diff --git a/SquirrelApplicationDelegate.m b/SquirrelApplicationDelegate.m
index db1479ab6..ae1f5fffe 100644
--- a/SquirrelApplicationDelegate.m
+++ b/SquirrelApplicationDelegate.m
@@ -214,6 +214,16 @@ -(void)rimeNeedsSync:(NSNotification *)aNotification
   [self syncUserData:nil];
 }
 
+-(void)rimeChangeToAsciiMode:(NSNotification *)aNotification
+{
+  [_panel changeToAscii];
+}
+
+-(void)rimeChangeToAsciiModePrev:(NSNotification *)aNotification
+{
+   [_panel changeToAsciiPrev];
+}
+
 -(NSApplicationTerminateReply)applicationShouldTerminate:(NSApplication *)sender
 {
   NSLog(@"Squirrel is quitting.");
@@ -242,6 +252,14 @@ -(void)awakeFromNib
                   selector:@selector(rimeNeedsSync:)
                       name:@"SquirrelSyncNotification"
                     object:nil];
+  [notifCenter addObserver:self
+                  selector:@selector(rimeChangeToAsciiMode:)
+                      name:@"SquirrelChangeToAsciiModeNotification"
+                    object:nil];
+  [notifCenter addObserver:self
+                  selector:@selector(rimeChangeToAsciiModePrev:)
+                      name:@"SquirrelChangeToAsciiModePrevNotification"
+                    object:nil];
 
 }
 
diff --git a/SquirrelInputController.h b/SquirrelInputController.h
index 5e718b325..e11e0e49b 100644
--- a/SquirrelInputController.h
+++ b/SquirrelInputController.h
@@ -4,4 +4,7 @@
 @interface SquirrelInputController : IMKInputController
 - (BOOL)selectCandidate:(NSInteger)index;
 - (BOOL)pageUp:(BOOL)up;
+-(void)changeToAscii;
+-(void)changeToAsciiPrev;
+
 @end
diff --git a/SquirrelInputController.m b/SquirrelInputController.m
index 02f0ef8a4..690e396f9 100644
--- a/SquirrelInputController.m
+++ b/SquirrelInputController.m
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ @implementation SquirrelInputController {
   NSTimer *_chordTimer;
   NSTimeInterval _chordDuration;
   NSString *_currentApp;
+  NSNumber *_prev;
 }
 
 /*!
@@ -164,6 +165,17 @@ - (BOOL)handleEvent:(NSEvent*)event client:(id)sender
 
   return handled;
 }
+-(void)changeToAscii {
+    _prev =  [NSNumber numberWithBool:rime_get_api()->get_option(_session, "ascii_mode")];
+    rime_get_api()->set_option(_session, "ascii_mode", True);
+}
+
+-(void)changeToAsciiPrev {
+    if (_prev) {
+        rime_get_api()->set_option(_session, "ascii_mode", [_prev boolValue]);
+        _prev = nil;
+    }
+}
 
 -(BOOL)processKey:(int)rime_keycode modifiers:(int)rime_modifiers
 {
diff --git a/SquirrelPanel.h b/SquirrelPanel.h
index 159b2a8ad..299d72a0d 100644
--- a/SquirrelPanel.h
+++ b/SquirrelPanel.h
@@ -35,4 +35,7 @@
 -(void)loadConfig:(SquirrelConfig*)config
       forDarkMode:(BOOL)isDark;
 
+-(void)changeToAscii;
+-(void)changeToAsciiPrev;
+
 @end
diff --git a/SquirrelPanel.m b/SquirrelPanel.m
index 892471dd4..20bec556e 100644
--- a/SquirrelPanel.m
+++ b/SquirrelPanel.m
@@ -1030,6 +1030,13 @@ - (instancetype)init {
   }
   return self;
 }
+-(void)changeToAscii {
+    [self.inputController changeToAscii];
+}
+
+-(void)changeToAsciiPrev {
+    [self.inputController changeToAsciiPrev];
+}
 
 - (NSPoint)mousePosition {
   NSPoint point = NSEvent.mouseLocation;
diff --git a/main.m b/main.m
index 2a1a556f3..0cecc9142 100644
--- a/main.m
+++ b/main.m
@@ -61,6 +61,21 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     return 0;
   }
 
+  if (argc > 1 && !strcmp("--ascii_mode", argv[1])) {
+    [[NSDistributedNotificationCenter defaultCenter]
+        postNotificationName:@"SquirrelChangeToAsciiModeNotification"
+                      object: nil];
+    return 0;
+  }
+
+  if (argc > 1 && !strcmp("--ascii_mode_prev", argv[1])) {
+    [[NSDistributedNotificationCenter defaultCenter]
+        postNotificationName:@"SquirrelChangeToAsciiModePrevNotification"
+                      object: nil];
+    return 0;
+  }
+
+
   @autoreleasepool {
     // find the bundle identifier and then initialize the input method server
     NSBundle *main = [NSBundle mainBundle];
@@ -70,7 +85,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
     // load the bundle explicitly because in this case the input method is a
     // background only application
-    [main loadNibNamed:@"MainMenu" owner:[NSApplication sharedApplication] topLevelObjects:NULL];
+    [main loadNibNamed:@"MainMenu"
+                  owner:[NSApplication sharedApplication]
+        topLevelObjects:NULL];
 
     // opencc will be configured with relative dictionary paths
     [[NSFileManager defaultManager]
@@ -78,11 +95,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
     if (NSApp.squirrelAppDelegate.problematicLaunchDetected) {
       NSLog(@"Problematic launch detected!");
-      NSArray *args = @[
-        @"Problematic launch detected! \
+      NSArray *args = @[ @"Problematic launch detected! \
                        Squirrel may be suffering a crash due to imporper configuration. \
-                       Revert previous modifications to see if the problem recurs."
-      ];
+                       Revert previous modifications to see if the problem recurs." ];
       [NSTask launchedTaskWithLaunchPath:@"/usr/bin/say" arguments:args];
     } else {
       [NSApp.squirrelAppDelegate setupRime];