How to Type û (U with circumflex) on LaTeX

Published August 3, 2026, 2 min read

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

û on LaTeX: \^{u}

Û on LaTeX: \^{U}

Or copy it:

Method 1: LaTeX command

Write \^{u} 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 û into your source. On Overleaf, set the compiler in Menu → Compiler.

Method 3: In math mode

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

How to type the capital Û

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

LaTeX command

Write \^{U} 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 Û into your source. On Overleaf, set the compiler in Menu → Compiler.

About the letter û

û is Unicode U+00FB, named LATIN SMALL LETTER U WITH CIRCUMFLEX. It is used in French, Welsh and Afrikaans. A small caret (^) above a vowel. In French it often marks a vanished s (forêt from forest), in Portuguese a closed vowel, in Welsh a long vowel, and in Vietnamese a distinct vowel (â, ê, ô). See the û 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 û on LaTeX?

\^{u}.

Can I just copy and paste û?

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 û?

U+00FB. In HTML it is û.

Related guides

All accent shortcuts for LaTeX