How to Type ï (I with umlaut) on Chromebook

Published August 17, 2026, 2 min read

The letter ï does not have its own key on an English keyboard, but Chromebook still makes it easy to type. Use Ctrl+Shift+U, 00ef, Space, or pick one of the other methods in this guide. ï appears in French, Dutch, Catalan and Welsh.

ï on Chromebook: Ctrl+Shift+U, 00ef, Space

Ï on Chromebook: Ctrl+Shift+U, 00cf, Space

Or copy it:

Method 1: Unicode shortcut

Press Ctrl+Shift+U. An underlined u appears.
Type 00ef.
Press Space or Enter and ï appears.

The same shortcut works on most Linux desktops.

Method 2: US International keyboard

Add it in Settings → Device → Keyboard and inputs → Input settings → Add input methods, then switch with Ctrl+Space. Press Shift+' ("), then I.

Method 3: French keyboard

Add the French input method in the same settings screen and switch to it when writing in French. The keyboard shortcut viewer (Ctrl+Search+S) shows where each letter sits.

How to type the capital Ï

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

Unicode shortcut

Press Ctrl+Shift+U. An underlined u appears.
Type 00cf.
Press Space or Enter and Ï appears.

The same shortcut works on most Linux desktops.

US International keyboard

Add it in Settings → Device → Keyboard and inputs → Input settings → Add input methods, then switch with Ctrl+Space. Press Shift+' ("), then Shift+I.

About the letter ï

ï is Unicode U+00EF, named LATIN SMALL LETTER I WITH DIAERESIS. It is used in French, Dutch, Catalan, Welsh and Afrikaans. 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 ï character page for every code and shortcut.

Troubleshooting

Ctrl+Shift+U does not work in some Android apps on ChromeOS. Use it in Chrome and web apps.
Make sure you type the code in lowercase or uppercase; both work, but do not include "U+".
If nothing happens, check that an input method other than the default English one is not active.

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut for ï on Chromebook?

Ctrl+Shift+U, 00ef, Space.

Can I just copy and paste ï?

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 ï?

U+00EF. In HTML it is ï.

Related guides

All accent shortcuts for Chromebook