How to type Spanish accents on any keyboard

Quick reference

For a capital letter, add Shift to the letter: on a Mac, Option+e then Shift+a gives Á.

Mac

Option shortcuts

The Option shortcuts work in every app with the standard U.S. keyboard layout. They are two steps: the first adds the accent, the second picks the letter.

• á é í ó ú: press Option+e, let go, then type the vowel.
• ñ: press Option+n, let go, then type n.
• ü: press Option+u, let go, then type u.
• ¿: press Option+Shift+? (the same key as /).
• ¡: press Option+1.
• Capitals: after Option+e, Option+n, or Option+u, hold Shift as you type the letter.

Press and hold

Hold down a letter key and a small menu of accented versions appears above it. Click the one you want, or press the number shown under it. This works for vowels and n, but not for ¿ and ¡. If holding a key repeats the letter instead, press and hold has been turned off; the Option shortcuts still work.

Spanish keyboard layout

If you type in Spanish every day, add a layout in System Settings › Keyboard › Text Input › Edit, then choose Spanish or Spanish – ISO. Switch layouts from the input menu in the menu bar. The keys then match a keyboard sold in Spain or Latin America, so the printed labels on your keys will no longer match what you type.

Windows: Alt codes

Alt codes need a keyboard with a separate number pad. Turn on Num Lock, hold down Alt, type the four digits on the number pad (not the row above the letters), then let go of Alt.

Many laptops have no number pad, and Alt codes do not work without one. Use the US-International layout below instead.

Windows: the US-International keyboard

The United States-International layout keeps every key where it is on a normal U.S. keyboard and adds Spanish characters. It is the best option on a laptop.

Add it

• Windows 11: Settings › Time & language › Language & region. Next to English (United States), choose Language options, then Add a keyboard, and pick United States-International.
• Windows 10: Settings › Time & Language › Language. Choose English (United States), then Options › Add a keyboard › United States-International.

Switch between keyboards with Windows key+Space, or from the language button in the taskbar.

Type with it

You can type accents two ways:

• Right Alt + letter: Right Alt+a gives á, Right Alt+n gives ñ, Right Alt+y gives ü, Right Alt+1 gives ¡, and Right Alt+/ gives ¿. Add Shift for capitals.
• Dead keys: type the accent first, then the letter. An apostrophe followed by a vowel gives á é í ó ú; ~ followed by n gives ñ; " followed by u gives ü.

The apostrophe gotcha

With this layout, the apostrophe and quotation mark keys wait to see what comes next. Before a consonant they type normally, so don’t comes out fine. Before a vowel they combine with it: "apple" in quotation marks becomes "äpple". To type a plain ' or " before a vowel, press the key, then Space, then the vowel. It takes a day or two to get used to.

Windows: without changing your keyboard

• Touch keyboard: on a touchscreen, or from the touch keyboard icon in the taskbar, press and hold a letter to see its accented versions.
• Emoji and symbols panel: press Windows key+. (period), open the Symbols tab, and pick the character. Slow, but it needs no setup.
• Microsoft Word: Word has its own shortcuts. Press Ctrl+' then a vowel for á é í ó ú, Ctrl+Shift+~ then n for ñ, and Ctrl+Shift+: then u for ü.

iPhone and iPad

• Accented letters: press and hold a vowel or n on the keyboard, then slide your finger to the character you want.
• ¿ and ¡: tap 123, then press and hold ? or !.
• Add a Spanish keyboard: Settings › General › Keyboard › Keyboards › Add New Keyboard › Spanish. Tap the globe key to switch. The Spanish keyboard has an ñ key and suggests accents as you type, so you often do not need to add them yourself.

Android

These steps are for Gboard, the keyboard on most Android phones. Other keyboards, such as Samsung Keyboard, have similar long-press menus.

• Accented letters: press and hold a vowel or n, then slide to the character you want.
• ¿ and ¡: tap ?123, then press and hold ? or !.
• Add Spanish: in Gboard, open Settings › Languages › Add keyboard, and choose Español. Press and hold the Space bar (or tap the globe key) to switch. With the Spanish keyboard, autocorrect adds most accents for you.

Chromebook

US International keyboard

Open Settings, search for "input", and add the US International keyboard as an input method. Switch to it with Ctrl+Space or from the shelf. It works like the Windows version: Right Alt (AltGr) plus a letter, or a dead key followed by a letter.

Unicode entry

Without changing keyboards, press Ctrl+Shift+U, type the character’s code, then press Space or Enter.

Why accents matter

Accent marks are part of the spelling, and some change the meaning:

The last pair is why ñ is worth learning to type: "Feliz año nuevo" means happy new year, but without the tilde it does not.

Questions and exclamations open with ¿ and ¡ so the reader knows the tone from the start of the sentence: ¿Cómo estás? and ¡Qué bien!