how to add accents in google docs

Whenever you're writing in different languages or you're typing a word that's been adopted into the English language (looking at you "café"), such words have a small symbol placed above a few of the letters. These are called accents. For example, the Spanish letter "ñ" sounds very different when pronounced in Spanish than the English letter "n."

If you're using, say, Microsoft Word, it can be fairly easy to place accents over letters, but what if you're using Google Docs? Thankfully, that option still exists even when using Google Docs, though the method is slightly different.

How To Put Accents Over Letters in Google Docs

There are more letters with accents than there are of letters in the English alphabet. They've been broken up into separate categories based on the accent itself, followed by the ASCII Code number it's designated to.

In order to input the ASCII code numbers, you have to first hold ALT while you punch in the desired code, and then let go of the ALT key. Do note that you do NOT have to add the letter first. For example, if you were to spell out "café," you wouldn't type "cafe" and then input the ASCII code number. Instead, you would type "caf" and then use the code number.

Adding Grave Accents

Grave accents are most common with French, Dutch, Italian, English, and just European languages in general. Remember: press and hold ALT before punching in the ASCII code number, then let it go afterwards.

Adding Grave Accents

Grave accents used in Google Docs.

à = 0224
À = 0192
è = 0232
È = 0200
ì = 0236
Ì = 0204
ò = 0242
Ò = 0210
ù = 0249
Ù = 0217

Adding Acute Accents

You'll see acute accents in mostly Latin, Cyrillic and Greek-based alphabets. However, you may also see the acute accent in Spanish as well, for example. Remember: press and hold ALT before punching in the ASCII code number, then let it go afterwards.

Adding Acute Accents

Acute accents used in Google Docs.

á = 0225
Á = 0193
é = 0233
É = 0201
í = 0237
Í = 0205
ó = 0243
Ó = 0211
ú = 0250
Ú = 0218
ý = 0253
Ý = 0221

Adding Circumflex Accents

For those of you familiar with Latin and Greek scripts, the circumflex accent should be familiar to you, mostly used in written forms though it isn't solely home to Latin and Greek. You'll see the circumflex in languages such as French, too, for example. Remember: press and hold ALT before punching in the ASCII code number, then let it go afterwards.

Adding Circumflex Accents

Circumflex accents used in Google Docs.

â = 0226
Â = 0194
ê = 0234
Ê = 0202
î = 0238
Î = 0206
ô = 0244
Ô = 0212
û = 0251
Û = 0219

Adding Tilde Accents

For Spanish-speaking individuals, the tilde accent is familiar. Of course, it's also common in English and Portuguese, too. Remember: press and hold ALT before punching in the ASCII code number, then let it go afterwards.

Adding Tilde Accents

Tilde accents used in Google Docs.

ã = 0227
Ã = 0195
ñ = 0241
Ñ = 0209
õ = 0245
Õ = 0213

Adding Umlaut Accents

You'll find umlaut accents most common in the German language, like ä, ö, and ü. Remember: press and hold ALT before punching in the ASCII code number, then let it go afterwards.

Adding Umlaut Accents

Umlaut accents used in Google Docs.

ä = 0228
Ä = 0196
ë = 0235
Ë = 0203
ï = 0239
Ï = 0207
ö = 0246
Ö = 0214
ü = 0252
Ü = 0220
ÿ = 0255
Ÿ = 0159

Make Accent Easier with Google Input Tools

You may have already realized that trying to remember every numerical code for one or all letters with accents is going to be incredibly difficult. Thankfully, there's a solution that can greatly reduce the keyboard shortcut to something far more manageable. It's an addon for Google Chrome called "Google Input Tools." It's completely free and can be a timesaver, and maybe save your sanity.

Again, you'll still have to use keyboard shortcuts to input accents over letters, but it shortens most of the keyboard shortcuts to two keys rather than five. And it's offered by Google so it isn't some third party application that's developed by some sketchy individual.

However, this is only if you plan on placing accents over letters frequently when using Google Docs. If you don't use accents very often, it's best to not bog your web browser down with a useless extension.

Download Google Input Tools for: Chrome Extension | Visit Site

Bottom Line

After some practice, you'll get the hang of punching in the various codes, especially if you're only focused on one type of accent. Then again, you could always change your language.