Gmail and Google Docs now officially support handwriting input, with support for multiple languages including Chinese and Japanese.

Google's Gmail blog announced today the official support for handwriting input in Gmail and Google Drive's Docs.

To use handwriting input, you need to set it up in both Gmail and Google Docs. In Gmail settings, go to the language bar on the settings page and add a handwriting-supported language to your list; its icon is a pencil shape. After saving, a pencil-shaped input selection option will appear next to the settings button in the upper right corner, allowing you to start using handwriting input by clicking it.

In Google Docs, simply open a file and choose the language bar from the file menu, then add a handwriting-supported language. A pencil tab will then appear on the far right side, and clicking it will allow you to input text using either a mouse or touchpad.

Currently, Google Docs supports over 20 languages for handwriting input, while Gmail supports over 50 languages, including Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, and Russian. I tested both Gmail and Google Docs with Chinese input, and it worked fine. However, using a mouse or touchpad for input is obviously slower. If you're using a touchscreen, it should be more convenient. Those who are interested can try it out themselves.