Type Arabic text in Photoshop

Why Photoshop shows Arabic backwards

Arabic letters change shape depending on where they sit in a word, and each line reads from right to left. Photoshop only handles this when its Middle Eastern text engine is active. Without it, the word سلام turns into a row of detached letters in reverse order. Old versions are the usual culprit, but a recent installation left on its default setting can do the same.

Arabic text in Photoshop: check the text engine first

Before converting anything, open the Type preferences and select the Middle Eastern and South Asian engine, then work in a new document. Text copied with the Copy button now flows right to left with properly joined letters. This is the best option, because the layer holds real Arabic text that you can correct later like any other text. Do not add the conversion on top of it: the engine would reverse the converted word a second time.

Converted text for older versions

When your version has no such option, Design software mode does the work instead. It swaps each letter for its joined form (Unicode presentation forms) and reverses the character order, so Photoshop displays the word correctly without knowing anything about Arabic. A few habits keep the result clean:

• Make point text with a single click of the Type tool, not a paragraph box: automatic line wrapping would put the lines in the wrong order.
• For a two-line headline, convert and paste each line into its own layer.
• Save the normal version with Download (.txt), since that is the text you will edit and convert again later.

Vector logos follow the same logic, explained on the Arabic keyboard for Illustrator page.

Typing Arabic without knowing the layout

Many designers receive Arabic copy to lay out without reading the language fluently. Words mode helps here: type salam, press Space, and سلام appears, with clickable suggestions. For single letters, Phonetic mode is enough (sh gives ش, 3 gives ع). Your text never leaves the browser and is not sent to any server, which matters for client work that is still under wraps. For everything else you write in Arabic, go back to the main online Arabic keyboard.