Microsoft Maren Transliteration

Windows IME

Microsoft Maren lets you type in Arabic on an English keyboard. No more searching for Arabic alphabets, all you need to do is spell the text out in Romanized Arabic, “ezayak” for example, and Microsoft Maren will give you word options in written Arabic.

A notepad window with the word sinjab typed in the Latin script and a candidate list of suggested spellings in the Arabic script.

The Microsoft Afkar website were Maren tools were hosted went down in 2015. This page serves as an archive of the original offline installer. Note that the software is no longer supported, and came with its own license agreement. You might also want to review Microsoft's privacy policy.

Install instructions

To install Microsoft Maren for Desktop, follow these steps:

  1. The IME requires .NET Framework 2.0. On modern Windows versions, you have to install it separately.
    • Click on the Start menu.
    • Search for Turn Windows Features on or off (or run OptionalFeatures.exe).
    • Check .NET Framework 3.5 (includes 2.0 and 3.0) and click OK. Restart might be required.
    Alternatively, you can download and install the framework yourself from here.
  2. Download and run MicrosoftMaren.msi (7.78 MB).
  3. The input method should now be added under the Arabic (Saudi Arabia) language and available using the Alt+Shift or Win+Space shortcuts. In case of troubles, try signing out or restarting the computer.

Usage tips

Some Arabic characters are typed using numbers. The tool also supports automatic expansion of some of the commonly used Romanized Arabic abbreviations. The mappings are as follows:

NumeralEquivalent Arabic
2ء أ
3ع
3'غ
4غ
5خ
6ط
6'ظ
7ح
7'خ
8ق
9ص
AbbreviationExpansionSuggestion
ISAIn Shaa Allahإن شاء الله
S3Salamo 3alikomسلام عليكم
LOLLaugh Out Loudهاهاهاها...
WBWelcome Backأهلا بك ثانية
TOMTomorrowبكرة
2dayTodayالنهارده
PLZPleaseمن فضلك
B4Beforeقبل
BRBBe Right Backثواني وهارجع
TYTTake Your Timeخذ وقتك
THXThanksشكرا
NPNo Problemمفيش مشكلة

Uninstall instructions

To uninstall, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the Start menu.
  2. Search for Programs and Features (or go to Programs > Uninstall a program in the Control Panel).
  3. In the program list, select the Microsoft Maren then click on Uninstall button.
  4. You need to restart computer to make it take effect.