Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
How to Use Balinese Script in Word, Canva, and Photoshop
- Create the text in the Balinese script converter and press Copy
- Install a Balinese font on your device — Noto Sans Balinese is the usual choice
- Paste into your app, then apply that font
- Install a Balinese font in the operating system, then close and reopen Word.
- Paste your Balinese text.
- Select it, then choose the Balinese font from the font list.
- Look for a Balinese font under More fonts in the font list; apply it if present.
- If it is not available, insert your writing as a PNG image from the converter.
- Upload a font. On plans that allow font upload, add a Balinese font file to your brand kit and apply it to the text box.
- Upload an image. Export your writing as a transparent PNG from the converter and add it as an element. This works on every plan and the result is predictable.
- Install a Balinese font, then restart the app.
- Enable the Middle Eastern & South Asian type options in preferences.
- Create a new text box, apply the Balinese font, then paste.
The Workflow Is Always the Same
Whichever app you use, the order does not change:
Step three is the one people skip: pasting alone is not enough if the font active on the document does not cover Balinese. You get boxes, even though the text itself is correct.
Installation steps for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS are in the font installation guide.
Microsoft Word
If stacked forms do not appear, save in the modern .docx format and make sure Word is using its current layout engine. For documents you will share, embed the font in the save options — otherwise recipients without the font will see boxes.
Google Docs
Google Docs uses its own font list, and a Balinese font is not always available there. Two options:
For documents that will be printed or widely shared, an image is the safer choice because it looks the same everywhere.
Canva
Canva serves its own fonts, so pasting text often yields boxes. Two routes:
Photoshop and Illustrator
Adobe apps need telling that your text uses a complex script:
If stacking still fails or vowel signs land in the wrong place, place the writing as a PNG rather than live text. For large print, ask for a vector file or set the real font at final size so it stays sharp.
PowerPoint and Slides
Same as Word: install, paste, apply the font. If the deck will run on another machine — a school computer, an office projector — do not rely on that machine having the font. Embed it, or replace the Balinese text with an image.
The Two Most Common Problems
Everything shows as boxes (□□□). No Balinese font is installed, or the font applied to that text does not cover the script. The text itself is fine — just apply a Balinese font to it.
Letters appear separated and do not stack. The app is not applying complex-script shaping. Enable the relevant type option, update the app, or use an image. Stacking is explained in the gantungan and gempelan article.
When to Use an Image Instead
Text is better when the writing must be searchable, editable, or readable by screen readers. An image is better when appearance has to be guaranteed:
| Situation | Choice |
|---|---|
| Work documents, school assignments | text |
| Invitations and posters for print | image |
| Social media posts | image |
| Web pages | text, with the font loaded by the page |
| Files sent to a designer | image + the Latin spelling |
Quick Questions
Which font should I use? Noto Sans Balinese is the safest choice — full coverage and freely available.
How do I get a transparent-background image? Use the word-art view on the converter and download it as a PNG.
Why is my text fine on this site but boxed elsewhere? This site loads its own font; other apps use whatever is installed on your device.
Can I type directly in those apps? You can if you install a Balinese keyboard layout, but copying from the converter is far quicker. See typing Balinese script on a keyboard.
This article was drafted with AI assistance and is reviewed over time. Check Balinese wording with a teacher or native speaker before using it for anything official, printed, or ceremonial.
