How to Use Accent Letters and Special Characters in Microsoft Word

While many different languages can operate within the English alphabet, there can be special characters and accent letters that still need to be used. Take the Spanish ‘ñ’ for example. While most Spanish words can be written with English letters, however, certain characters require accents or in this case, a tilde. 

So how can you add one of these special characters or accent letters while editing a document in Word? There are several different ways you can go about this depending on your preferences. The first option can be a little clunky and time consuming, but can be perfect for those who have a hard time remembering key shortcuts. The second option might take some time to memorize, but will increase your writing time exponentially once it’s mastered.

How do you insert accented letters and special characters using the menu bar?

To insert accented letters and special characters using the menu bar in Microsoft Word, navigate to the Insert tab, click on the Symbol option, select your desired symbol from the displayed window, and then click Insert. This method is ideal for those who only need to insert special characters occasionally, as it involves a few steps.

1. Navigate to the Insert tab on the menu bar at the top of the screen.
2. Click on the Symbol option on the menu bar
3. This will bring up a window that displays a wide range of symbols, special characters, and accent letters. You can sort your selection or scroll through the entire collection to find what you need.
4. Once you find your symbol, simply select it and click Insert

How do you insert accented letters and special characters using keyboard shortcuts?

To insert accented letters and special characters using keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word, you typically press and hold a combination of Ctrl, Shift, and a specific key (like ~ for tilde or ' for apostrophe), then release and quickly press the desired letter. For example, to add 'ñ', press and hold Ctrl, Shift, and ~ together, then release and press 'n'. This method requires memorization but significantly increases typing efficiency. A full list of key combinations is provided below for various accented characters and special symbols.

Microsoft Word has built in key combinations that will automatically add the letter you need. For example, if you are looking to add a ñ, all you would need to do is press and hold Ctrl, Shift, and ~ together, then release them and quickly press the ‘n’ key.

If you want your character to be uppercase then simply hit the Caps Lock key prior to performing the key combination.

Here is the full list of key combinations you use in Microsoft Word.

Accented Character or Special Symbol	Required Shortcut Keys
à, è, ì, ò, ù, À, È, Ì, Ò, Ù	Ctrl + ` (accent grave key) + the letter
á, é, í, ó, ú, ý, Á, É, Í, Ó, Ú, Ý	Ctrl + ‘ (apostrophe) + the letter
â, ê, î, ô, û, Â, Ê, Î, Ô, Û	Ctrl + Shift + ^ (caret) + the letter
ã, ñ, õ, Ã, Ñ, Õ	Ctrl + Shift + ~ (tilde) + the letter
ä, ë, ï, ö, ü, ÿ, Ä, Ë, Ï, Ö, Ü, Ÿ	Ctrl + Shift + : (colon) + the letter
å, Å	Ctrl + Shift + @ (at) + the letter
æ, Æ	Ctrl + Shift + & (ampersand) + letters a or A
œ, Œ	Ctrl + Shift + & (ampersand) + letters o or O
ç, Ç	Ctrl + , (comma) + letters c or C
ð, Ð	Ctrl + ‘ (apostrophe) + letters d or D
ø, Ø	Ctrl + / (back slash) + letters o or O
¿	Alt + Ctrl + Shift + ? (question mark)
¡	Alt + Ctrl + Shift + ! (exclamation mark)
ß	Ctrl + Shift + & + letter s

If you’re having keyboard problems, check out this article on what to do when your keyboard stops working.