How to Type ß (Sharp s (eszett)) on iPhone

Published July 30, 2026, 2 min read

Typing ß (Sharp s (eszett)) on iPhone takes a few seconds once you know the trick. The short answer is Hold s. Read on for step-by-step instructions and what to do when a method does not work.

ß on iPhone: Hold s

Or copy it:

Method 1: Long-press the letter

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

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

Method 2: Add the German keyboard

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

Method 3: Text Replacement

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

About the letter ß

ß is Unicode U+00DF, named LATIN SMALL LETTER SHARP S. It is used in German. See the ß 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 ß on iPhone?

Hold s.

Can I just copy and paste ß?

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 ß?

U+00DF. In HTML it is ß.

Related guides

All accent shortcuts for iPhone