True Nastaliq typesetting
Letters join and sit exactly as a calligrapher places them, using the same HarfBuzz shaping engine as professional software.
خوبصورت اردو، اصل نستعلیق میں
Urdu Nigar — the free Urdu Nastaliq editor for every computer
Type Urdu with your normal keyboard, design pages, lay out ghazals, import InPage files and print or export PDF — on Windows, macOS, Linux or straight in your browser.
9right-to-left languages
60+free fonts included
.inpInPage files open
4platforms incl. web
0cost, ads or sign-ups
What is Urdu Nigar?
Urdu Nigar (اردو نگار) is a free desktop publishing program for writing and designing documents in Urdu and other right-to-left languages in true Nastaliq script. It has an InPage-style phonetic keyboard, more than 60 fonts, ghazal and nazm layout, InPage and PDF import, and print-ready PDF export. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and in a web browser — with no account and no internet connection needed for the desktop program.
Everything you need to publish in Urdu
Letters, notices, invitations, school papers, newsletters, poetry collections and books — made beautifully, without learning anything complicated.
InPage-style phonetic keyboard
Press p for پ and Shift+t for ٹ — the layout InPage users already know. No Windows Urdu keyboard needed.
60+ beautiful fonts
Noto Nastaliq, Gulzar, Mehr, Nafees, Awami Nastaliq, Naskh, Kufi and decorative fonts — with a live preview. Add your own in the desktop program.
Ghazal & nazm layout
Both misras of every sher set to the same width, side by side or stacked, with ornaments such as ۞ between shers. Ready-made ghazal and nazm templates.
Opens InPage files
Import the text of old InPage (.inp) documents into Unicode Urdu, plus PDF and old Windows Urdu text files.
Print & PDF
Print on any printer or export a PDF that looks the same everywhere, with embedded fonts so the Urdu stays searchable. Kashida justification for newspaper-style columns.
Posts for social media
Export a page as a picture sized for WhatsApp, Instagram or Facebook — perfect for Urdu quotes, poetry and announcements.
Urdu & English spell check
Marks misspelt Urdu and English words in one go, with right-click suggestions. Add names and new words to your own dictionary.
Roman Urdu ⇄ Urdu
Turn “Pakistan zindabad” into پاکستان زندہ باد using the built-in word list, or write Urdu in readable Roman letters.
Page design
Text boxes, pictures, shapes, stars and hearts, tables, rotation, margins, A4/Letter/Legal and Urdu page numbers.
Aerab, honorifics & symbols
Zabar, zer, pesh, tashdeed, honorifics, ornate Quranic brackets, Urdu digits and more — from the Insert menu or with one key press.
Private and offline
No account, no tracking, no cloud. Your documents stay on your computer. Auto-save and crash recovery protect your work.
See Urdu Nigar in action
Type Urdu the way you already know
Urdu Nigar’s phonetic keyboard follows the InPage layout, so InPage users start typing immediately. Everyone else simply types the sound: pak gives پاک.
- On-screen keyboard (F1) for every language — full size, or small and movable
- Extra letters for Punjabi, Saraiki, Balochi and Kashmiri
- Works with your own Windows or Mac Urdu keyboard too
Made for Urdu poetry
Turn lines into couplets with one command. Both misras of every sher get exactly the same width — the way ghazals are printed in books.
- Ghazal, nazm and free-verse (azad nazm) templates
- Side-by-side or stacked misras, stanza (band) spacing
- Ornaments between shers: ۞ ✿ ❖
Fonts that make Urdu shine
Choose from seven Nastaliq fonts and dozens of Naskh, Kufi, Persian and decorative fonts, each shown with a live preview of your own text. Fonts that lack a letter of your language are marked, so nothing looks out of place.
From page to print, PDF and WhatsApp
Print Preview shows the final typeset page. Export a PDF to send anywhere, or a square picture for social media — Urdu quotes and poetry look crisp on every phone.
- PDF with embedded, searchable Urdu text
- PNG, JPEG, SVG and GIF pictures
- Sizes for WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook posts
A modern alternative to InPage
Keep the keyboard you know. Gain Unicode text, modern computers and free updates.
| InPage | Urdu Nigar | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Paid licence | Free |
| Text | Own format | Unicode — copy into Word, WhatsApp and the web |
| Computers | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux and web browser |
| Phonetic keyboard | Yes | Yes — same layout |
| InPage files | Yes | Text import from .inp |
| Languages | Urdu, Arabic, Persian… | Urdu, Punjabi, Saraiki, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Kashmiri, Arabic, Persian |
| Source code | Closed | Open source (AGPL-3.0) |
Who uses Urdu Nigar?
Anyone who writes in Urdu and wants it to look right.
Students & teachersPoets & writersSchools & madarisMosques & trusts
Journalists & newslettersOffices & courtsPrinting pressesWedding & Eid cards
Social media pagesOverseas Pakistanis
Download Urdu Nigar — free
Pick your computer on the download page. The newest version for every platform is always listed there, with an installer and a portable version that runs from a USB stick.
اردو نگار — مفت اردو سافٹ ویئر
اردو نگار ایک مفت پروگرام ہے جس میں آپ اصل نستعلیق رسم الخط میں اردو لکھ کر خوبصورت صفحات بنا سکتے ہیں — خطوط، اعلانات، دعوت نامے، اسکول کے پرچے، رسائل، کتابیں اور شاعری۔ یہ ونڈوز، میک، لینکس اور ویب براؤزر میں چلتا ہے۔
- اِن پیج جیسا صوتی کی بورڈ
- ساٹھ سے زائد مفت فونٹ
- غزل اور نظم کی خودکار ترتیب
- اِن پیج فائلیں کھولنے کی سہولت
- پی ڈی ایف اور تصویر کی صورت میں محفوظ کریں
- اردو اور انگریزی املا کی جانچ
- رومن اردو سے اردو رسم الخط
- انٹرنیٹ اور اکاؤنٹ کے بغیر
Questions & answers
Is Urdu Nigar really free?
Yes. Urdu Nigar is free to download, use and share, with no ads and no sign-up. It is free software under the GNU AGPL-3.0 licence, and the included fonts are free under their own licences.
Can Urdu Nigar open InPage files?
Yes. Choose File ▸ Import ▸ InPage (.inp) to bring the text of an InPage document into a new Unicode Urdu document — in the desktop program and in the web version. Only the text is imported; you then choose fonts and layout.
How do I type Urdu with an English keyboard?
Just type. Urdu Nigar’s phonetic keyboard works like InPage: p gives پ, b gives ب, Shift+t gives ٹ. Press F1 to see the whole layout on screen.
Does it work without the internet?
Yes. The desktop program works completely offline and needs no account; your documents never leave your computer. The web version needs the internet only to open the page.
Which languages are supported?
Urdu, Punjabi (Shahmukhi), Saraiki, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Kashmiri, Arabic and Persian — and English in the same document.
Can I make a PDF of Urdu text?
Yes. File ▸ Export PDF makes a PDF that looks the same on every computer and phone. Fonts are embedded, so the Urdu text can be selected, copied and searched.
Is there a mobile or web version?
There is a web version that runs in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari with nothing to install. It is designed for computers with a keyboard and mouse; on phones the page is small.
Which computers can run it?
Windows 10 and 11 (installer or portable version), macOS 12 or newer on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, and Ubuntu 22.04+ or Debian 12 Linux (.deb or AppImage).
Who made Urdu Nigar?
Urdu Nigar Multiplatform is developed by Naseem Amjad (نسیم امجد), based on UrduJini. Contact: naseem@technologist.com.