How To Type Macrons For Te Reo Māori On A Mac

To type macrons for te reo Māori on a Mac, add the Māori keyboard layout in System Settings, then hold Option and press the vowel. This works in Gmail, Google Docs, WordPress, and most other applications because the keyboard setting is system-wide.

Have you figured out how to use macrons yet?

I needed to figure out how to use macrons on my computer when I’m writing words in te reo Māori, especially in Gmail.

The useful thing is that this is not really a Gmail setting. Once you turn on the Māori keyboard on your Mac, it works across Gmail, Google Docs, WordPress, and most other places where you type.

What are macrons?

Good question. A macron is a line above a vowel to show that it should be spoken as a long vowel. For example, the ‘a’ in Maori should really always be written as Māori.

The same goes with place names like Taupō, as in the image above.

Macrons change the meanings of words

The meanings of words change depending on whether the vowel is short or long. For example, “keke” means cake. But kēkē means armpit.

That’s an important distinction. And I’d be interested to know if this leads to puns in Te Reo (and possibly Dad jokes).

How to turn on the Māori keyboard on newer Macs

Kupu has full keyboard setup details, but the short version for newer Macs is:

1. Click the Apple logo in the top left.
2. Open System Settings.
3. Go to Keyboard.
4. Under Text Input / Input Sources, choose Edit.
5. Click the + icon.
6. Find and add Māori.
7. Keep the Māori keyboard available in your input menu.

What if your Mac still uses System Preferences?

On older Macs, the path is slightly different:

1. Click the Apple logo in the top left and choose System Preferences.
2. Click Language & Region.
3. Click Keyboard Preferences.
4. Click the + icon and find Māori in the list.
5. Click Add.
6. Optionally, tick Show input menu in menu bar.

After I first tried this, the keyboard didn’t immediately work with macrons and started adding small circles above the vowels instead.

The problem was that I was defaulting to the Australian keyboard. I deleted the Australian keyboard from the list and fixed the problem. You may also be able to keep other keyboards and change the order, but the key move is to make the Māori keyboard available.

How do you type the macronised vowels?

On a Mac with the Māori keyboard enabled, hold Option and press the vowel to type ā, ē, ī, ō, or ū. Hold Option + Shift and press the vowel for Ā, Ē, Ī, Ō, or Ū.

It’s a different procedure if you’re on a Windows PC and you can find full information for all operating systems here.

It works for everything

I wanted this for Gmail purposes, but it’s system-wide. That means that I’ve also solved the problem for typing in WordPress and in Google Docs. I had a workaround for Google Docs but this is a lot faster.

How do you get in the habit of using macrons?

I still need to get into the habit of using macrons. And I’ll probably forget a lot of the time. Also, I know there are plenty of words that use macrons that I’m unaware of.

So… here’s my strategy. I’m just going to pick a few that I use often and start with those.

• Māori
• Pākehā
• Tāupo
• Whānau
• Kōrero
• Mōrena
• Tēnā koe
• Kia ora kōrua
• Ngā mihi

What words do you use often in te reo that have macrons?

If you are interested in the wider cultural and educational context, start with Te Ao Māori concepts for adult literacy and numeracy, or the Cultural Intelligence in Education hub.

Related Pathways

• Te Ao Māori Concepts For Adult Literacy And Numeracy
• Cultural Intelligence in Education
• What Is Mana Reo?
• Which Words Should I Learn In Te Reo Māori?
• AI, Capability & Education Change

FAQ: Typing Māori Macrons On A Mac

How do I type macrons on a Mac?

Add the Māori keyboard layout in System Settings, then hold Option and press the vowel. Use Option + Shift for uppercase macronised vowels.

Does this work in Gmail?

Yes. Once the Māori keyboard is enabled on your Mac, the shortcut works in Gmail because it is controlled by the operating system, not by Gmail.

Does this work in Google Docs and WordPress?

Yes. The same keyboard setting works across Google Docs, WordPress, email, and most applications where you type text.

What is a macron?

A macron is a line above a vowel. In te reo Māori it shows that the vowel is spoken as a long vowel.

Why do macrons matter in te reo Māori?

Macrons matter because they can change pronunciation and meaning. Using them is part of writing te reo Māori more accurately and respectfully.

What should I do if the keyboard creates the wrong accent?

Check which keyboard layout is active. If your Mac is still using another keyboard, switch to the Māori keyboard or move it higher in your input-source list.