How to Type French Letters with Accents on an English Keyboard (Windows, Mac, Word, Google Docs)
French uses the same 26 letters as English, but it also uses accents and a few special characters. The most common ones you’ll see are é, è, ê, ë, plus ç (c with cedilla), œ (oe ligature), and French quotes « ».
This guide gives you four things people usually want:
- Fast copy/paste
- How to type on Windows + Mac
- How to type in Word/Excel/Google Docs
- The best long-term fix: add a French keyboard layout
1-Minute Answer (Fastest Ways)
1) Fast copy/paste (quickest for most people)
If you only need a few letters right now, copy from the lists in the Copy/Paste tool below.
2) Windows fastest options
- Alt codes (with numpad): Hold Alt and type a 4-digit code on the numeric keypad (With Num Lock ON).
- Emoji/Symbol panel: Press Win + . (or Win + ;) → go to the Symbols tab.
- Character Map: Search Character Map in the Start menu → copy the character.
3) Mac fastest options
- Accent shortcuts (dead keys): Press Option + accent key, release, then type the letter.
- Press-and-hold: Hold a letter key (like e) → pick é/è/ê/ë.
- Character Viewer: Press Control + Command + Space → search the character.
4) Microsoft Word (fastest in documents)
- Use Word accent shortcuts (examples below)
- Or Insert → Symbol
- Or set up AutoCorrect (type a shortcut like
e'→ it becomes é)
5) Google Docs (fastest in Docs)
- Insert → Special characters → search “e acute”, “c cedilla”, “oe ligature”, “guillemet”
6) Phone (iPhone/Android)
- Press-and-hold letters (e, a, u, c, o) → choose the accent
- Best long-term: add French keyboard
Quick Reference (Fast Tables)
A) Most common French letters (letters with accents)
| Lowercase | Uppercase | Name (simple) | Windows (Alt code) | Mac (Option method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| é | É | e with acute | Alt + 0233 / Alt + 0201 | Option + E, then e / Shift+E |
| è | È | e with grave | Alt + 0232 / Alt + 0200 | Option + `, then e / Shift+E |
| ê | Ê | e with circumflex | Alt + 0234 / Alt + 0202 | Option + I, then e / Shift+E |
| ë | Ë | e with diaeresis | Alt + 0235 / Alt + 0203 | Option + U, then e / Shift+E |
| à | À | a with grave | Alt + 0224 / Alt + 0192 | Option + `, then a / Shift+A |
| â | Â | a with circumflex | Alt + 0226 / Alt + 0194 | Option + I, then a / Shift+A |
| ä | Ä | a with diaeresis | Alt + 0228 / Alt + 0196 | Option + U, then a / Shift+A |
| î | Î | i with circumflex | Alt + 0238 / Alt + 0206 | Option + I, then i / Shift+I |
| ï | Ï | i with diaeresis | Alt + 0239 / Alt + 0207 | Option + U, then i / Shift+I |
| ô | Ô | o with circumflex | Alt + 0244 / Alt + 0212 | Option + I, then o / Shift+O |
| ö | Ö | o with diaeresis | Alt + 0246 / Alt + 0214 | Option + U, then o / Shift+O |
| ù | Ù | u with grave | Alt + 0249 / Alt + 0217 | Option + `, then u / Shift+U |
| û | Û | u with circumflex | Alt + 0251 / Alt + 0219 | Option + I, then u / Shift+U |
| ü | Ü | u with diaeresis | Alt + 0252 / Alt + 0220 | Option + U, then u / Shift+U |
| ÿ | Ÿ | y with diaeresis | Alt + 0255 / Alt + 0159 | Option + U, then y / Shift+Y |
| ç | Ç | c with cedilla | Alt + 0231 / Alt + 0199 | Option + C (usually gives ç) |
| œ | Œ | oe ligature | (Alt code varies) / copy-paste | Character Viewer (search “oe”) |
| æ | Æ | ae ligature | Alt + 0230 / Alt + 0198 | Character Viewer (search “ae”) |
B) French punctuation (quotes and more)
| Symbol | Name (simple) | How to type (Windows / Mac / Mobile) |
|---|---|---|
| « » | French quotes (guillemets) | Copy/paste, or add French keyboard, or Character Map/Viewer |
| ’ | Curly apostrophe | Copy/paste, or Insert Symbol/Character Viewer (often auto-fixes in Word) |
| … | Ellipsis | Copy/paste, or Insert Symbol/Character Viewer |
Windows: How to Type French Letters (Step-by-Step)
Method 1: Alt codes (fastest if you have a numeric keypad)
- Click where you want the letter.
- Turn Num Lock ON.
- Hold Alt.
- Type the 4-digit code on the numeric keypad.
- Release Alt.
Helpful Alt codes (most used):
- é = Alt + 0233
- è = Alt + 0232
- ê = Alt + 0234
- ë = Alt + 0235
- à = Alt + 0224
- â = Alt + 0226
- ç = Alt + 0231
- ô = Alt + 0244
- ù = Alt + 0249
- û = Alt + 0251
- ü = Alt + 0252
Uppercase examples: - É = Alt + 0201
- À = Alt + 0192
- Ç = Alt + 0199
Laptop tip (no numpad):
- Try Fn + Num Lock (some laptops turn part of the keyboard into a numpad).
- If that’s annoying, skip Alt codes and use Character Map or add a French keyboard layout (best long-term).
Method 2: Windows symbol/emoji panel (quick for occasional use)
- Press Win + . (or Win + ;)
- Look for the Symbols section
- Find the accented letter and click it
Method 3: Character Map (works on any Windows PC)
- Click Start and search Character Map
- Open it
- Find the letter (you can change fonts if needed)
- Select it → Copy
- Paste with Ctrl + V
Method 4: Add a French keyboard layout (best long-term)
If you type French often, this is the most reliable method.
- Open Settings → Time & language → Language & region
- Add a language: choose French (or another French option)
- Add the keyboard you want
- Switch quickly anytime with Win + Space
(Which keyboard to choose is explained in the Best long-term method section below.)
Mac: How to Type French Letters (Step-by-Step)
Method 1: Option “dead key” shortcuts (fast once you learn the pattern)
- Press the Option combo for the accent
- Release
- Type the letter
Common patterns:
- Acute (é): Option + E, then e
- Grave (è, à, ù): Option + `, then e/a/u
- Circumflex (ê, â, î, ô, û): Option + I, then the letter
- Diaeresis (ë, ï, ü): Option + U, then the letter
- Cedilla (ç): Option + C
Uppercase: hold Shift for the final letter (or turn on Caps Lock).
Method 2: Press-and-hold (easiest for beginners)
- Hold the base letter key (like e)
- A small menu appears
- Choose é/è/ê/ë (or the one you need)
Method 3: Character Viewer (best for œ, æ, « », and anything else)
- Press Control + Command + Space
- Search: “cedilla”, “oe”, “guillemet”, “ellipsis”
- Double-click the result to insert it
Method 4: Add a French keyboard layout (best long-term)
- Apple menu → System Settings → Keyboard
- Text Input → Edit (or Input Sources)
- Add French or ABC – Extended
- Switch layouts from the input menu (or set a shortcut)
Microsoft Word (Windows + Mac)
Word accent shortcuts (Windows Word)
These produce lowercase letters. For uppercase, use Shift on the final letter (or Caps Lock).
Mini-table (Word shortcuts):
- Ctrl + ‘ then e → é
- Ctrl + ` then e → è
- Ctrl + Shift + ^ then e → ê
- Ctrl + Shift + : then e → ë
- Ctrl + ` then a → à
- Ctrl + Shift + ^ then a → â
- Ctrl + , then c → ç
Note: You press the Ctrl combo first, release, then type the letter.
Insert the character (Word on Windows/Mac)
- Insert tab → Symbol → More Symbols
- Look for a subset like Latin-1 Supplement (wording may vary)
- Select the letter → Insert
AutoCorrect tip (big time-saver if you type French a lot)
You can create your own shortcuts, like:
e'→ é- `e“ → è
c,→ ç
Pick shortcuts that feel natural to you, and avoid ones you already use for something else.
Excel / Google Sheets
Best options (simple and reliable)
- Windows Alt codes (if you know them and have a numpad)
- Insert → Symbol (Excel desktop)
- Copy/paste (best for quick labels, names, headings)
- If you use French often: add a French keyboard and type normally
Tip: In spreadsheets, copy/paste is usually the fastest because you often repeat the same accented words.
Google Docs
Insert special characters (works on any computer)
- Insert → Special characters
- Search using plain English terms like:
- “e acute”
- “c cedilla”
- “oe ligature”
- “guillemet”
- Click the character to insert it
Mac note: If you’re on a Mac, the Option accent shortcuts still work inside Google Docs.
iPhone / Android
Method 1: Press-and-hold (fastest)
- Hold e → pick é/è/ê/ë
- Hold a → pick à/â/ä (and others)
- Hold u → pick ù/û/ü
- Hold c → pick ç
- Hold o → look for ô/ö/œ (varies by keyboard)
Method 2: Add French keyboard (best long-term)
If you type French regularly, add a French keyboard so accents are always available.
Optional: Set up text replacement for letters you type constantly (like é and ç).
Best Long-Term Method: Add a French Keyboard Layout
If you’re a student, teacher, or office user who types French more than once in a while, this is the best “set it and forget it” fix.
Windows options (simple comparison)
- US-International keyboard: best for beginners who want to keep an English layout but type accents easily.
- French (France): great if you want a true French layout, but keys are rearranged (more learning).
- French (Canada): also solid, but may feel different depending on what you’re used to.
My recommendation for most beginners:
Start with US-International.
Why: it keeps your keyboard mostly “English”, and you can type accents using simple key patterns without memorizing lots of Alt codes.
Switch quickly:
- Win + Space to change keyboards anytime.
Mac options (simple comparison)
- ABC – Extended: best for beginners (lots of accents available with consistent Option shortcuts).
- French: true French layout, but keys can feel different.
My recommendation for most beginners on Mac:
ABC – Extended
Why: it’s very flexible for accents and doesn’t force you to learn a completely new layout.
Troubleshooting (Common Problems)
“Alt codes aren’t working”
- You must use the numeric keypad (not the number row above letters).
- Turn Num Lock ON.
- On laptops without a numpad, use Character Map, Win + ., or add a French keyboard.
“Mac accents are confusing”
- For “dead key” accents, remember: Option combo first, then the letter.
- If you only want the accent symbol by itself, you can often press the accent combo, then press Space.
“I’m getting the wrong character”
- You may be using the wrong keyboard layout (English vs French vs International).
- Switch layouts and try again (Windows: Win + Space).
“Uppercase accents are hard”
Reliable options:
- Copy/paste the uppercase letter from this page
- Use Insert → Symbol
- Use the keyboard method, but hold Shift for the final letter (or Caps Lock)
FAQ (Quick Answers)
How do I type é on an English keyboard?
Fastest: copy/paste é.
Windows: Alt + 0233 (needs numpad).
Mac: Option + E, then e.
How do I type ç?
Windows: Alt + 0231 (needs numpad).
Mac: Option + C.
Or use Insert Symbol / Character Viewer.
How do I type œ?
Fastest: copy/paste œ.
Most reliable: Character Viewer (Mac) or Insert → Symbol (Word/Docs).
Best long-term: add a French keyboard.
How do I type French quotes « »?
Fastest: copy/paste « ».
Most reliable: Character Map/Viewer or add a French keyboard.
What’s the best French keyboard layout for Windows/Mac?
Windows: US-International (best for most beginners).
Mac: ABC – Extended (best for most beginners).
Quick Recap
- Need it now? Copy/paste from the lists above.
- On Windows: use Alt codes, Win + ., or Character Map.
- On Mac: use Option accent shortcuts, press-and-hold, or Character Viewer.
- For frequent typing: add a French keyboard layout.