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How to Type Ñ (Spanish N with a Tilde) on Keyboard (+ Alt Code)

The Spanish letter ñ (lowercase) and Ñ (uppercase) may look like a normal n with a little wave on top, but it’s actually a different letter in Spanish. It makes a “ny” sound (like in canyon).

You’ll see ñ in common words and names like: niño, mañana, España, jalapeño, piñata, señor, Muñoz, Peña.

Also, many people get confused between n + ~ and ñ:

  • ñ is one single character (a real letter).
  • n + ~ is often a “tilde key” waiting for the next letter (a dead key). Depending on your keyboard settings, it might help you type ñ, or it might just type ~.

Table of Contents

1-Minute Answer (Fastest Ways)

Windows

  • ñ: Hold Alt and type 0241 on the numeric keypad
  • Ñ: Hold Alt and type 0209 on the numeric keypad

Mac

  • ñ: Option (⌥) + N, then press N
  • Ñ: Option (⌥) + N, then press Shift + N

iPhone / iPad

  • Press and hold n, then choose ñ / Ñ

Android

  • Press and hold n, then choose ñ / Ñ (varies slightly by keyboard app)

Microsoft Word

  • Ctrl + Shift + ~, then nñ
  • Ctrl + Shift + ~, then Shift + nÑ

Google Docs

  • Insert → Special characters, search n tilde, then click ñ or Ñ
  • On Mac, the Option (⌥) + N method also works in Google Docs

Quick Reference: ñ and Ñ

Quick codes you can save:

  • Unicode: ñ = U+00F1, Ñ = U+00D1
  • Windows Alt code: ñ = Alt + 0241, Ñ = Alt + 0209
  • Mac shortcut: Option (⌥) + N, then n (or Shift+n for Ñ)
  • Word shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + ~, then n
  • HTML: ñ (ñ), Ñ (Ñ) — also works as ñ and Ñ

Mini Table Reference for N with tilde

CharacterUnicodeWindows Alt codeMac shortcutWord shortcutHTML
ñU+00F1Alt+0241⌥+N, then nCtrl+Shift+~, then nñ / ñ
ÑU+00D1Alt+0209⌥+N, then Shift+nCtrl+Shift+~, then Shift+nÑ / Ñ
Click to copy Spanish Ñ letters
Tap a button to copy, then paste (Ctrl+V / Cmd+V).
Show Unicode reference table
Character Name Unicode HTML

Copy and Paste ñ / Ñ

If you just need it quickly, copy from here or from the widget above:

  • ñ
  • Ñ

How to paste:

  • Windows: Ctrl + V
  • Mac: Command (⌘) + V
  • Phone/tablet: tap and hold → Paste

How to Type ñ on Windows

Method 1: Windows Alt codes (works in most apps)

  1. Click where you want to type it.
  2. Turn Num Lock ON.
  3. Hold Alt.
  4. Type the code on the numeric keypad:
    • 0241ñ
    • 0209Ñ
  5. Release Alt.
Spanish n with tilde shortcut on Windows keyboard

Important: The number row above your letters usually won’t work for Alt codes — you need the numeric keypad.

Method 2: Windows emoji/symbol panel

  1. Click where you want the letter.
  2. Press Win + . (or Win + ;).
  3. Go to Symbols.
  4. Look for ñ / Ñ (or use search if your panel supports it).
  5. Click to insert.

Method 3: Character Map

  1. Open Start and search Character Map.
  2. Open it.
  3. Find ñ or Ñ (you can search if available).
  4. Click the character → SelectCopy.
  5. Paste where you need it.

How to Type ñ on Mac

Method 1: Option shortcut (fastest)

  1. Press Option (⌥) + N (this prepares the tilde).
  2. Press n for ñ.
  3. Press Shift + n for Ñ.
Spanish n with tilde shortcut on Mac keyboard

Method 2: Press-and-hold (easy for beginners)

  1. Press and hold the n key.
  2. A small menu appears with options.
  3. Choose ñ (or Ñ if available).

Method 3: Character Viewer

  1. Press Control + Command + Space to open Character Viewer.
  2. Search for n tilde.
  3. Double-click ñ or Ñ to insert.

How to Type ñ in Microsoft Word

Method 1: Word shortcut (Windows and often Mac Word too)

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + ~ (don’t press n yet).
  2. Then press n to get ñ (or Shift + n for Ñ).

Method 2: Insert Symbol (Word for Windows/Mac)

  1. Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols.Go to Symbols>More Symbols
  2. Find ñ or Ñ.How to type spanish n with tilde in Word
  3. Select it → InsertClose.

Method 3: AutoCorrect (great if you type it a lot)

You can make Word automatically replace something like n~ with ñ.

  1. Go to File → Options → Proofing.
  2. Click AutoCorrect Options.
  3. In “Replace”, type something easy like: n~
  4. In “With”, paste: ñ
  5. Click Add, then OK.

(Do the same for Ñ if you need uppercase often.)


How to Type ñ in Excel

Method 1: Alt code (Windows)

  • Use Alt + 0241 (ñ) or Alt + 0209 (Ñ) while editing a cell.

Method 2: CHAR formula (great for spreadsheets)

In a cell, use:

  • =CHAR(241)ñ
  • =CHAR(209)Ñ

Tip: If you want to “freeze” the result, copy the cell and Paste Special → Values.

Method 3: Insert Symbol

  1. Go to Insert → Symbol (or Insert → Symbols depending on your Excel).
  2. Pick ñ or Ñ.
  3. Insert it into the cell.

How to Type ñ in PowerPoint

Most Word methods work in PowerPoint text boxes too:

  • On Windows: Alt + 0241 / Alt + 0209
  • On Mac: Option (⌥) + N, then n

Or use:

  • Insert → Symbol → pick ñ or Ñ

(If you already learned the Word steps above, you can use the same approach here.)


How to Type ñ in Google Docs

Method 1: Insert Special Characters

  1. Go to Insert → Special characters.
  2. Search: n tilde.
  3. Click ñ or Ñ.

Method 2: Mac shortcut (works in Docs on Mac)

  • Option (⌥) + N, then n (or Shift+n for Ñ)

How to Type ñ in Google Sheets

Method 1: CHAR formula

  • =CHAR(241)ñ
  • =CHAR(209)Ñ

Method 2: Copy/paste or insert

If you don’t want formulas, copy ñ / Ñ from the copy section or copy widget above and paste it into the cell.


How to Type ñ on iPhone / Android

iPhone / iPad

  1. Open the keyboard.
  2. Press and hold n.
  3. Slide to ñ (or Ñ).

Android

  1. Press and hold n.
  2. Choose ñ / Ñ from the pop-up.

(If you don’t see it, switch to a keyboard that supports Spanish characters, like Gboard.)


Extra Tip: Add a Spanish Keyboard Layout (Faster Long-Term)

If you type Spanish often, adding a Spanish layout is the most painless solution.

Windows: Add Spanish keyboard + quick switch

  1. Go to Settings → Time & language → Language & region.
  2. Choose your language (like English US) → Language options.
  3. Add a keyboard: Spanish (or Spanish (Latin America)).
  4. Switch anytime with Windows + Space.

Mac: Add Spanish input source + quick switch

  1. Go to System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources.
  2. Click + and add Spanish.
  3. Switch input sources with Control + Space (default on many Macs).

Troubleshooting (Fix Common Problems)

“Alt code not working”

  • Make sure you’re using the numeric keypad, not the number row.
  • Turn Num Lock ON.
  • Try the 4-digit versions (0241, 0209), not shorter codes.
  • Some laptops need Fn to activate an embedded numpad.

“My laptop doesn’t have a numpad”

Use one of these instead:

  • Windows symbol panel (Win + .)
  • Character Map
  • Copy/paste
  • Add a Spanish keyboard layout

“When I press ~ I only get a tilde, not ñ”

That’s normal on many English keyboards. You need either:

  • The Alt code method (Windows), or
  • The Option (⌥)+N method (Mac), or
  • A Spanish / US-International keyboard layout

“I see ñ instead of ñ” (looks similar, but acts weird)

That’s the combining tilde version (two characters). It can behave oddly in some fonts or when deleting text. If you’re writing normal Spanish, you usually want the single letter ñ.


FAQ (Quick Answers)

Is ñ a letter in Spanish or just “n with an accent”?

In Spanish, ñ is its own letter, not just an accented n. It changes the sound and meaning of words.

What’s the Alt code for ñ and Ñ?

  • ñ: Alt + 0241
  • Ñ: Alt + 0209

How do I type Ñ (uppercase) on Mac?

Press Option (⌥) + N, then press Shift + N.

How do I type ñ in Google Docs quickly?

Use Insert → Special characters, search n tilde, then click ñ. On Mac, the Option (⌥)+N method is fastest.

What is the Unicode for ñ?

  • ñ: U+00F1
  • Ñ: U+00D1

Quick Recap

  • Fastest on Windows: Alt + 0241 (ñ) / Alt + 0209 (Ñ)
  • Fastest on Mac: Option (⌥) + N, then n (or Shift+n)
  • Fastest on phone: press and hold n
  • In Word: Ctrl + Shift + ~, then n