How to Setup Standard Unicode Farsi (Persian)
Last Updated: December 28, 2004

    In this article you will find valuable information on how to view the web pages in your language. This page is mainly developed for Farsi (Persian), but the instructions are the same for other languages. Some instructions are only for left-to-right languages or only Farsi. You will also learn how to setup the standard Farsi input in Linux, Windows XP and 2000 and Mac OS and how to add support for Farsi to Windows 9x and NT 4. You will also install links to extra fonts and programs. Please note if you are using Mozilla Firefox or any 2-year-old or newer browser, you should be able to read Farsi and visit Persian web sites without installing Farsi input on your system. Hope you find these article useful. This page will be updated in the future. You are free to use this information as long as you provide a link to this page or www.hoomanb.com.

How to Read Farsi in Web Browsers

The following browsers support Unicode and Farsi:
     - Mozilla Firefox - all versions!
     - Netscape 6.0 and Mozilla 1.2 and later all browsers based on Mozilla should work.
     - Internet Explorer 5.0 and later (5.1 and later support input)
     - Opera (Version 7.0 supports Farsi but the support is not very good. Try others for now...)
     - Konqueror (KHTML) 3.0 and later (older versions might work too, please try and let me know...)
     - Apple Safari - all versions

Important Information: If you can not read Farsi specially in web mail sites like Yahoo and Hotmail make sure "Unicode (UTF-8)" is selected as the Encoding. Click here for detailed instructions with Pictures.

1.First, to check if you already have the Farsi installed, try to read the line below which is Farsi. If you can read it you have Farsi installed already, of course! If you can't read the line, before going to the next step Click here and follow the instructions.
                                                            سيستم شما آماده دسترسی به سايتهای فارسی است

2.If the above didn't work, although it should, try adding Farsi to the list of Languages. You should go to your browser's Options or Preferences (For example in Internet Explorer menu, click on Tools and then Internet Options), then go to Languages and add Farsi (if it is in the list).

Detailed information for almost every browser is available here.

Linux

Click here for detailed information regarding Linux and KDE.

Windows XP and 2000

Click here for detailed information regarding Windows XP and 2000.

Windows 95, 98 & NT 4

Important Information: Download Courier New from this site if you can't read Farsi or can read but have problems with some letters. Before installing the font remove the old version.

To add Persian to these older versions you must install Unicode Farsi for Windows. It will automatically set your language settings and put an Icon to change the language in your System Tray.

Additional Fonts & Sites

Here you can find links to free download sites:

 

Article by Hooman Baradaran