U with Accent (ù ú û ü) on Keyboard — How to Type U with Accents
If you need to type U with accents, you’re usually trying to write a real word from another language (not just decorate text).
Examples you might see:
- über, früh (German: ü)
- où (French: ù)
- tú (Spanish: ú)
This guide covers ù ú û ü (and Ù Ú Û Ü) on Windows, Mac, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Docs/Sheets, iPhone/Android, and Chromebook.
1-Minute Answer (fastest methods)
Copy/paste (fastest)
You can copy and paste any u with accent letter from the tool here.
Windows (Alt codes — needs a numeric keypad)
Hold Alt and type the code on the numeric keypad:
- ù = Alt + 0249
- ú = Alt + 0250
- û = Alt + 0251
- ü = Alt + 0252
- Ù = Alt + 0217
- Ú = Alt + 0218
- Û = Alt + 0219
- Ü = Alt + 0220
Mac (Option “dead key” shortcuts + press-and-hold)
- ù: Option + ` then u
- ú: Option + E then u
- û: Option + I then u
- ü: Option + U then u
Uppercase: type the accent first, then press Shift + U (or turn on Caps Lock).
Also on Mac: press and hold the u key, then pick ù ú û ü.
Word (built-in accent shortcuts) + Insert Symbol
- ù: Ctrl + ` then u
- ú: Ctrl + ‘ then u
- û: Ctrl + Shift + ^ then u
- ü: Ctrl + Shift + : then u
Uppercase: do the shortcut, then type Shift + U (or Caps Lock).
Google Docs
Insert → Special characters, then search: “u umlaut”, “u acute”, “u grave”, “u circumflex”.
iPhone / Android
Press and hold u → pick ù ú û ü.
For uppercase: switch to U, then press and hold.
Quick Reference Table (all U with accent characters)
| Character | Name | Windows Alt code | Mac method | Notes (Word/Docs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ù | u with grave | Alt + 0249 | Option + ` then u | Word: Ctrl + ` then u |
| ú | u with acute | Alt + 0250 | Option + E then u | Word: Ctrl + ‘ then u |
| û | u with circumflex | Alt + 0251 | Option + I then u | Word: Ctrl + Shift + ^ then u |
| ü | u with umlaut (diaeresis) | Alt + 0252 | Option + U then u | Word: Ctrl + Shift + : then u |
| Ù | U with grave | Alt + 0217 | Option + ` then Shift+U | Word: Ctrl + ` then Shift+U |
| Ú | U with acute | Alt + 0218 | Option + E then Shift+U | Word: Ctrl + ‘ then Shift+U |
| Û | U with circumflex | Alt + 0219 | Option + I then Shift+U | Word: Ctrl + Shift + ^ then Shift+U |
| Ü | U with umlaut (diaeresis) | Alt + 0220 | Option + U then Shift+U | Word: Ctrl + Shift + : then Shift+U |
A) Windows: type U with accents (Alt codes, Symbol panel, Character Map)
Method 1: Alt codes (Windows)
Use this when you have a numeric keypad.
- Turn Num Lock ON
- Place your cursor where you want the letter
- Hold Alt
- Type the code on the numeric keypad
- Release Alt
- ù Alt + 0249
- ú Alt + 0250
- û Alt + 0251
- ü Alt + 0252
- Ù Alt + 0217
- Ú Alt + 0218
- Û Alt + 0219
- Ü Alt + 0220
Laptop tip (no numpad): Many laptops don’t have a real numeric keypad, so Alt codes may not work. In that case, use Character Map or copy/paste.
Method 2: Windows symbol panel (quick)
- Click where you want the letter
- Press Win + . (or Win + ;)
- Look for a Symbols section (varies by Windows version)
- If you can’t find it quickly, use Character Map instead.
Method 3: Character Map (reliable)
- Open Start and search Character Map
- Open it
- Find ù ú û ü (and Ù Ú Û Ü)
- Click the character → Select → Copy
- Paste with Ctrl + V
B) Mac: type U with accents (Option/dead keys, press-and-hold, Character Viewer)
Method 1: Option “dead key” shortcuts (best for typing a lot)
These work in most apps.
ù (grave)
- Press Option + ` (backtick)
- Release
- Type u (or Shift + U for Ù)
ú (acute)
- Press Option + E
- Release
- Type u (or Shift + U for Ú)
û (circumflex)
- Press Option + I
- Release
- Type u (or Shift + U for Û)
ü (umlaut/diaeresis)
- Press Option + U
- Release
- Type u (or Shift + U for Ü)
Method 2: Press-and-hold (fast for one-off letters)
- Press and hold u
- A small menu appears
- Choose ù ú û ü
For uppercase: type U, then press and hold U.
Method 3: Character Viewer (best when you don’t know the shortcut)
- Press Control + Command + Space
- Search these terms:
- “u with umlaut”
- “u with acute”
- “u with grave”
- “u with circumflex”
- Click the character to insert it
C) Microsoft Word: shortcuts + Insert Symbol + AutoCorrect
Method 1: Word accent shortcuts (Windows)
These are the easiest if you’re in Word a lot.
Lowercase
- ù: Ctrl + ` then u
- ú: Ctrl + ‘ then u
- û: Ctrl + Shift + ^ then u
- ü: Ctrl + Shift + : then u
Uppercase
Do the same shortcut, then type Shift + U (or turn on Caps Lock).
Method 2: Insert Symbol (Windows + Mac)
- Insert tab → Symbol → More Symbols
- Find ù ú û ü (and Ù Ú Û Ü)
- Click Insert
Tip: If you see a “Subset” dropdown, Latin-1 Supplement usually contains these letters.
Method 3 (optional): AutoCorrect your own shortcut
If you type these often, you can make Word replace something like:
u:→ üu'→ ú
Search in Word for AutoCorrect Options, then add your rule.
D) Excel: Alt codes, Symbol, and formulas (optional)
Method 1: Alt codes (Windows)
You can use the same Alt codes inside a cell (see the Windows section above).
Method 2: Insert Symbol
- Click the cell
- Insert → Symbol (location depends on your Excel version)
- Pick ù ú û ü or Ù Ú Û Ü
Method 3 (optional): UNICHAR formulas (when you need a formula result)
If you want the accented letter created by a formula, you can use UNICHAR:
- ù:
=UNICHAR(249) - ú:
=UNICHAR(250) - û:
=UNICHAR(251) - ü:
=UNICHAR(252) - Ù:
=UNICHAR(217) - Ú:
=UNICHAR(218) - Û:
=UNICHAR(219) - Ü:
=UNICHAR(220)
(If UNICHAR doesn’t work in your Excel version, use copy/paste or Insert Symbol.)
E) PowerPoint: Insert Symbol (quick)
- Click inside a text box
- Insert → Symbol
- Choose ù ú û ü (or uppercase versions) → Insert
F) Google Docs + Google Sheets
Google Docs (best method)
- Insert → Special characters
- In the search box, type:
- u umlaut
- u acute
- u grave
- u circumflex
- Click the character to insert
Google Sheets
Best options:
- Copy/paste from this page
- Use the same Insert → Special characters method in Docs, then paste into Sheets
Optional formulas (works in many cases):
=UNICHAR(252)gives ü=UNICHAR(220)gives Ü
(You can use the full list from the Excel section.)
G) iPhone + Android: press-and-hold
iPhone (iOS)
- Open the keyboard
- Press and hold u
- Pick ù ú û ü
Uppercase: tap Shift to switch to U, then press and hold U.
Android
Same idea:
- Press and hold u
- Choose ù ú û ü
Uppercase: switch to U, then press and hold.
H) Chromebook (short + reliable)
Option 1: Copy/paste
Use the copy/paste lines near the top of this page. Fastest.
Option 2: Add “US International” keyboard (if you type accents often)
- Chromebook Settings → Languages and inputs
- Add an input method like US International
- Then you can often type:
- ` then u → ù
- ‘ then u → ú
- ^ then u → û
- “ then u → ü
(Exact behavior depends on your chosen keyboard layout.)
Best long-term option (if you type these often)
If you regularly type accented letters, switching keyboards is usually easier than memorizing codes.
- German keyboard helps a lot for ü / Ü (and also ä, ö, ß)
- French/Spanish keyboards can make accents like ù / ú much quicker
Quick switching:
- Windows: Win + Space (or Alt + Shift on some setups)
- Mac: Control + Space (or the Globe key, if you have it)
- Mobile: tap the Globe key (or long-press Space) to switch languages
Troubleshooting (common problems)
“Alt code not working”
Most common reasons:
- You didn’t use the numeric keypad (top number row won’t work)
- Num Lock is OFF
- Your laptop has no numpad (use Character Map or copy/paste)
“Mac shortcut isn’t working”
- Make sure you press and release Option + accent key first, then type u
- If you want the accent by itself, press the accent combo, then press Space
“The character looks wrong”
That’s usually a font issue. Try changing the font to something common like Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman.
“I can’t get uppercase (Ü / Ú / Ù / Û)”
- Windows Alt codes: use the uppercase code (0217–0220)
- Mac dead keys: type the accent first, then Shift + U
- Word shortcuts: do the shortcut, then type Shift + U (or Caps Lock)
FAQ
How do I type ü on Windows?
Use Alt + 0252 (numeric keypad). Or copy/paste ü.
How do I type ü on Mac?
Use Option + U, then type u. Or press and hold u and choose ü.
How do I type ú / ù / û?
- Windows: Alt + 0250 (ú), Alt + 0249 (ù), Alt + 0251 (û)
- Mac: Option + E then u (ú), Option + ` then u (ù), Option + I then u (û)
Why doesn’t Alt code work on my laptop?
Most laptops don’t have a true numeric keypad, so Alt codes often fail. Use Character Map, Insert Symbol, or copy/paste.
How do I type U with umlaut in Word or Google Docs?
- Word: Ctrl + Shift + : then u (or Alt + 0252 on Windows)
- Google Docs: Insert → Special characters → search “u umlaut”
What’s the difference between ü and u?
They are different letters in many languages. ü changes pronunciation and can change the meaning of a word (especially in German).
Quick recap
- Fastest: copy/paste (ù ú û ü / Ù Ú Û Ü)
- Windows: Alt codes (need a numeric keypad)
- Mac: Option + accent, then u (or press-and-hold)
- Word/Docs: use built-in shortcuts or Insert → Symbol/Special characters