Bulgarian Keyboard: Type Cyrillic Online, BDS and Phonetic
A Bulgarian keyboard is a layout for typing the 30 Cyrillic letters of Bulgarian. There are two main types: BDS, the state standard (BDS 5237:1978) inherited from typewriters, and Phonetic, which puts each letter on the Latin key that sounds alike, so d types д. Windows, macOS, iOS and Android include both.
A Bulgarian keyboard is a keyboard layout that types the 30 letters of the Bulgarian Cyrillic alphabet. Bulgaria uses two main layouts: BDS, the state-standard layout descended from typewriters, and Phonetic, which puts each Cyrillic letter on the Latin key that sounds like it. You do not need special hardware for either; any computer or phone can switch layouts in settings.
If you just need to type a few words now, use the on-screen keyboard above. It uses the Phonetic layout: press d and you get д, press v and you get ж. Then copy the text wherever you need it.
BDS vs Phonetic Bulgarian keyboard layouts
BDS (the state standard)
The official Bulgarian keyboard layout is defined in the Bulgarian State Standard BDS 5237:1978, which replaced an earlier 1968 version on 1 January 1978. Its key positions come from Bulgarian typewriters and were arranged for speed, with frequent letters such as о, н, т and а under the strongest fingers. Professional typists, government offices and many older users type on BDS.
BDS has nothing to do with English key labels. The key marked A, for example, does not type а, so you have to learn BDS as a new layout rather than map it from English.
Phonetic
The phonetic layout maps Cyrillic letters to Latin keys by sound or shape: a = а, b = б, d = д, s = с. It was never an official standard, but it is very widely used, especially by people who learned to type in English first. If you already touch-type QWERTY, this is the quick option.
Most of it is intuitive. The letters with no obvious Latin partner sit on leftover keys:
| Key (US layout) | Types | Sound |
|---|---|---|
Q | я | ya |
W | в | v |
Y | ъ | a ([ɤ]) |
X | ь | y (soft sign) |
C | ц | ts |
V | ж | zh |
H | х | h |
J | й | y |
` | ч | ch |
[ | ш | sh |
] | щ | sht |
\ | ю | yu |
This table follows the traditional phonetic layout. Layouts labeled “new phonetic” move some of these letters, so check which variant you installed.
What about BDS 5237:2006?
You may see “BDS 5237:2006” described as the new standard. That was a 2006 draft (prBDS 5237:2006) by Dimiter Skordev and Dimitar Dobrev. It would have updated BDS, added the letter ѝ and standardized a phonetic layout. After public debate in 2008 the draft was not adopted, although parts of it did reach software: the newer “Bulgarian Phonetic” layout first shipped in Windows Vista grew out of it.
How to add a Bulgarian keyboard
Windows 10 and 11
- Open Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
- Add Bulgarian as a language if it is not listed, or open the options of an existing language.
- Under Keyboards, choose Add a keyboard and pick a Bulgarian layout.
- Switch layouts with Windows key + Space or the language icon on the taskbar.
Windows lists five Bulgarian layouts in Microsoft’s keyboard layout reference:
| Windows name | Layout ID | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgarian (Typewriter) | 00000402 | The classic BDS layout, modeled on Bulgarian typewriters |
| Bulgarian | 00030402 | An updated BDS layout; adds the accented letter ѝ |
| Bulgarian (Phonetic Traditional) | 00040402 | The phonetic layout most Bulgarians mean by “phonetic” |
| Bulgarian (Phonetic) | 00020402 | A newer phonetic variant with several keys moved |
| Bulgarian (Latin) | 00010402 | A Latin layout for Bulgarian users, not Cyrillic |
For phonetic typing, choose Bulgarian (Phonetic Traditional). For BDS, choose Bulgarian (Typewriter) or Bulgarian.
Mac
- Choose Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard.
- Under Text Input, click Edit, then the add button.
- Search for Bulgarian and select the standard or phonetic input source.
- Switch with the Input menu, the Globe (fn) key, or Control + Space.
Apple’s steps are in its guide to writing in another language on Mac.
iPhone, iPad and Android
On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard and choose Bulgarian. On Android with Gboard, open Gboard settings, go to Languages > Add keyboard and choose Bulgarian. Tap the globe key to switch. Touch keyboards show the Cyrillic letters on the keys, so the layout matters less than on a physical keyboard.
Linux
Desktop environments such as GNOME and KDE list Bulgarian under input sources, usually with traditional phonetic and new phonetic variants alongside the standard layout.
Which Bulgarian keyboard should you learn?
- You type a little Bulgarian, mostly English: Phonetic. You will be productive within an hour.
- You will work in a Bulgarian office: ask what they use. BDS is common on shared machines.
- You want physical key labels: buy Cyrillic stickers or a keyboard with dual labels, and match them to your layout. Labels are printed for BDS or phonetic, not both.
- You only type occasionally: use the online Cyrillic keyboard and skip installation.
Whatever you choose, learning the Bulgarian letters by sound makes the phonetic layout feel natural. Print the Bulgarian alphabet chart and keep it next to the screen for the first week.
Common mistakes
- Installing Russian instead of Bulgarian. The Russian layout has ы, э and ё on keys, and puts Bulgarian letters in different places. Bulgarian text typed on it often contains wrong letters.
- Mixing up the two phonetic variants. If ч or ю is not where you expect, you probably installed “new phonetic” instead of traditional.
- Typing Latin look-alikes. Latin a, e, o, p, c look like Cyrillic а, е, о, р, с but are different characters. Search engines and spell-checkers treat a mixed word as gibberish.
- Using Latin letters for ъ. Writing a or y instead of ъ in Bulgarian text is a transliteration, not Bulgarian spelling.
- Forgetting to switch back. Passwords typed with a Cyrillic layout active will fail. Check the language indicator first.
If you need Latin spellings of Bulgarian names rather than Cyrillic text, use the Bulgarian transliteration converter instead.
Frequently asked questions
What is the standard Bulgarian keyboard layout?
The official layout is BDS, defined in the state standard BDS 5237:1978. The phonetic layout is unofficial but very common.
Is BDS 5237:2006 the new Bulgarian keyboard standard?
No. It was a 2006 draft that was publicly discussed in 2008 and not adopted, though parts of it appear in some newer software layouts.
How do I type Bulgarian on an English keyboard?
Add the Bulgarian (Phonetic Traditional) layout in your system settings, or use the online keyboard on this page. Most letters sit on the Latin key with the same sound.
Where is Ж on the Bulgarian phonetic keyboard?
On the traditional phonetic layout, ж is on the V key. Ч is on the backtick key, and я is on Q.
Can I use a Russian keyboard to type Bulgarian?
You can, but it is awkward: the Russian layout has extra letters (ы, э, ё) and places shared letters differently. A Bulgarian layout avoids mistakes.
Sources
- Windows keyboard layouts (Microsoft Learn)
- Write in another language on Mac (Apple Support)
- Manage language and keyboard settings in Windows (Microsoft Support)
- Keyboard layout: Bulgarian (Wikipedia)