• Home
• LTS Help Desk
• Workshops
• Permission to Use

Windows XP

Keyboard Combinations for Typographical Characters

If you are working in a Windows program and you want to insert a character that does not appear on your keyboard, you can use keyboard combinations to insert the character. These characters include international language characters (e.g., á, ñ, ü), international punctuation (e.g., ¿, «, »), and miscellaneous symbols (e.g., £, °, ©).

When using Word 2007, you can refer to the Symbols dialog box as a quick resource for related characters. For more information, refer to Word 2007: Inserting Symbols and Special Characters (video).

• Keyboard Combinations: Using the Alt Key and a Numerical Code
• Using the Character Map
• Keyboard Combinations: Using the International Keyboard Layout
  • With the Apostrophe Key
  • With the Accent Grave
  • With the Right Alt Key
  • With the Shift Key

Keyboard Combinations: Using the Alt Key and a Numerical Code

This method of using keyboard combinations is the only one which does not require the international keyboard layout. Press [Alt] and a series of numbers to make a character appear on your screen. If you prefer another way to add characters without requiring the international keyboard layout, refer to Using the Character Map.

HINTS:
You must type the numerical code in the number pad.
The symbol will not appear until you release the [Alt] button.

EXAMPLE: To insert the é character:

1. Press and hold [Alt]

2. On the keypad, type 0233
   No character appears.

3. Release [Alt]
   The é appears.

To insert	Hold [Alt] and type	To insert	Hold [ Alt] and type
á	0225	Á	0193
à	0224	À	0192
â	0226	Â	0194
ä	0228	Ä	0196
é	0233	É	0201
è	0232	È	0200
ê	0234	Ê	0202
ë	0235	Ë	0203
í	0237	Í	0205
ì	0236	Ì	0204
î	0238	Î	0206
ï	0239	Ï	0207
ó	0243	Ó	0211
ò	0242	Ò	0210
ô	0244	Ô	0212
ö	0246	Ö	0214
ú	0250	Ú	0218
ù	0249	Ù	0217
û	0251	Û	0219
ü	0252	Ü	0220
ç	0231	Ç	0199
ñ	0241	Ñ	0209
œ	0156	Œ	0140
æ	0230	Æ	0198
«	0171	»	0187

 

Using the Character Map

Windows XP has a dialog box which hosts a great number of typographical characters which you can copy to your document. You do not need the international keyboard layout before accessing these shortcuts.

1. Click START » select All Programs » Accessories » System Tools » Character Map
   The Character Map dialog box appears.
   

2. From the Font pull-down list, select the desired font
   EXAMPLE: Select Calibri.

3. From the scroll list, select the desired character
   EXAMPLE: Select ¼.

4. Click SELECT
   The character appears in the Characters to copy text box.

5. Repeat steps 3-4 as necessary

6. Click COPY
   The characters in your Characters to copy text box are copied to the Windows clipboard.

7. Click CLOSE
   The Character Map dialog box closes.

8. In your document, place the insertion point where you want the copied characters to appear

9. Press [Ctrl] + [V]
   The characters are pasted to your document.
   EXAMPLE: The ¼ appears in the document.

Keyboard Combinations: Using the International Keyboard Layout

You will have more keyboard combination options if you have installed the international keyboard layout.

Preparing the Keyboard

1. Be sure you have set your keyboard to the international layout

2. Press the key sequence to switch to the international keyboard layout
   EXAMPLE: Press [left Alt] + [Shift] + [2]
   HINTS:
   You established this key sequence when you set your keyboard to the international layout.
   You must press the key sequence for each new program you open.

NOTE: The following tables may not provide a complete list of applicable characters.

Defining Keyboard Combination Operators

To help make the following tables easier to understand, refer to this definitions list.

[ ]
Press the key which inserts the character represented between the brackets.
EXAMPLES:
Pressing the [A] key will insert a.
Pressing the [;] key will insert ;.

Plus sign (+)
Press and hold the key left of the plus sign, then press the key to the right of the plus sign. If more than two keys are separated by a plus sign, press and hold each key sequentially. Press the last key but do not hold it down.
EXAMPLES:
Pressing [Shift] + [A] will insert A.
Pressing [Shift] + [=] will insert +.

Then
Once you have completed the command before the word then, you can release the key(s) and begin the command that comes after the word then.
EXAMPLES:
Pressing [Shift] + ['], then pressing [A] will insert ä.
Pressing ['], then pressing [Shift] + [A] will insert Á.

 

With the Apostrophe Key

The following keyboard combinations are created with the apostrophe key. You must set your keyboard to the international keyboard layout before accessing these shortcuts.

EXAMPLE: To insert the ó character:

1. Press [']
   No character appears.

2. Press [O]
   The ó appears.

To insert	Type	To insert	Type
á	['], then [A]	Á	['], then [Shift] + [A]
é	['], then [E]	É	['], then [Shift] + [E]
í	['], then [I]	Í	['], then [Shift] + [I]
ó	['], then [O]	Ó	['], then [Shift] + [O]
ú	['], then [U]	Ú	['], then [Shift] + [U]
ç	['], then [C]	Ç	['], then [Shift] + [C]
ý	['], then [Y]	Ý	['], then [Shift] + [Y]

 

With the Accent Grave

The accent grave is added to characters by pressing the [`] key, located above the [Tab] key, in combination with the letter to be accented. You must set your keyboard to the international keyboard layout before accessing these shortcuts.

EXAMPLE: To insert the È character:

1. Press [`]

2. Press and hold [Shift]

3. Press [E]
   The È appears.

To insert	Type	To Insert	Type
à	[`], then [A]	À	[`], then [Shift]+ [A]
è	[`], then [E]	È	[`], then [Shift] + [E]
ì	[`], then [I]	Ì	[`], then [Shift] + [I]
ò	[`], then [O]	Ò	[`], then [Shift] + [O]
ù	[`], then [U]	Ù	[`], then [Shift] + [U]

 

With the Right Alt Key

The following letters and characters are created by pressing the [right Alt] key in combination with the keys shown. The [right Alt] key is located right of the [Spacebar]. You must set your keyboard to the international keyboard layout before accessing these shortcuts.

EXAMPLE: To insert the Ü character:

1. Press and hold [right Alt]

2. Press and hold [Shift]

3. Press [Y]
   The Ü appears.

To insert	Type	To Insert	Type
á	[right Alt] + [A]	Á	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [A]
é	[right Alt] + [E]	É	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [E]
í	[right Alt] + [I]	Í	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [I]
ó	[right Alt] + [O]	Ó	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [O]
ú	[right Alt] + [U]	Ú	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [U]
ä	[right Alt] + [Q]	Ä	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [Q]
ö	[right Alt] + [P]	Ö	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [P]
ü	[right Alt] + [Y]	Ü	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [Y]
å	[right Alt] + [W]	Å	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [W]
æ	[right Alt] + [Z]	Æ	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [Z]
ç	[right Alt] + [,]	Ç	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [,]
ñ	[right Alt] + [N]	Ñ	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [N]
©	[right Alt] + [C]	¢	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [C]
¶	[right Alt] + [;]	°	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [;]
ø	[right Alt] + [L]	Ø	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [L]
ð	[right Alt] + [D]	Ð	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [D]
ß	[right Alt] + [S]	§	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [S]
þ	[right Alt] + [T]	Þ	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [T]
×	[right Alt] + [=]	÷	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [=]
¬	[right Alt] + [\]	¦	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [\]

For miscellaneous symbols:

To insert	Type	To Insert	Type
¼	[right Alt] + [6]	¹	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [1]
½	[right Alt] + [7]	²	[right Alt] + [2]
¾	[right Alt] + [8]	³	[right Alt] + [3]
«	[right Alt] + [ [ ]	»	[right Alt] + [ ] ]
¥	[right Alt] + [-]	£	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [4]
€	[right Alt] + [5]	µ	[right Alt] + [M]
¤	[right Alt] + [4]	®	[right Alt] + [R]
¿	[right Alt] + [/]	¨	[right Alt] + [Shift] + [']
¡	[right Alt] + [1]	footnote	[right Alt] + [F]

 

With the Shift Key

The following letters and characters are created by pressing the [Shift] key in combination with either the apostrophe ['] or the [6] key, then pressing a letter. You must set your keyboard to the international keyboard layout before accessing these shortcuts.

EXAMPLE: To insert the ä character:

1. Press and hold [Shift]

2. Press [']

3. Release the [Shift] and ['] keys
   No character or letter appears.

4. Press [A]
   The ä appears.

To insert	Type	To Insert	Type
ä	[Shift] + ['], then [A]	Ä	[Shift] + ['], then [Shift] + [A]
ë	[Shift] + ['], then [E]	Ë	[Shift] + ['], then [Shift] + [E]
ï	[Shift] + ['], then [I]	Ï	[Shift] + ['], then [Shift] + [I]
ö	[Shift] + ['], then [O]	Ö	[Shift] + ['], then [Shift] + [O]
ü	[Shift] + ['], then [U]	Ü	[Shift] + ['], then [Shift] + [U]
â	[Shift] + [6], then [A]	Â	[Shift] + [6], then [Shift] + [A]
ê	[Shift] + [6], then [E]	Ê	[Shift] + [6], then [Shift] + [E]
î	[Shift] + [6], then [I]	Î	[Shift] + [6], then [Shift] + [I]
ô	[Shift] + [6], then [O]	Ô	[Shift] + [6], then [Shift] + [O]
û	[Shift] + [6], then [U]	Û	[Shift] + [6], then [Shift] + [U]
æ	[Ctrl] + [Shift] + [7], then [A]	Æ	[Ctrl] + [Shift] + [7], then [Shift] + [A]
œ	[Ctrl] + [Shift] + [7], then [O]	Œ	[Ctrl] + [Shift] + [7], then [Shift] + [O]
ß	[Ctrl] + [Shift] + [7], then [S]

 

Copyright © 1995-2011 UW-Eau Claire and the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System