Ä english keyboard

That umlaut o character did develop from an i brightening an o that came immediately before it in many a Middle High German word, of course.

Either way, let’s turn to actually writing boir… börd:

How to Type Umlauts on a Windows Keyboard

Easy: Using the U.S.-International Keyboard Layout

On a Mac?

How to Type Umlaut Characters on a Mac Keyboard

Almost as Easy: Using PowerToys Quick Accent

To type accented letters — including umlauts — swiftly on Windows using MS PowerToys Quick Accent:

1. Enable Quick Accent. Below are the most efficient ways to insert these characters into your documents or messages.

   1.

   You can control the light color and gradient mode of the case you want through the software or website.

2. 【Programming by Software】The Software is only for Windows System.Sometimes Windows Firewall will issue a warning when it starts.Don't worry,the Software is very safe! If one doesn’t work, try the other.

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   Method 4 – Insert Umlaut Letters in Word (Insert > Symbol)

   You can also insert umlaut letters from the Symbol dialog in Word.

   1. In Word, click the place where you want the letter.
   2. Go to Insert > Symbol > More Symbols…
   3. In the Subset dropdown, choose Latin-1 Supplement (or scroll until you see the umlaut letters).
   4. Click the umlaut letter you want (Ä, ä, Ö, ö, Ü, ü, Ë, ë, Ï, ï, Ÿ, ÿ).
   5. Click Insert, then Close.

   This works on Windows and Mac versions of Word.

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   Method 5 – Type Umlaut Letters in Excel

   In Excel, you can use the same methods:

   Option A – Alt Codes (Windows)

   1. Click the cell where you want the letter.
   2. Turn Num Lock on.
   3. Hold Alt and type the code (for example 0246 for ö).
   4. Release Alt.

   Option B – Mac Shortcut (Option + U)

   On Mac Excel:

   1. Click in a cell or in the formula bar.
   2. Press Option + U, release, then type the letter.
   3. Example: Option + U, then u → ü.

   Option C – Insert > Symbol (Windows & Mac)

   1. Select the cell.
   2. Go to Insert > Symbol.
   3. Find the umlaut letter under Latin-1 Supplement.
   4. Double-click it, or click Insert.

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   Method 6 – Type Umlaut Letters in PowerPoint

   PowerPoint uses the same tools as Word and Excel:

   • Windows Alt codes – work in text boxes and placeholders.
   • Word shortcut – Ctrl + Shift + ; then the letter (on Windows).
   • Mac shortcut – Option + U, then the letter.
   • Insert > Symbol – Insert tab → Symbol → More Symbols → Latin-1 Supplement.

   So you can reuse exactly the same steps inside slide titles, bullet points, and shapes.

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   Method 7 – Copy and Paste Umlaut Letters

   If you only need a few umlaut letters, the fastest way is often copy and paste.

   1. Scroll back up to the Quick Reference section.
   2. Click the letter you need to copy it (ä, ö, ü, ë, ï, ÿ, Ä, Ö, Ü, Ë, Ï, Ÿ).
   3. Go to your document and paste with Ctrl+V (Windows) or Command+V (Mac).

   For a quick manual copy, here are the main umlaut letters again:

   • Lowercase: ä ö ü ë ï ÿ
   • Uppercase: Ä Ö Ü Ë Ï Ÿ

   This works in:

   • Word, Excel, PowerPoint
   • Google Docs & Google Sheets
   • Browsers (Gmail, Outlook.com, forms, social media, etc.)

   Later, you can also link to your Online Symbol Keyboard or a German Umlauts Keyboard tool from here so users can copy many symbols in one place.

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   Method 8 – Character Map & Windows Emoji / Symbol Panel

   A.

   

   You need the separate numeric keypad or a laptop’s Fn + NumLock numeric pad.

   Use the table in the Quick Reference section for all the codes.

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   Method 2 – Type Umlaut Letters on Mac (Option + U)

   On a Mac, umlaut letters are very easy: you use Option + U and then the letter.

   1. Place the cursor where you want the letter.
   2. Press Option (⌥) + U together, then release both keys.

      Two simple options:

      • Change your keyboard layout to German or US-International and use the dedicated keys / combinations.
      • Use an online keyboard (for example, a German Umlauts Keyboard on your site) and copy the letters into your document.

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      Summary

      To recap, here are the easiest ways to type umlaut letters:

      • On Windows:
        • Use Alt codes like Alt 0228 (ä), Alt 0246 (ö), Alt 0252 (ü).
        • In Word, use Ctrl + Shift + ;, then the vowel for ä, ö, ü, etc.
      • On Mac:
        • Use Option + U, then the letter – for example Option + U, then u for ü.
      • In Word, Excel & PowerPoint:
        • Use Insert > Symbol and look under Latin-1 Supplement.
      • Anywhere:
        • Use copy and paste from the quick-reference box or Character Map.

      If you often need these characters, you can bookmark this page and/or use your own Online Symbol Keyboard so you can copy umlaut letters with a single click.