How to Type î (I with circumflex) on Microsoft Word

Published August 19, 2026, 2 min read

The letter î does not have its own key on an English keyboard, but Microsoft Word still makes it easy to type. Use Ctrl+Shift+^, then I, or pick one of the other methods in this guide. î appears in French, Italian, Romanian and Welsh.

î on Microsoft Word: Ctrl+Shift+^, then I

Î on Microsoft Word: Ctrl+Shift+^, then Shift+I

Or copy it:

Method 1: Word keyboard shortcut

Press Ctrl+Shift+^, then I. 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 00EE where you want the letter.
Press Alt+X. Word turns the code into î.

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

Method 3: Insert Symbol

Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols.
Set "from" to Unicode (hex) and type 00EE 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 0238 on the number pad.

How to type the capital Î

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

Word keyboard shortcut

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

Alt+X Unicode trick

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

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

About the letter î

î is Unicode U+00EE, named LATIN SMALL LETTER I WITH CIRCUMFLEX. It is used in French, Italian, Romanian, Welsh and Afrikaans. A small caret (^) above a vowel. In French it often marks a vanished s (forêt from forest), in Portuguese a closed vowel, in Welsh a long vowel, and in Vietnamese a distinct vowel (â, ê, ô). See the î 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 î on Microsoft Word?

Ctrl+Shift+^, then I.

Can I just copy and paste î?

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 î?

U+00EE. In HTML it is î.

Related guides

All accent shortcuts for Microsoft Word