How to Type ä (A with umlaut) on Windows

Published August 28, 2026, 3 min read

ä is a with umlaut, a letter used in German, Slovak, Swedish and Finnish. On Windows, the quickest way to get it is Alt+0228. This guide covers every method that works, including the capital Ä and fixes for common problems.

ä on Windows: Alt+0228

Ä on Windows: Alt+0196

Or copy it:

Method 1: Alt code (fastest with a number pad)

Make sure Num Lock is on.
Hold down the left Alt key.
Type 0228 on the number pad, not the top row of numbers.
Release Alt and ä appears.

The older code Alt+132 also works in many programs. Codes that start with 0 are more reliable because they map to the Windows-1252 character set.

Method 2: US-International keyboard

Add the United States-International layout in Settings → Time & language → Language & region → your language → Language options → Add a keyboard. Switch layouts with Win+Space.

Dead key: press Shift+' ("), then A.
Direct shortcut: Right Alt+Q.

On this layout, the apostrophe and quote keys wait for the next letter. Press Space after them when you want a plain ' or ".

Method 3: Emoji and symbols panel (no number pad needed)

Press Win+. (period) to open the panel.
Select the Symbols tab (Ω).
Choose the Latin symbols group and click ä.

Method 4: Character Map

Press Win, type charmap and open Character Map.
Tick Advanced view and type 00E4 in the "Go to Unicode" box.
Click Select, then Copy, and paste with Ctrl+V.

How to type the capital Ä

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

Alt code (fastest with a number pad)

Make sure Num Lock is on.
Hold down the left Alt key.
Type 0196 on the number pad, not the top row of numbers.
Release Alt and Ä appears.

The older code Alt+142 also works in many programs. Codes that start with 0 are more reliable because they map to the Windows-1252 character set.

US-International keyboard

Add the United States-International layout in Settings → Time & language → Language & region → your language → Language options → Add a keyboard. Switch layouts with Win+Space.

Dead key: press Shift+' ("), then Shift+A.
Direct shortcut: Right Alt+Shift+Q.

On this layout, the apostrophe and quote keys wait for the next letter. Press Space after them when you want a plain ' or ".

About the letter ä

ä is Unicode U+00E4, named LATIN SMALL LETTER A WITH DIAERESIS. It is used in German, Slovak, Swedish, Finnish and Estonian. Two dots above a letter. As a German umlaut it changes the vowel sound (ä, ö, ü); as a diaeresis in French, Dutch, Spanish or English (naïve, Noël) it shows that a vowel is pronounced separately. See the ä character page for every code and shortcut.

Troubleshooting

Alt codes only work with the number pad. On a laptop without one, use Win+. or the US-International layout.
If Alt codes type the wrong symbol, add a 0 before the number (Alt+0233 rather than Alt+130).
Some apps, such as remote desktop sessions, block Alt codes. Copy the letter from this page instead.

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut for ä on Windows?

Alt+0228.

Can I just copy and paste ä?

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 ä?

U+00E4. In HTML it is ä.

Related guides

All accent shortcuts for Windows