What an umlaut is and why you might need one
An umlaut is the pair of dots that appears above certain letters — ä, ö, ü, and Ä, Ö, Ü in German, or à, é, ï in French and other languages. If you're writing in another language, copying text that contains umlauts, or filling out a form that requires them, you'll need a way to type them on your keyboard. Your keyboard doesn't have a dedicated umlaut key, but every operating system has built-in methods to produce them.
The method you use depends on what device you're working with and how often you need umlauts. A one-time umlaut is quickest using a keyboard shortcut. If you type umlauts regularly, you might set up a dedicated input method or change your keyboard layout entirely.
Key Takeaways
- Windows users can hold Alt and type a four-digit number code on the numeric keypad to produce an umlaut character.
- Mac users can hold Option and press the letter u, then type the letter that needs the umlaut.
- Chromebook and Linux users can use Ctrl+Shift+U followed by the Unicode code point to type umlauts.
- You can also change your keyboard layout in your operating system settings to German, French, or another language that uses umlauts natively.
- On phones and tablets, holding down a letter usually shows umlaut variants in a pop-up menu.
Adding umlauts on Windows using Alt codes
The fastest way to type an umlaut on Windows is to use an Alt code — a keyboard shortcut that produces special characters. You'll need to use the numeric keypad on the right side of your keyboard, not the number row at the top.
Hold down the Alt key and type the four-digit code for the character you want. Release Alt when you're done. Here are the codes for the most common umlauts:
- ä (lowercase a with umlaut): Alt + 0228
- ö (lowercase o with umlaut): Alt + 0246
- ü (lowercase u with umlaut): Alt + 0252
- Ä (uppercase A with umlaut): Alt + 0196
- Ö (uppercase O with umlaut): Alt + 0214
- Ü (uppercase U with umlaut): Alt + 0220
If your laptop doesn't have a numeric keypad, you may need to enable Num Lock or use a different method. Check whether your keyboard has a Fn key — holding Fn while typing numbers sometimes activates the numeric keypad on laptops.
Adding umlauts on Mac using Option key
On a Mac, hold down the Option key (also called Alt) and press the letter u. This doesn't type the umlaut yet — it prepares your keyboard to add a diacritic mark. Then type the letter you want the umlaut to appear above. The character will appear with the umlaut already in place.
Here's the sequence for each letter:
- ä: Option + u, then a
- ö: Option + u, then o
- ü: Option + u, then u
- Ä: Option + u, then Shift + a
- Ö: Option + u, then Shift + o
- Ü: Option + u, then Shift + u
This method works in any Mac application — email, web browsers, word processors, and text fields. If you make a mistake, just press Escape to cancel the umlaut and start over.
Adding umlauts on Chromebook and Linux
Chromebook and Linux systems use Unicode input to type special characters. Hold Ctrl+Shift+U, type the four-character Unicode code for the character, then press Space or Enter. The character will appear in place of the code.
The Unicode codes for common umlauts are:
- ä: Ctrl+Shift+U, then e4, then Space
- ö: Ctrl+Shift+U, then f6, then Space
- ü: Ctrl+Shift+U, then fc, then Space
- Ä: Ctrl+Shift+U, then c4, then Space
- Ö: Ctrl+Shift+U, then d6, then Space
- Ü: Ctrl+Shift+U, then dc, then Space
This method works in most applications, though some older programs may not support Unicode input. If it doesn't work, try the keyboard layout method described below.
Changing your keyboard layout to type umlauts natively
If you type umlauts frequently, the fastest long-term solution is to change your keyboard layout in your operating system settings. This lets you type umlauts without remembering codes or key combinations — they're just part of the layout.
On Windows: Open Settings, go to Time & Language, then Language. Click Add a Language and select German, French, or another language that uses umlauts. Once added, you can switch between layouts using the language bar in your taskbar. With a German layout active, the umlaut letters are on dedicated keys.
On Mac: Open System Preferences, go to Keyboard, then Input Sources. Click the plus button and add German, French, or another language. You can then switch layouts using the flag icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
On Chromebook: Open Settings, go to Advanced, then Languages and Inputs. Click Add Languages and select the language you want. You can then switch layouts in the system tray at the bottom right.
Changing your layout means you'll need to learn where the umlaut keys are on that layout, or you can keep your original layout active and switch only when you need to type umlauts.
Typing umlauts on phones and tablets
On iPhone and iPad, hold down the letter you want to modify. A pop-up menu will appear showing variants of that letter, including versions with umlauts. Tap the umlaut version you want.
On Android, the method varies by keyboard app. Most keyboards show umlaut options when you hold down a letter, but some require you to swipe or tap a special key first. Check your keyboard's settings or help menu if holding down a letter doesn't show options.
On both platforms, if the pop-up menu doesn't appear, make sure you're holding down the letter long enough — usually at least one second — before releasing.
Copying and pasting umlauts from another source
If you only need an umlaut once or twice, the simplest method is often to find the character somewhere else and copy it. You can search online for "ä" or "ö", copy the character from the search results, and paste it into your document or form.
Many websites also have character picker tools where you can click on the umlaut you need and copy it to your clipboard. This works on any device and requires no keyboard shortcuts or settings changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't my Alt code work on Windows?
You must use the numeric keypad on the right side of your keyboard, not the number row at the top. If your laptop has no numeric keypad, try holding Fn while typing the numbers, or use the Option key method if you're on a Mac, or switch to the copy-paste method for a one-time character.
Can I type umlauts in web forms and email?
Yes. The Alt code, Option key, and Unicode methods all work in email clients, web browsers, and online forms. If a method doesn't work in a specific application, try a different one — some older programs don't support all input methods equally.
What if I need umlauts in a different language?
The same methods work for accented characters in French, Spanish, Portuguese, and other languages. The Alt codes and Unicode values are different for each character, so search for the specific code you need. Changing your keyboard layout to that language is often the easiest solution if you type in that language regularly.
Do I have to memorize the Alt codes?
No. You can write them down, bookmark a reference page, or use the copy-paste method instead. After using a code a few times, most people remember the ones they use most often without trying.
Will changing my keyboard layout affect how I type in English?
No. You can keep your English layout active and switch to another layout only when you need umlauts. On all operating systems, you can toggle between layouts using a keyboard shortcut or menu, so switching back and forth takes one click or key combination.