How to Type ž (Z with caron) on Windows

Published July 22, 2026, 2 min read

The letter ž does not have its own key on an English keyboard, but Windows still makes it easy to type. Use Alt+0158, or pick one of the other methods in this guide. ž appears in Czech, Slovak, Finnish and Croatian.

ž on Windows: Alt+0158

Ž on Windows: Alt+0142

Or copy it:

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

Make sure Num Lock is on.
Hold down the left Alt key.
Type 0158 on the number pad, not the top row of numbers.
Release Alt and ž appears.

Method 2: Emoji and symbols panel (no number pad needed)

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

Method 3: Character Map

Press Win, type charmap and open Character Map.
Tick Advanced view and type 017E in the "Go to Unicode" box.
Click Select, then Copy, and paste with Ctrl+V.

How to type the capital Ž

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

Alt code (fastest with a number pad)

Make sure Num Lock is on.
Hold down the left Alt key.
Type 0142 on the number pad, not the top row of numbers.
Release Alt and Ž appears.

Emoji and symbols panel (no number pad needed)

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

About the letter ž

ž is Unicode U+017E, named LATIN SMALL LETTER Z WITH CARON. It is used in Czech, Slovak, Finnish, Croatian, Slovenian, Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian. A small v above a letter, called háček in Czech and kvačica in Croatian. It softens consonants (č, š, ž, ř) and marks the third tone in Pinyin (ǎ, ǐ). See the ž character page for every code and shortcut.

Troubleshooting

Alt codes only work with the number pad. On a laptop without one, use Win+. or the US-International layout.
If Alt codes type the wrong symbol, add a 0 before the number (Alt+0233 rather than Alt+130).
Some apps, such as remote desktop sessions, block Alt codes. Copy the letter from this page instead.

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut for ž on Windows?

Alt+0158.

Can I just copy and paste ž?

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 ž?

U+017E. In HTML it is ž.

Related guides

All accent shortcuts for Windows