.2.8for Mac DMG | 9.42 MB | 8 Mar 2014
Ukelele 1.8.4for Mac DMG | 5.65 MB | 14 Sep 2009

Keyboard Juggler

Keyboard Juggler is a companion application to Ukelele, and allows you to move keyboard layouts in and out of the installation folders without having to use the Finder. Keyboard Juggle is available for macOS 10.10 (Yosemite) and later, but is not needed for Ukelele version 3.3 or later, as its functionality has been incorporated into Ukelele.

Keyboard Juggler 1.0for Mac DMG | 4.25 MB | 1 Oct 2017


Support

Feedback about the Ukelele tool is invited (see the Read Me file for contact information). This software is provided in the hope that it may be useful, but with no warranty, expressed or implied, and with no guarantee of support or future upgrades.

There is also a user forum available: Ukelele Users Google Group.

Drag-and-Drop Characters

To find special characters for drag-and-drop:

    1. Enable the Character Viewer in System Preferences > Keyboard > Input Sources
    2. Access the Character Viewer via Input Menu > Show Emoji & Symbols.

License

Ukelele is written by John Brownie of SIL and is copyright ©2003-2026. This software is currently provided under a freeware license, but future versions will be released under an open source license.

Contact

If you are unable to obtain support through the Google group, please contact us.

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