How to Type ś (S with acute) on LaTeX

Published May 13, 2026, 2 min read

Typing ś (s with acute) on LaTeX takes a few seconds once you know the trick. The short answer is \'{s}. Read on for step-by-step instructions, the uppercase Ś and what to do when a method does not work.

ś on LaTeX: \'{s}

Ś on LaTeX: \'{S}

Or copy it:

Method 1: LaTeX command

Write \'{s} in text mode. Load \usepackage[T1]{fontenc} for correct hyphenation and copy-paste from the PDF.

Method 2: Type the character directly

Since 2018 pdfLaTeX reads UTF-8 by default, so you can paste ś into your source. On Overleaf, set the compiler in Menu → Compiler.

Method 3: In math mode

For a variable with this accent, use $\acute{s}$ . Math accents are for symbols, so use the text command for words.

How to type the capital Ś

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

LaTeX command

Write \'{S} in text mode. Load \usepackage[T1]{fontenc} for correct hyphenation and copy-paste from the PDF.

Type the character directly

Since 2018 pdfLaTeX reads UTF-8 by default, so you can paste Ś into your source. On Overleaf, set the compiler in Menu → Compiler.

About the letter ś

ś is Unicode U+015B, named LATIN SMALL LETTER S WITH ACUTE. It is used in Polish. A short line slanting up to the right. It marks stress in Spanish (canción), a closed vowel in French (été), vowel length in Czech, Hungarian and Irish, and a rising tone in Vietnamese and Pinyin. See the ś character page for every code and shortcut.

Troubleshooting

Accents on i and j need the dotless forms \i and \j in old LaTeX; modern LaTeX handles this automatically.
If the letter is missing in the PDF, the font lacks it. Switch to XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX with a broader font.
Wrap commands in braces when the next character is a letter: \'{e}x, not \'ex.

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut for ś on LaTeX?

\'{s}.

Can I just copy and paste ś?

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 ś?

U+015B. In HTML it is ś.

Related guides

All accent shortcuts for LaTeX