What this LT-TM to Unicode converter is for
LT-TM is a font-based format you are most likely to find in older Tamil typesetting and archived office files. The trouble is that LT-TM text only looks like Tamil while the right font is in place. This page reads the stored characters and writes them back as ordinary Unicode Tamil, which any modern app can display, search and spell-check.
What LT-TM text looks like when the font is missing
Open the file in a plain editor or paste a few words into a blank page with an ordinary font. If the Tamil turns into Latin letters, symbols and punctuation, you are looking at font-encoded text. To give you something concrete, this converter stores தமிழ் in LT-TM as jÄœ, வணக்கம் as tz¡f« and நன்றி as e‹¿. LT-TM and Vanavil are close relatives. In the sample word தமிழ், LT-TM stores jÄœ and Vanavil stores jäœ, which differ by a single accent on the middle character. That tiny difference is enough to produce the wrong letter, so pick carefully between the two.
How to use the converter
Copy a short passage from the source, paste it into the input and convert it. Once the sample reads correctly, convert the rest. Copy the result straight into Word, an email or a website, or save it with the download button.
Checking the result
Skim the output slowly the first time. Names, dates, numerals and conjunct letters are where small differences hide. If a single word looks wrong, convert it on its own to find out whether the original file was damaged or whether a neighbouring format is a better match.
Typical situations
Most visitors arrive with a folder of old Tamil work. It might be typed notes, a newsletter, a community record or a draft that must be edited again. Converting it to Unicode lets you reuse the writing instead of retyping it from scratch, which is slow and invites new mistakes.
Tips for cleaner results
Keep the source file safe and work on a copy. Paste in plain text where possible, and avoid copying from places that quietly change characters, such as some PDF viewers. When a passage mixes formats, split it up and treat each part separately. Press Clear between jobs so the boxes start fresh.
The benefit of having Unicode Tamil
Once the text is Unicode, you no longer depend on LT-TM being installed. You can search inside it, sort it, spell-check it, paste it into messaging apps and publish it on the web, and it will display the same way on phones, laptops and servers. Keep the Unicode copy as your master and treat the old LT-TM file as an archive.
Related tools
If you ever need to go the other way, try Unicode to Non-Unicode Tamil (which includes LT-TM). To write fresh Tamil with an English keyboard, use English to Tamil typing, or browse all Tamil font converters.
LT-TM to Unicode: common questions
LT-TM and Vanavil look almost the same. Which one is mine?
Paste a short, familiar word into both converters. One will give the right Tamil letters and the other will swap a letter or two. When the source is a formatted document, check the font name in the original file if you still have it.
Is there a Unicode to LT-TM page?
LT-TM output is part of the Unicode to Non-Unicode converter, where you choose LT-TM from the format list.
Does the text I paste leave my computer?
The page does the conversion locally in your browser. Nothing you paste into the boxes needs to be sent anywhere for the converter to work.
The result has odd letters in it. What should I try?
Most often the format is not quite the one the file used, or a character changed when it was copied from a PDF or another program. Test a short, familiar line and compare it with the original.
Is there a limit on how much I can convert?
There is no account and no fee. Very long documents are easier to check if you convert them in manageable sections, so the review does not feel overwhelming.
Does formatting survive the conversion?
Only the characters are converted. Headings, bold, tables and font choices are not part of the process, so expect to restyle the result.
Will I see Tamil letters without the LT-TM font?
The input box may show the original characters with a preview font where one is supplied. Elsewhere, unconverted LT-TM text simply looks like strange Latin characters until it is converted.