The Accent Letters

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

Published July 30, 2026, 2 min read

The letter ß does not have its own key on an English keyboard, but Windows still makes it easy to type. Use Alt+0223, or pick one of the other methods in this guide. ß appears in German.

ß on Windows: Alt+0223

Or copy it:

Method 1: Alt code (fastest with a number pad)

  1. Make sure Num Lock is on.
  2. Hold down the left Alt key.
  3. Type 0223 on the number pad, not the top row of numbers.
  4. Release Alt and ß appears.

The older code Alt+225 also works in many programs. Codes that start with 0 are more reliable because they map to the Windows-1252 character set.

Method 2: US-International keyboard

Add the United States-International layout in Settings → Time & language → Language & region → your language → Language options → Add a keyboard. Switch layouts with Win+Space.

On this layout, the apostrophe and quote keys wait for the next letter. Press Space after them when you want a plain ' or ".

Method 3: Emoji and symbols panel (no number pad needed)

  1. Press Win+. (period) to open the panel.
  2. Select the Symbols tab (Ω).
  3. Choose the Latin symbols group and click ß.

Method 4: Character Map

  1. Press Win, type charmap and open Character Map.
  2. Tick Advanced view and type 00DF in the "Go to Unicode" box.
  3. Click Select, then Copy, and paste with Ctrl+V.

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut for ß on Windows?

Alt+0223.

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 Windows