How to Type ŭ (U with breve) on iPhone

Published May 8, 2026, 2 min read

ŭ is u with breve, a letter used in Esperanto. On iPhone, the quickest way to get it is Add Esperanto keyboard. This guide covers every method that works, including the capital Ŭ and fixes for common problems.

ŭ on iPhone: Add Esperanto keyboard

Ŭ on iPhone: Add Esperanto keyboard

Or copy it:

Method 1: Long-press the letter

ŭ is not on the long-press menu of the plain English keyboard. Add the Esperanto keyboard, then touch and hold u or use the key it adds.

Method 2: Add the Esperanto keyboard

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

Method 3: Text Replacement

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

How to type the capital Ŭ

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

Long-press the letter

Ŭ is not on the long-press menu of the plain English keyboard. Add the Esperanto keyboard, then touch and hold u or use the key it adds.

Add the Esperanto keyboard

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

About the letter ŭ

ŭ is Unicode U+016D, named LATIN SMALL LETTER U WITH BREVE. It is used in Esperanto. A small cup above a letter. Romanian uses ă, Turkish ğ, Vietnamese ă, and Esperanto ŭ. See the ŭ 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 ŭ on iPhone?

Add Esperanto keyboard.

Can I just copy and paste ŭ?

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 ŭ?

U+016D. In HTML it is ŭ.

Related guides

All accent shortcuts for iPhone