How to Add Malayalam Text in Photoshop
Convert Manglish or Malayalam Unicode to ML-TT here, then paste it into a Photoshop text layer set to an ML-TT font.
Unicode and ML-TT, in plain terms
Malayalam on phones and websites is almost always Unicode. Each letter and sign has its own code, and the app has to shape them: put vowel signs on the correct side, join conjuncts, and pick the right chillu. Some design setups do this unreliably, depending on the Photoshop version and its text engine settings, and the result can be reordered or broken letters.
ML-TT is an older approach. Malayalam is stored as ordinary Latin characters, and a font such as ML-TT Karthika draws them as Malayalam glyphs. Because the app only has to draw plain letters, no shaping is needed. The price is that the text is only meaningful together with its font.
Steps: add Malayalam text in Photoshop
- Install an ML-TT font on your computer. This site does not provide fonts. If Photoshop was open during installation and the font is missing from its list, restart Photoshop.
- Type your text above in Manglish (for example
kEraLamfor കേരളം), or paste Malayalam Unicode. - Click Copy ML-TT.
- In Photoshop, pick the Type tool and click on the canvas to create a text layer.
- Choose the ML-TT font in the options bar or the Character panel.
- Paste the copied text. It should now appear as Malayalam.
Working with the file afterwards
- ML-TT text is not real Malayalam text. Search, spell check and copying it into other apps will show the underlying English letters.
- Keep your script in Unicode as well. Copy Unicode copies the input box as typed.
- If the file goes to someone who does not have the ML-TT font, convert the text layer to shapes first (a standard Photoshop option) or send the font along with it. Only share the font if its licence allows it.
- The same ML-TT output can be pasted into other apps that accept ML-TT fonts, but this guide only covers Photoshop.
Common problems
- English letters instead of Malayalam: the layer's font is not an ML-TT font.
- Font not in the list: it is not installed yet, or Photoshop needs a restart.
- A conjunct such as സ്ത shows two letters and a stroke: the old ML-TT encoding has no glyph for it, so it appears as two letters joined by a visible chandrakkala (്). This is a limit of the encoding.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Malayalam Unicode break in some Photoshop setups?
Malayalam Unicode needs the text engine to reorder vowel signs and join conjuncts. Whether that works depends on your Photoshop version and its text engine settings, so results differ between machines. ML-TT text sidesteps this because it needs no shaping.
Which font should I choose after pasting?
An ML-TT font, such as ML-TT Karthika. Any other font will show the pasted text as ordinary English letters.
Does this site include the ML-TT fonts?
No. It does not offer font downloads. Install an ML-TT font on your computer first.
Can someone else open my file without the font?
Without the same ML-TT font installed, the text will appear as ordinary English letters. Share the font with your collaborators or convert the text to shapes before sending the file.
Can I change the text later?
You can edit it as text, but any new Malayalam must be converted to ML-TT first. Keep the Unicode version of your script so you can convert it again.
More guides
- Manglish to ML-TT converter - Type Malayalam in English letters and copy ML-TT text.
- Malayalam typing in CapCut - Steps for putting Malayalam text into CapCut.
- Malayalam Unicode to ML-TT - Paste Unicode text and convert it to ML-TT.