How to Type ÿ (Y with umlaut) on Android

Published July 25, 2026, 2 min read

Typing ÿ (y with umlaut) on Android takes a few seconds once you know the trick. The short answer is Hold y. Read on for step-by-step instructions, the uppercase Ÿ and what to do when a method does not work.

ÿ on Android: Hold y

Ÿ on Android: Hold y

Or copy it:

Method 1: Long-press the letter

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

ÿ is on the long-press menu of the default English keyboard.

Method 2: Add the French keyboard

Open Settings → System → Languages & input → On-screen keyboard → Gboard → Languages.
Tap Add keyboard and pick French.
Switch keyboards with the globe key or by holding the space bar.

Method 3: Personal dictionary shortcut

In Gboard go to Settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary, pick your language, tap +, paste ÿ as the word and add a shortcut such as yum. Typing the shortcut then suggests ÿ.

How to type the capital Ÿ

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

Long-press the letter

Open the keyboard in any app.
Touch and hold the Y key (with Shift on).
Slide your finger to Ÿ and lift it.

Ÿ is on the long-press menu of the default English keyboard.

Add the French keyboard

Open Settings → System → Languages & input → On-screen keyboard → Gboard → Languages.
Tap Add keyboard and pick French.
Switch keyboards with the globe key or by holding the space bar.

About the letter ÿ

ÿ is Unicode U+00FF, named LATIN SMALL LETTER Y WITH DIAERESIS. It is used in French. Two dots above a letter. As a German umlaut it changes the vowel sound (ä, ö, ü); as a diaeresis in French, Dutch, Spanish or English (naïve, Noël) it shows that a vowel is pronounced separately. See the ÿ character page for every code and shortcut.

Troubleshooting

Samsung Keyboard and Gboard show slightly different long-press menus. If a letter is missing, add the language.
Turn off "Long press for symbols" in Gboard settings if holding a key shows numbers instead of accents.
Personal dictionary shortcuts appear as suggestions; tap the suggestion to insert the letter.

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut for ÿ on Android?

Hold y.

Can I just copy and paste ÿ?

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 ÿ?

U+00FF. In HTML it is ÿ.

Related guides

All accent shortcuts for Android