Type Chinese Online Without Installing an Input Method
On a locked-down work machine, a shared library computer, or a borrowed laptop, installing an input method may not be an option. You still have ways to produce Chinese text.
Browser-based input tools
Web-based IMEs let you type pinyin into a page and copy the resulting characters out. They are slower than a native input method and depend on the site staying up, but they need no installation.
They are fine for occasional use — writing one message, filling in a form — and frustrating for anything longer.
The copy-paste workflow
For one-off needs, typing into an online tool and pasting the result is often faster than fighting with settings you cannot change.
For practising, you need nothing installed
Practising pinyin is different from producing Chinese text: you only need to type Latin letters. TypingChinese grades each letter you type, so a plain English keyboard is enough — no input method, no admin rights, nothing to install.
That also makes it usable on locked-down machines where a real IME cannot be added.
When you should install a real input method
If you write Chinese regularly, a native IME is worth the two minutes: it learns your habits, handles punctuation properly, and works offline and everywhere.
Now practise it
Your keyboard is set up. Type pinyin, get graded letter by letter, and let spaced repetition bring back the words you miss. No account.
Other guides
TypingChinese is open source — view the code on GitHub.