How to Type ā (A with macron) on Android

Published July 17, 2026, 2 min read

Need ā on Android for a name, an address or a word in another language? You do not have to copy it from a website every time. The fastest method is Hold a, and there are a few backups below for when that one is not available.

ā on Android: Hold a

Ā on Android: Hold a

Or copy it:

Method 1: Long-press the letter

Open the keyboard in any app.
Touch and hold the a key.
Slide your finger to ā and lift it.

ā is on the long-press menu of the default English keyboard.

Method 2: Add the Latvian keyboard

Open Settings → System → Languages & input → On-screen keyboard → Gboard → Languages.
Tap Add keyboard and pick Latvian.
Switch keyboards with the globe key or by holding the space bar.

Method 3: Personal dictionary shortcut

In Gboard go to Settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary, pick your language, tap +, paste ā as the word and add a shortcut such as ama. Typing the shortcut then suggests ā.

How to type the capital Ā

The uppercase form works the same way with Shift added where a letter is typed.

Long-press the letter

Open the keyboard in any app.
Touch and hold the A key (with Shift on).
Slide your finger to Ā and lift it.

Ā is on the long-press menu of the default English keyboard.

Add the Latvian keyboard

Open Settings → System → Languages & input → On-screen keyboard → Gboard → Languages.
Tap Add keyboard and pick Latvian.
Switch keyboards with the globe key or by holding the space bar.

About the letter ā

ā is Unicode U+0101, named LATIN SMALL LETTER A WITH MACRON. It is used in Latvian, Mandarin Pinyin, Māori and Hawaiian. A flat bar above a vowel, used for long vowels in Latvian, Lithuanian, Māori, Hawaiian and Latin textbooks, and for the first tone in Pinyin. See the ā character page for every code and shortcut.

Troubleshooting

Samsung Keyboard and Gboard show slightly different long-press menus. If a letter is missing, add the language.
Turn off "Long press for symbols" in Gboard settings if holding a key shows numbers instead of accents.
Personal dictionary shortcuts appear as suggestions; tap the suggestion to insert the letter.

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut for ā on Android?

Hold a.

Can I just copy and paste ā?

Yes. Click the copy button above, then paste with Ctrl+V on Windows and Chromebook, Cmd+V on a Mac, or touch and hold and choose Paste on a phone.

What is the Unicode code for ā?

U+0101. In HTML it is ā.

Related guides

All accent shortcuts for Android