.appAccented letters on the keyboard: é, ñ, ü, ç
On a Mac, press Option + E and then the letter for é, á, í, ó or ú, and Option + N, then N, for ñ. On Windows, use an Alt code (é is Alt + 0233) or add the US-International layout, where ' and then e gives é.
- ée with acute accent
- ñn with tilde
- üu with umlaut
- çc with cedilla
Ways to type it on Windows and Mac
| System | Method | Keys |
|---|---|---|
| Mac | Accent menu | Press and hold the letter, then press the number under the variant |
| Mac | Accent key, then the letter | Option + E, then the letter: é á í ó ú |
| Mac | Accent key, then the letter | Option + N, then N: ñ · Option + U, then the letter: ü · Option + `, then the letter: è à · Option + I, then the letter: ê |
| Windows, US-International layout | Accent key, then the letter | ' then the letter: é á í ó ú ç · " then the letter: ü · ~ then N: ñ · ` then the letter: è à · ^ then the letter: ê |
| Windows, UK layout | Keyboard shortcut | Alt Gr + the vowel: á é í ó ú |
| Windows | Alt code | é Alt + 0233, ñ Alt + 0241, ü Alt + 0252 - all codes in the table below |
| Word for Windows | Keyboard shortcut | Ctrl + ' then the letter: é · Ctrl + Shift + ~ then N: ñ · Ctrl + Shift + : then the letter: ü · Ctrl + , then C: ç |
| Windows 11 | Symbols panel | Win + period, then the Symbols tab |
Press the shortcut on your keyboard - the keys light up on the drawing and the row with the character is highlighted in the table.
Accented letters on a laptop: Win + period opens the symbols panel
Shortcuts for related characters
| Character | Name | Windows | Mac | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| é | e with acute accent | Alt + 0233 (numeric keypad) | Option + E, then E | |
| É | capital E with acute accent | Alt + 0201 (numeric keypad) | Option + E, then Shift + E | |
| á | a with acute accent | Alt + 0225 (numeric keypad) | Option + E, then A | |
| í | i with acute accent | Alt + 0237 (numeric keypad) | Option + E, then I | |
| ó | o with acute accent | Alt + 0243 (numeric keypad) | Option + E, then O | |
| ú | u with acute accent | Alt + 0250 (numeric keypad) | Option + E, then U | |
| ñ | n with tilde | Alt + 0241 (numeric keypad) | Option + N, then N | |
| Ñ | capital N with tilde | Alt + 0209 (numeric keypad) | Option + N, then Shift + N | |
| ü | u with umlaut | Alt + 0252 (numeric keypad) | Option + U, then U | |
| è | e with grave accent | Alt + 0232 (numeric keypad) | Option + `, then E | |
| à | a with grave accent | Alt + 0224 (numeric keypad) | Option + `, then A | |
| ê | e with circumflex | Alt + 0234 (numeric keypad) | Option + I, then E | |
| ç | c with cedilla | Alt + 0231 (numeric keypad) | Option + C | |
| ¿ | inverted question mark | Alt + 0191 (numeric keypad) | Option + Shift + / | |
| ¡ | inverted exclamation mark | Alt + 0161 (numeric keypad) | Option + 1 |
Mac shortcuts in the table are for the U.S. layout.
Type accents often? Add the US-International layout
In Windows 11: Settings → Time & language → Language & region → the three dots next to your language → Language options → Add a keyboard → United States-International. Switch between layouts with Win + Space.
On this layout, ', ", `, ~ and ^ wait for the next letter: ' and then e gives é, ~ and then n gives ñ. To type the apostrophe or the quotation mark itself, press the key and then Space.
On a Mac: hold the key or use Option
Press and hold a letter key: a menu with its accented versions appears. Press the number shown under the one you want.
Faster once you know them: Option + E, then a vowel, gives the acute accent (é); Option + `, the grave accent (è); Option + I, the circumflex (ê); Option + U, the umlaut (ü); Option + N, then n, gives ñ. For a capital, hold Shift with the letter: Option + E, then Shift + E, gives É.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I type é on a keyboard?
- On Windows, Alt + 0233 on the numeric keypad, or ' and then e on the US-International layout. On a Mac, Option + E and then E, or press and hold e.
- How do I type ñ?
- On Windows, Alt + 0241 (Ñ is Alt + 0209), or ~ and then n on the US-International layout. On a Mac, Option + N and then N.
- Why doesn’t my apostrophe appear right away?
- You’re on the US-International layout, where the apostrophe waits for the next letter to put an accent on it. Press ' and then Space to type the apostrophe alone, or switch back to the US layout with Win + Space.
Shortcuts without looking
Touch typists press Shift and Alt with the same finger every time, without glancing at the keys. Check your speed in the free test or start the course from the first lesson.