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

Published July 30, 2026, 2 min read

ß is Sharp s (eszett), a letter used in German. On Mac, the quickest way to get it is Option+S. This guide covers every method that works, including the capital and fixes for common problems.

ß on Mac: Option+S

Or copy it:

Method 1: Option key shortcut

Press Option+S. It is a single key combination. This works in every app on the standard US and ABC keyboard layouts.

Method 2: Press and hold

Hold down the S key.
A row of accented versions appears above the cursor.
If ß is in the row, press the number under it or click it.

If nothing appears, press-and-hold is turned off. Run defaults write -g ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool true in Terminal and log out and back in.

Method 3: Unicode Hex Input

Open System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit, click +, and add Unicode Hex Input.
Switch to it from the input menu in the menu bar.
Hold Option and type 00DF. ß appears when you release Option.

This works for every letter on this site, including ones with no Option shortcut.

Method 4: Character Viewer

Press Ctrl+Cmd+Space, search for "latin small letter sharp s", and double-click ß.

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 holding a key repeats the letter, press-and-hold is off. Turn it back on with the Terminal command above.
Option shortcuts depend on the keyboard layout. They work on US and ABC; other layouts move them.
If Option+E shows a highlighted ´ but no letter appears, you pressed a letter that cannot take that accent.

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut for ß on Mac?

Option+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 Mac