How to Type ä (A with umlaut) on Microsoft Word

Published August 27, 2026, 2 min read

The letter ä does not have its own key on an English keyboard, but Microsoft Word still makes it easy to type. Use Ctrl+Shift+:, then A, or pick one of the other methods in this guide. ä appears in German, Slovak, Swedish and Finnish.

ä on Microsoft Word: Ctrl+Shift+:, then A

Ä on Microsoft Word: Ctrl+Shift+:, then Shift+A

Or copy it:

Method 1: Word keyboard shortcut

Press Ctrl+Shift+:, then A. Press the first combination, release, then type the letter. This works in Word for Windows and in Outlook.

Method 2: Alt+X Unicode trick

Type 00E4 where you want the letter.
Press Alt+X. Word turns the code into ä.

Press Alt+X again to turn it back into the code. On a Mac, Word uses the macOS methods instead: Option+U, then A.

Method 3: Insert Symbol

Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols.
Set "from" to Unicode (hex) and type 00E4 in Character code.
Click Insert. You can also assign a shortcut key here.

Method 4: Alt code

With Num Lock on, hold Alt and type 0228 on the number pad.

How to type the capital Ä

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

Word keyboard shortcut

Press Ctrl+Shift+:, then Shift+A. Press the first combination, release, then type the letter. This works in Word for Windows and in Outlook.

Alt+X Unicode trick

Type 00C4 where you want the letter.
Press Alt+X. Word turns the code into Ä.

Press Alt+X again to turn it back into the code. On a Mac, Word uses the macOS methods instead: Option+U, then Shift+A.

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

Ctrl accent shortcuts are in Word for Windows. Word for Mac uses the macOS Option shortcuts.
If Alt+X converts the wrong text, select just the code first, then press Alt+X.
Change the font if the letter shows as an empty box; Calibri, Arial and Times New Roman cover common accents.

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut for ä on Microsoft Word?

Ctrl+Shift+:, then A.

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 Microsoft Word