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Special German Letters on Keyboard (ä ö ü ß): Alt Codes + Easy Shortcuts

“Special German letters” usually means the umlaut letters (ä, ö, ü) and the German sharp S (ß).

You’ll see them in common German words and names like Mädchen, schön, über, Straße, and Grüße. These letters can change pronunciation (and sometimes meaning), so it’s worth typing them correctly.

1-Minute Answer (fastest ways)

Windows (fastest)

  • Alt codes (best if you have a number pad): Hold Alt and type the code on the numeric keypad.
  • Win + . symbol panel: Press Windows key + . → go to Symbols → search or browse.
  • Add German keyboard: Add German in Windows keyboard settings, then switch with Win + Space.

Mac (fastest)

  • Option “dead key” for umlauts: Option + U, then type a / o / u.
  • ß on Mac: often Option + S.
  • Character Viewer: Control + Command + Space → search “umlaut” or “eszett”.

Microsoft Word (fastest)

  • Insert Symbol: Insert → Symbol → More Symbols
  • Unicode + Alt+X (Word only): type the Unicode (like 00E4) then press Alt + X.

Google Docs (fastest)

  • Insert → Special characters → search “a umlaut”, “sharp s”, “eszett”.

iPhone / Android (fastest)

  • Press and hold:
    • a → ä
    • o → ö
    • u → ü
    • s → ß (availability varies)
  • If you don’t see them, add the German keyboard on your phone.

Quick reference (short and clean)

LetterUnicodeWindows Alt code ShortcutMac method (quick note)
äU+00E4Alt + 0228Option + U, then a
ÄU+00C4Alt + 0196Option + U, then Shift + A
öU+00F6Alt + 0246Option + U, then o
ÖU+00D6Alt + 0214Option + U, then Shift + O
üU+00FCAlt + 0252Option + U, then u
ÜU+00DCAlt + 0220Option + U, then Shift + U
ßU+00DFAlt + 0223often Option + S
ẞU+1E9E(use Character Map / copy)Character Viewer search “capital sharp s”

Note: ẞ (uppercase ß) exists, but typing it depends on the app/keyboard. The most reliable method is Character Viewer / copy & paste / Unicode method in Word.

Copy/paste

How to type German letters (step-by-step)

A) Windows

Method 1: Alt codes (numeric keypad)

Use this when you have a full keyboard with a number pad.

  1. Click where you want the letter.
  2. Turn Num Lock ON.
  3. Hold Alt.
  4. Type the code on the numeric keypad.
  5. Release Alt.

Common Alt codes:

  • ä = Alt + 0228
  • Ä = Alt + 0196
  • ö = Alt + 0246
  • Ö = Alt + 0214
  • ü = Alt + 0252
  • Ü = Alt + 0220
  • ß = Alt + 0223
Special German Letters Alt code shortcuts

Laptop without a number pad?

Method 2: Windows symbol panel (Win + .)

  1. Press Windows key + . (or Windows key + ;).
  2. Switch to Symbols.
  3. Search (if available) or browse for ä, ö, ü, ß.
  4. Click to insert.

Method 3: Add the German keyboard layout (best long-term)

This is the easiest long-term fix if you type German often.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Time & language → Language & region.
  3. Add a language: German (or German keyboard).
  4. Switch keyboards anytime with Win + Space.
  5. Tip: Use the On-Screen Keyboard to see what each key types on the German layout.

Method 4: Character Map

  1. Search Windows for Character Map and open it.
  2. Pick a common font (like Arial).
  3. Find ä ö ü ß (and ẞ if available).
  4. Select → Copy → paste where you need it.

B) Mac

Method 1: Press-and-hold (easy for ä/ö/ü)

In many apps on macOS:

  1. Press and hold a to see ä (and other variations).
  2. Press and hold o to see ö.
  3. Press and hold u to see ü.
  4. Choose the one you want.

This method usually works for umlauts. It may not reliably show ß.

Special German letters shortcut for Mac

Method 2: Option “dead key” (most reliable for umlauts)

  1. Type Option + U.
  2. Release both keys.
  3. Type:
  • a → ä
  • o → ö
  • u → ü
  1. For uppercase, type Shift + A / O / U at the end.

Method 3: Character Viewer (best for ß and ẞ)

  1. Press Control + Command + Space.
  2. Search:
  • “umlaut”
  • “sharp s”
  • “eszett”
  • “capital sharp s”
  1. Double-click the character to insert it.

Some Mac shortcuts depend on your keyboard layout. If a shortcut doesn’t work, Character Viewer will still work.

C) Microsoft Word (Windows + Mac)

Method 1: Insert Symbol (beginner-friendly)

  1. In Word, click where you want the letter.
  2. Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols.
  3. Find and select ä, ö, ü, ß, ẞ.
  4. Click Insert → Close.

Method 2: Create a Word AutoCorrect shortcut (optional)

If you type these often:

  1. Word Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options.
  2. Add replacements like:
  • ;a → ä
  • ;ss → ß
  1. Click Add → OK.

Method 3: Unicode then Alt+X (Word only, quick once you learn it)

  1. Type the Unicode (no “U+”):
  • ä = 00E4
  • ö = 00F6
  • ü = 00FC
  • ß = 00DF
  • ẞ = 1E9E
  1. Press Alt + X to convert.

D) Excel / Google Sheets

Option 1: Alt codes (Windows)

Use the same Windows Alt codes listed above (best if you have a number pad).

Option 2: Formulas (use only if helpful)

Excel / Sheets can build characters from codes:

Examples:

  • =CHAR(228) → ä
  • =CHAR(214) → Ö
  • =CHAR(223) → ß
  • =UNICHAR(7838) → ẞ (if your app supports UNICHAR)

Option 3: Copy/paste from the widget

Scroll up to the click-to-copy area and paste into your cell.

E) Google Docs

  1. Click where you want the letter.
  2. Go to Insert → Special characters.
  3. Search terms that work well:
  • “a umlaut”
  • “o umlaut”
  • “u umlaut”
  • “sharp s”
  • “eszett”
  • “capital sharp s”
  1. Click the character to insert.

F) iPhone / Android

Method 1: Press and hold

  • Hold a → ä
  • Hold o → ö
  • Hold u → ü
  • Hold s → ß (may not show on all keyboards)

Method 2: Add the German keyboard (more reliable)

If you don’t see ß or umlauts:

  • Add German keyboard in your phone keyboard settings.
  • Switch keyboards using the globe (or language) button.

Best long-term solution (recommended)

If you type German more than once in a while, add the German keyboard layout.

Why it’s better:

  • You stop memorizing codes.
  • Umlauts and ß become consistent everywhere.

Quick switching:

  • Windows: Win + Space
  • Mac: Input menu (top bar) or your shortcut for switching input sources
  • Phone: Globe/language key

Troubleshooting

Alt codes not working (Windows)

Most common causes:

  • Num Lock is OFF
  • You typed numbers on the top row (Alt codes need the numeric keypad)
  • Your laptop has no number pad (use Win + . or Character Map instead)

“I can type ä/ö/ü but not ß”

Try one of these:

  • Use Character Viewer (Mac) / Character Map (Windows)
  • Switch to the German keyboard layout

Uppercase letters not showing (Ä Ö Ü ẞ)

Try:

  • Use the correct uppercase Alt codes (Ä/Ö/Ü)
  • Use Shift with the Mac umlaut method (Option+U, then Shift+letter)
  • For ẞ, use Character Viewer / Character Map / Word Unicode + Alt+X

Boxes or unknown symbols (□)

That usually means the font doesn’t support the character.

  • Switch to a common font like Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, or similar.

FAQ (quick answers)

How do I type ä ö ü on Windows?

Use Alt codes (0228 / 0246 / 0252) on the numeric keypad, or use Win + ., or add the German keyboard.

How do I type ä ö ü on Mac?

Use Option + U, then type a / o / u. Or use Character Viewer.

What is the Alt code for ß?

Alt + 0223 on the numeric keypad.

How do I type uppercase ẞ?

Best options:

  • Character Viewer (Mac) search “capital sharp s”
  • Character Map (Windows)
  • Word: type 1E9E then Alt + X

How do I type German letters in Word / Google Docs?

  • Word: Insert → Symbol, or Unicode + Alt+X
  • Docs: Insert → Special characters, search “umlaut” or “eszett”

Why isn’t my Alt code working?

Usually because there’s no numeric keypad, Num Lock is off, or you used the top number row.

Quick recap

  • Need it fast? Use the copy/click widget.
  • Windows power method: Alt codes (with numeric keypad).
  • Mac power method: Option + U (umlauts) + Character Viewer (ß/ẞ).
  • Best long-term: add the German keyboard layout and switch when needed.