How to Type Accent Letters on Windows 10 and 11

To type accent letters on Windows, hold Alt and type a four-digit code on the number pad with Num Lock on: Alt + 0233 gives é and Alt + 0241 gives ñ. If you have no number pad, press Win + . (period), open the Symbols tab, and click the letter.

These methods work the same on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Pick one from the table, then use the section for it.

Method 1: Alt codes

Alt codes type a character from its code number. They work in most Windows programs, including Word, browsers and email.

1. Turn on Num Lock. Its light should be on.
2. Hold down the Alt key.
3. Type the four digits on the number pad, including the leading 0.
4. Release Alt. The letter appears.

Alt code table for common accent letters

The four-digit codes follow the Windows-1252 character set. Windows also accepts older three-digit codes from code page 437, such as Alt + 130 for é and Alt + 164 for ñ, but most capitals have no three-digit code. Stick to the four-digit versions.

Alt codes only cover Western European letters. Letters such as ā, č, ł or ő have no Alt code, so use the symbol panel or copy them. The full chart, including š (Alt + 0154) and ž (Alt + 0158), is on our Alt codes page.

Method 2: Win + . symbol panel

This is the easiest method on a laptop and needs no codes.

1. Click where you want the letter.
2. Press Win + . (period). Win + ; (semicolon) also works.
3. The emoji panel opens. Switch to the Symbols tab (the Omega sign).
4. Choose the Latin symbols section and click the accented letter.

The panel stays open, so you can click several letters in a row.

Method 3: Touch keyboard

On a touchscreen laptop or tablet, the on-screen touch keyboard works like a phone keyboard.

1. Turn on the touch keyboard icon in the taskbar settings, then tap the icon to open the keyboard.
2. Press and hold a letter such as e.
3. Slide to the accented version and release.

You can also click and hold with a mouse, which helps if your physical keyboard lacks a key you need.

Method 4: US International keyboard

If you type in Spanish, French, German or Portuguese often, add the United States-International layout. It turns some keys into "dead keys" that put an accent on the next letter you type.

To type a plain apostrophe or quote mark, press the key and then the Space bar. The right Alt key (AltGr) adds direct shortcuts: AltGr + e gives é, AltGr + n gives ñ, AltGr + s gives ß. You switch between layouts with Win + Space.

Setup steps, the full AltGr list and how to remove the layout are in our US International keyboard guide.

Method 5: Character Map

Character Map is a built-in Windows app that shows every character in a font. Search for "Character Map" in the Start menu, open it, and double-click a letter to add it to the copy box. Click Copy, then paste.

Select a letter and look at the bottom-right corner: it shows the letter's Alt code, if it has one. Tick Advanced view to search by name, such as "acute". More detail is in how to use Character Map for accents.

Method 6: Copy and paste

For one-off use, open our accent letters tool and click any letter to copy it. Paste with Ctrl + V. This works for every accented letter, including the ones with no Alt code.

Typing accents in Microsoft Word

Word for Windows has its own accent shortcuts, such as Ctrl + ' then e for é. They are easier to remember than Alt codes but only work in Office apps. See how to put accent marks on letters in Word.

Troubleshooting

Alt code types nothing. Check that Num Lock is on and that you used the number pad, not the top-row numbers. Hold Alt for the whole code and release it only at the end.

Alt code types the wrong character. You probably left out the leading zero. Alt + 0233 gives é, while Alt + 233 gives a Greek theta from the older code page.

No number pad. Some laptops have a hidden keypad on the letter keys that you turn on with Fn + Num Lock. Otherwise use the symbol panel or US International. See how to type accents on a laptop without a numpad.

Apostrophes and quotes behave oddly. The US International layout is active. Press Space after the key, or switch back with Win + Space.

Codes work in one app but not another. Some programs handle keyboard input their own way and ignore Alt codes. Use the symbol panel or paste the letter instead. Our guide to Alt codes not working covers more fixes.