How to type accents on Windows

Windows gives you four ways to type accents: Alt codes on the number pad, the US-International keyboard layout, the Win+. symbols panel and Character Map. Alt codes are fastest if you have a number pad; the US-International layout is best if you type accents every day.

Example: typing é

Alt code (fastest with a number pad)

1. Make sure Num Lock is on.
2. Hold down the left Alt key.
3. Type 0233 on the number pad, not the top row of numbers.
4. Release Alt and é appears.

The older code Alt+130 also works in many programs. Codes that start with 0 are more reliable because they map to the Windows-1252 character set.

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.

• Dead key: press ', then E.
• Direct shortcut: Right Alt+E.

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

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 é.

Character Map

1. Press Win, type charmap and open Character Map.
2. Tick Advanced view and type 00E9 in the "Go to Unicode" box.
3. Click Select, then Copy, and paste with Ctrl+V.

Chart of accented letters on Windows