The disclosure relates to a character input method and system, which may include a digital device including an input surface and an output surface. The method and system may include or perform operations including: displaying a character string using a recognition area and an insertion area of the output surface; selecting a position within the character string; displaying, in the recognition area, a part of the string ending with a first character while masking, in the insertion area, a part of the string starting with a second, succeeding character; detecting an input stroke entered manually in the insertion area; performing handwriting recognition; inserting, at the position within the string of characters, a recognised character(s); and scrolling the string in the recognition area so as to display, in the recognition area, the recognised character(s) that were inserted into the string of characters.