How to Type Accent Letters on a Chromebook

To type accent letters on a Chromebook, add the US International keyboard in Settings, then press the accent key before the letter: ' then e gives é, and ~ then n gives ñ. Without changing any setting, press Ctrl + Shift + U, type the letter's hex code (e9 for é), then press Space.

ChromeOS has no Alt codes and no Option key, so Windows and Mac shortcuts do not carry over. The five methods below cover every situation, from a one-off é to typing a whole essay in Spanish or French.

Which method should you use?

Method 1: Add the US International keyboard

This is the method to set up if you write in another language often. It turns certain keys into "dead keys": they wait for the next letter and add their accent to it.

1. Click the clock in the bottom-right corner, then the gear icon to open Settings.
2. Open Device, then Keyboard and inputs, then the Input section. On older ChromeOS versions this sits under Advanced, then Languages and inputs. If you cannot find it, type "input" into the Settings search box.
3. Choose Add input methods and search for "international".
4. Tick US International (it may appear as "English (US) with International keyboard") and click Add.
5. Press Ctrl + Shift + Space to switch between your keyboards, or click the input indicator next to the clock.

Dead key combinations

For capitals, hold Shift on the letter: ' then Shift + E gives É.

To type a plain apostrophe or quote mark, press the key and then Space. This catches many people out in the first few days. If it gets in the way when you are writing English, switch back to the standard US keyboard with Ctrl + Shift + Space.

For a full walkthrough of how dead keys behave, see our US International keyboard guide. It is written for Windows, but the dead keys work the same way.

Method 2: Right Alt (AltGr) combinations

On many ChromeOS versions, the US International layout also gives the right Alt key a second job. Hold right Alt and press a letter to get the accented form in one step, with no dead key.

Only the right Alt key does this; the left Alt keeps its normal job. If your model has no right Alt, or the combinations do nothing, use the dead keys from Method 1.

Method 3: Ctrl + Shift + U and the Unicode code

This method needs no setup and types any character that exists in Unicode, including rare ones like ā, ő or č.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + U. An underlined "u" appears.
2. Type the hex code of the letter, for example e9.
3. Press Space or Enter. The code turns into é.

Common Unicode codes

You can find the code for any other letter on its letter page, such as e with accent, listed as U+ followed by the code. Leave off the "U+" and any leading zeros when you type it.

This shortcut works in most web pages and Google apps. It may not work inside every Android or Linux app, so test it once in the app you use.

Method 4: The emoji picker

Press Search + Shift + Space (on newer models the Search key may be the Launcher or Everything key) to open the emoji picker. You can also right-click inside a text box and choose Emoji.

The picker includes a symbols section next to the emoji. Type a description such as "e acute" or "n tilde" in the search box and click the result. What the search returns depends on your ChromeOS version, so if it does not find a letter, use Method 3 or copy it from our site.

Method 5: On-screen keyboard long-press

In tablet mode the on-screen keyboard opens by itself. On a laptop, open Settings, then Accessibility, then the keyboard and text input section, and turn on the on-screen keyboard.

Press and hold a letter on the on-screen keyboard. A row of accented versions appears. Slide to the one you want and release. This works like a phone keyboard and is handy for occasional letters on a touch screen.

Typing accents in Google Docs on a Chromebook

Every method above works inside Google Docs, because Docs takes whatever your keyboard sends. Docs also has its own menu: Insert, then Special characters, where you can search or draw a letter. See how to add accents in Google Docs for the Docs-only tricks, including automatic substitutions.

Troubleshooting

The apostrophe does nothing. US International is active and is waiting for a second key. Press Space to get the apostrophe.

Ctrl + Shift + U shows a "u" but nothing changes. You may have typed the "U+" or pressed a key that is not a hex digit. Use only 0 to 9 and a to f, then press Space.

I cannot find the input settings. Your school or work may manage the device. Ask the administrator, or use Method 3 and Method 4, which need no settings change.

Ctrl + Shift + Space switches language by accident. Remove the extra input method in Settings when you no longer need it.

For the same task on other devices, our hub on how to get an accent over a letter covers Windows, Mac and phones.