openIME

A local-first Chinese input method for Android.

English · 简体中文

Beta software (0.0.x). Features, settings and data formats can change between releases. Do not use openIME as your only keyboard. Report problems in Issues.

openIME is a system keyboard for Android. Pinyin input, word learning and voice recognition all run on the device. The app has no INTERNET permission, so your text cannot leave the phone.

26-key pinyin	Nine-key pinyin	Stroke	Emoji
Home	Settings	Dark theme	Dark settings

Features

• Keyboards: 26-key pinyin, nine-key pinyin, stroke, English 26-key, digits and symbols. Emoji, symbols, clipboard history, quick phrases, text editing and a floating keyboard are also available.
• Pinyin engine: librime with about 900,000 Rime Ice dictionary entries. The dictionary is compiled at build time. The full dictionary is ready a few seconds after the first start.
• Pinyin input: full pinyin, abbreviations, manual word splitting, fuzzy pinyin, user-word learning and simplified/traditional conversion.
• Nine-key input: a column on the left lists the pinyin for the next character. Tap one syllable to lock it.
• Voice input: hold the space key and speak. openIME inserts the text when you release the key. The bilingual (Chinese and English) model is in the APK and works without a network. Options remove filler words and replace punctuation with spaces.
• Gestures: swipe up on the delete key to clear the text. Swipe left or right on the space key to move the cursor.
• Emoji suggestions: after you choose a word, the suggestion bar shows related emoji. The word list is in the APK.
• Autofill (Android 11 and later): account names and codes from your password manager appear in the toolbar.
• Numbers and symbols: each letter key shows a number or symbol. Swipe up or press and hold to enter it.
• Display support: portrait, landscape, tablets, foldables, dark theme and large font sizes. Raw key input fields (terminals, remote desktops, games) and physical keyboards also work. See Compatibility.
• Self-protection: after repeated crashes or freezes, openIME starts in safe mode so you can still type. In the app, 设置 → 关于与数据 (Settings → About and data) copies diagnostics and exports or imports your data.

Install

1. Open Releases. Download the latest openIME-v*-arm64-release.apk.

2. Check the SHA-256 checksum that the release notes show:

   sha256sum openIME-v*-arm64-release.apk

3. Install the APK.

4. Open openIME. Follow the steps to enable it and select it as your keyboard.

5. For voice input, allow the microphone. Typing works without it.

Requirements:

• Android 8.0 (API 26) or later.
• An arm64-v8a device. This includes most phones made in recent years.

All releases use the same signing key. The certificate SHA-256 is in docs/release-cert.sha256. You can install a new release over an old one.

Known limitations

• Handwriting input has no recognition engine yet. The entry point is hidden.
• The nine-key keyboard does not work with a physical keyboard.
• Some vendor Android versions limit background input methods. Few devices have been tested.
• Android does not install a version that is older than the installed one. Uninstall first. Export your data before you uninstall.

Privacy and security

• The manifest has no INTERNET permission. allowBackup is off.
• The dictionary, the voice models and the runtime are in the APK.
• Voice audio stays in memory. openIME clears it when recognition ends, is canceled or fails.
• In password fields, openIME does not compose pinyin, learn words, read the field text or write logs. Voice input inserts the final text only.
• Crash records contain the exception type and the stack trace. They never contain typed text.
• Uninstall removes all data on the device, including learned words.

Do not report a security problem in a public issue. Follow SECURITY.md.

Build from source

Requirements: JDK 17, Android SDK Platform 36, NDK 27.0.12077973, CMake 3.22.1 and Git LFS.

git lfs install && git lfs pull      # voice models and the sherpa-onnx AAR
bash scripts/fetch_rime_deps.sh      # pinned librime dependencies
./gradlew :app:assembleDebug         # app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk
bash scripts/verify_linux.sh         # unit tests, lint, debug APK, test APK

The debug APK is for development only. It includes x86_64 and test activities, and we do not release it. Install it and select it as the keyboard:

adb install -r app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk
adb shell ime enable --user 0 llc.slacker.openime/.LocalVoiceImeService
adb shell ime set --user 0 llc.slacker.openime/.LocalVoiceImeService

Repository layout:

app/          Android app, input method service, Rime JNI, models and dictionaries
scripts/      Build, test and release scripts
docs/         Architecture, testing, release and repository documents
.github/      CI, release workflow, Dependabot, issue and PR templates
VERSION       Single source of the version number
CHANGELOG.md  Change log. It is also the source of the release notes.

Documentation

• Documentation index
• Architecture · Compatibility · Test procedure
• Release process · Repository settings
• Contributing · Security policy · Change log

License

openIME uses the GPL-3.0-only license. Third-party components keep their own licenses. See docs/LICENSING.md and THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md.