Accent Letters Keyboard Shortcuts: Windows, Mac, Word and More

The main accent letters keyboard shortcuts are Alt codes on Windows (Alt + 0233 for é), Option keys on a Mac (Option + E, then e) and Ctrl shortcuts in Microsoft Word (Ctrl + ', then e). This cheat sheet puts all of them side by side, with Chromebook and Linux too.

Print it or bookmark it. Shortcuts come straight from our character database and use a US keyboard layout.

Shortcuts by accent mark

Learn the pattern once and you can type any vowel with that accent.

"Then" means release the first keys before pressing the next one. Windows Alt codes do not follow a pattern: each letter has its own number, listed below.

Lowercase accent letters: full shortcut table

Capital accent letters: full shortcut table

For capitals, the Mac and Word shortcuts add Shift on the letter only. Windows uses a different Alt code.

Windows: Alt codes and AltGr

To use an Alt code, turn on Num Lock, hold Alt, type the four digits on the number pad, then release Alt. Top-row numbers do not work. These four-digit codes follow the Windows-1252 character set, so letters outside Western European languages, such as ā or č, have none. The full list is on our Alt codes page.

With the US International layout, the right Alt key (AltGr) gives one-step shortcuts:

Add Shift for capitals. Setup steps are in the US International keyboard guide. No layout change at all? Press Win + . (period) and open the Symbols tab.

Mac: Option keys

Option shortcuts work in every Mac app, including Word for Mac and browsers. Pressing and holding a letter key also shows a menu of accented versions. For ā, č and other letters not in the table, add the ABC Extended input source. More in how to type accent letters on Mac.

Microsoft Word: Ctrl shortcuts

Word's Ctrl shortcuts only work in Word and the Outlook desktop editor on Windows. For any letter without one, type its Unicode code and press Alt + X: 0161 then Alt + X gives š. Insert Symbol and AutoCorrect tips are in how to put accent marks on letters in Word.

Google Docs: no built-in shortcuts

Google Docs has no accent shortcuts of its own. Your system methods (Alt codes, Option keys, US International) still work inside Docs. Without them, open Insert, then Special characters, and search or draw the letter. You can also make your own text shortcuts in Docs' automatic substitution settings. See how to add accents in Google Docs.

Chromebook

ChromeOS has no Alt codes. Add the US International keyboard and use the dead keys from the accent table above, or type any character by its Unicode code:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + U.
2. Type the hex code, such as e9.
3. Press Space or Enter.

More in how to type accent letters on Chromebook.

Linux: the Compose key

Most Linux desktops can turn a spare key, such as right Alt or Menu, into a Compose key in the keyboard settings. Press Compose, release it, then type two characters.

On GNOME and other desktops that use IBus, Ctrl + Shift + U followed by the hex code also works, as on a Chromebook.

When there is no shortcut

Phones have no shortcuts: press and hold the letter instead. For letters with no Alt code or Option key, use a symbol picker (Win + . on Windows, Control + Command + Space on a Mac) or copy the letter. Our hub guide, how to get an accent over a letter, shows the fastest method for each device.