Converting TAB Tamil to Unicode, in plain terms
TAB and TAM are generally associated with Tamil Nadu government-backed encoding efforts of the late 1990s, so you tend to meet them in official-looking older documents and websites. If you have a file like that, this converter is the quick way out: paste the TAB text, run the conversion, and you get Unicode Tamil that behaves like any other text you type today.
How to recognise TAB text
A reliable first test is to paste a line into a notepad-style editor. Font-encoded Tamil shows up as a jumble of letters and signs instead of Tamil script. To give you something concrete, this converter stores தமிழ் in TAB as îñ¤ö¢, வணக்கம் as õíè¢èñ¢ and நன்றி as ïù¢ø¤. TAB writes things out step by step. தமிழ் takes five stored characters in TAB (îñ¤ö¢) but only three in TAM (îI›), because TAM keeps single codes for consonant plus vowel sign. That is why the two must never be mixed up.
The conversion itself
Select the TAB text in the original file and copy it, then paste it into the left box. Press Convert text and the Unicode Tamil appears on the right. Use Copy result to move it into your editor, or Download .txt to keep a plain-text file. For a long document, work through it in sections so you can compare each one with the original as you go.
What to proofread afterwards
Read the result against the original side by side. Vowel signs, pulli forms and joined consonants are the usual suspects when a word is slightly off. Fixing one stubborn word by hand in Unicode is usually quicker than hunting for a perfect match.
Who tends to need this
Typical cases are reviving an old document, merging older writing with new Tamil, or publishing archived material online. In each one the content is fine; it is the storage format that has aged. A single conversion usually solves it.
A few practical tips
Start small, compare, then scale up. Always copy from the original rather than retyping, because retyping can change the exact characters a legacy format expects. If a file combines more than one font, convert the pieces separately. Finally, clear the boxes before the next document.
Why Unicode is worth the effort
Unicode Tamil works the same everywhere. The same text opens in a browser, a spreadsheet and a chat window without anyone installing a font, and it can be searched and indexed. After converting, keep the Unicode version as the one you edit and leave the TAB original untouched as a backup.
Related tools
If you ever need to go the other way, try Unicode to Non-Unicode Tamil (which includes TAB). To write fresh Tamil with an English keyboard, use English to Tamil typing, or browse all Tamil font converters.
TAB to Unicode: common questions
What is the difference between TAB and TAM?
They store Tamil differently. In our sample, தமிழ் is five characters in TAB and three in TAM. Use the converter named for the file; the wrong one produces wrong letters.
Is there a Unicode to TAB page?
TAB output is available in the Unicode to Non-Unicode converter, where you pick TAB from the list of formats.
Do I have to register to use this converter?
No registration is needed. It is a free online tool; open the page, paste, convert, copy.
Can I keep my layout?
The tool converts text, not layout. Paste the converted text into your document and apply the styles you need.
Is the TAB font included with this tool?
The page can show a preview where one is supplied, but the converter itself does not depend on installing anything. It works with the character codes.
What about a scanned PDF or an image of Tamil text?
The converter works on text, not pictures. An image or scanned PDF has to go through text extraction or OCR before there is anything to convert.
How accurate is it?
It follows the mapping built into the page and handles ordinary Tamil well. No converter is perfect for every rare character, so a quick proofread is always worth it.