9-Key and Handwriting Alongside Full Pinyin | Loopal
Frequently asked questions
- Does Loopal do 9-key and handwriting as well as full Pinyin?
- Yes. It switches between continuous Pinyin for two-handed speed, 9-key for one hand, and handwriting for rare characters.
- Can I switch input modes mid-sentence?
- At any time. The three modes are available in the same keyboard.
- How is it installed?
- As two keyboard extensions — Chinese and English — which you enable in iOS Settings.
- What system does it need?
- iOS 17 or later.
The short answer
Loopal supports three input modes: continuous Pinyin for two-handed speed, 9-key for one hand, and handwriting for rare characters — switchable at any time.
Why three modes rather than one
Each one is the right answer to a different constraint, and no single one covers all of them:
- Continuous Pinyin — fastest when both hands are free
- 9-key — the only option on a phone held in one hand
- Handwriting — how you enter a character that has no common pinyin
The value is having all three behind the same keyboard, so moving between them is a mode switch rather than an app switch.
Two extensions
Loopal ships as two keyboard extensions — Chinese and English — which you enable in iOS Settings. It requires iOS 17 or later.