Beginner's Guide
This guide explains how to get started with Plover. Plover is free stenography software. All the learning resources listed below are free-of-charge.
Download and Install Plover
Plover is an app that translates the strokes you press on your steno machine to entire words. If you do not have a steno machine, Plover can use your regular keyboard as one. It is free to download, and it works on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
- Download and install Plover with the Installation Guide
- If you get stuck, see the troubleshooting guide.
Connect a compatible keyboard or stenography machine
Steno involves pressing down groups of keys (called “strokes” or “chords) all at once. Standard QWERTY keyboards can usually only recognize one to six simultaneous key presses. Owning a dedicated dedicated steno writer makes it easier to reach high speeds.
If you are unsure of if you want to learn steno, read the page on using a standard keyboard with Plover.
If you are sure you want to learn steno, we recommend purchasing a commercially available hobbyist writer.
It is also possible to use a professional stenography machine with Plover. See the supported Hardware page for a list of compatible professional stenography machines.
Confirm it’s working
Initially, Plover is set up to use your computer’s typing keyboard by default. If you are using a regular keyboard, proceed to Enable Plover below. If you have a dedicated steno writer, see the page on setting up your writer with Plover.
Enable Plover
Once you have set up your machine with Plover
- Run Plover.
- In the main window of Plover, set
OutputtoEnabled
Write “Hello World”
To confirm Plover is working correctly, you may try to write “Hello, world.” into a text editor with Plover. Open a text editor and write the steno key strokes in the table below, one row at a time.
Notepad in Windows 11 is buggy with Plover's fast emulated output. Try a different program such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs in a browser, or increase the key press delay shown below:
If you are using a QWERTY keyboard, the steno keys are arranged on the layout like so:
If you are using a QWERTY keyboard, you may find it helpful to follow the column on the right. Unless you are arpeggiating or rolling your strokes, make sure to press every single key all at once. Remember to release every key after each row.
| Output | Steno Stroke | QWERTY Keys |
|---|---|---|
| hell | HEL
|
r (left index index) n (right thumb) o (right ring finger )
|
| o | HRO
|
rf (left index finger pressing in between) v (left thumb)
|
| , | -RBGS
|
j (right index finger) k (right middle finger) l (right ring finger) ; (right pinkie finger)
|
| world | WORLD
|
d (left middle finger) v (left thumb) j (right index finger) o (right ring finger) [ (right pinkie finger)
|
| . | -FPLT
|
u (right index finger) i (right middle finger) o (right ring finger) p (right pinkie finger)
|
If you see different output, open the paper tape (in Plover’s main window under Tools → Paper Tape) and try the steno strokes again. Verify that the right keys are being registered. If the steno keys shown in the paper tape are not the same as those in the middle column above, first make sure you are pressing the right physical keys. If you are still not getting the right output, have a look at the following:
- If you are using a steno machine and are not getting the right keys/output, make sure you have set it up correctly.
- If you are using a QWERTY keyboard and are not getting the right keys/output, your keyboard may not have NKRO. Try rolling or arpeggiating your strokes.
Practice sentences
You can practice sentences that (mostly) only need two keys at once, on the StenoJig website.
Use the correct body posture and finger placement
Your fingers should be curled slightly, so you press the keys using the tips of your fingers.
On a QWERTY keyboard, you move your hands half an inch up so that your left thumb is resting on the cracks between the C and V keys and your right thumb is resting between the N and M keys. The rest should fall into place.
| QWERTY layout | Maps to steno layout |
|---|---|
QWER TY UIOP[
|
STPH ** FPLTD
|
ASDF GH JKL;
|
SKWR ** RBGSZ
|
CV NM
|
AO EU
|
See also:
Practice and learn
It’s time to start learning stenography theory for free, practicing writing using stenography, and learning how to make the most of Plover’s built-in tools. See the Learning Resources.
Which steno theory should you learn?
There are many steno theories that encompass the rules you use to convert words to steno strokes.
Almost all English language steno theories are derived from the original Stenotype theory devised by Ward Ireland. They all share the same keyboard design and basic method of representing the sounds. Theories mostly differ by how much rote memorization is required. Typically, memorization heavy theories are faster.
The default theory that comes with the Plover app (called Plover theory) is Mirabai Knight’s own personal theory that she uses for stenocaptioning—it is very fast, as a result. However, there are a lot of odd inconsistencies that may not make it a great choice for beginners. Using it requires a lot of personal changes and additions very early on in the learning process.
One alternative to Plover is Lapwing theory. It was created by a community member dissatisfied with the unnecessarily steep learning curve associated with Plover theory. It has a comprehensive wiki that covers a wide range of content along with exercises to practice concepts. Many regard it as easier to learn than Plover theory due to having more consistent rules. For details on how to set up and learn Lapwing theory, see the Lapwing for Beginners Wiki.
We recommend learning either Plover theory or Lapwing theory.
Other theories also exist, but either cost money, or are not supported by Plover. Ultimately, it does not matter which theory you choose when it comes to speed—it is always possible to add more memorization into the theory you’ve chosen to squeeze out more speed. Furthermore, we do not recommend spending money on a theory until you’re certain you like stenography and see a clear reason to switch.
Personalizing your dictionary
English steno uses dictionaries to translate the keys pressed on a steno machine to the outputted text. These dictionaries are essentially huge files that contain entries for most of the words in the English language and their respective steno strokes.
English steno is built on the idea that no two stenographers' dictionaries are ever the same. It is easiest to see this since different theories dictate how to construct steno strokes for a given word. However, even within the same steno theory, there can be multiple valid outlines for one word. For some people, one valid outline may make more sense than another, but for others, it may be the other way around. With different dialects and accents, there can also be multiple valid pronunciations for the same word. More importantly, different people use different word more often than others. Even for a steno stroke that represents a single unambiguous syllable, different people will assign it to different things.
For example, there is no agreed upon translation for the steno stroke SEP. "Sep" is not a word, but there is a very long disambiguation page on Wikipedia for this three letter combination. While the default dictionary that comes with Plover maps this to the word "accept", you may find it more helpful as something else.
When starting off with steno, it is okay to be uncomfortable with making your own entries; after all, you might not know the theory rules completely. However, over time, you should be personalizing and tweaking your dictionary to the way that you write. At first, you can start off with little things. For example, you may find it helpful to remap SEPto "September" if you talk about it often. Eventually, however, you may even find yourself disagreeing with a theory rule. It is completely acceptable to add alternative entries and even remove the ones that you don't think are good. Ultimately, the end goal of any stenographer (whether a professional or a hobbyist) is to be comfortable with adapting their dictionary to the way that they write.
More information: Personalizing your dictionary.