How to Type ï (I with umlaut) on iPhone

Published August 17, 2026, 2 min read

ï is i with umlaut, a letter used in French, Dutch, Catalan and Welsh. On iPhone, the quickest way to get it is Hold i. This guide covers every method that works, including the capital Ï and fixes for common problems.

ï on iPhone: Hold i

Ï on iPhone: Hold i

Or copy it:

Method 1: Long-press the letter

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

ï is on the long-press menu of the default English keyboard and Gboard shows a similar set.

Method 2: Add the French keyboard

Open Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards.
Tap Add New Keyboard and choose French.
Tap the globe key to switch while typing.

Method 3: Text Replacement

Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement, tap +, paste ï as the phrase and type a shortcut such as ium. The shortcut syncs to your Mac through iCloud.

How to type the capital Ï

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 I key (with Shift on).
Slide your finger to Ï and lift it.

Ï is on the long-press menu of the default English keyboard and Gboard shows a similar set.

Add the French keyboard

Open Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards.
Tap Add New Keyboard and choose French.
Tap the globe key to switch while typing.

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

If no menu appears when you touch and hold, make sure you are not using a third-party keyboard that disables it.
Text Replacement shortcuts need a space or punctuation after them to expand.
Some apps with custom keyboards, such as games, do not support accents.

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut for ï on iPhone?

Hold i.

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 iPhone