How to Type French Accents on Any Keyboard (Windows, Mac, and Phone)
Why You Need French Accents (And Why You Can't Ignore Them)
In the TCF and DELF written tasks, missing accents is counted as a spelling error — and spelling errors add up against your mark. More importantly, some accents completely change a word's meaning:
- ou (or) vs. où (where)
- a (has) vs. à (at/to)
- la (the/her) vs. là (there)
Whether you're writing essays in a TCF online exam or practicing on your computer, here's exactly how to type every French accent on any device.
The French Accents: A Quick Reference
| Accent | Name | Letters | Common Words |
|---|---|---|---|
| é | accent aigu | e | été, café, réponse |
| è, à, ù | accent grave | e, a, u | père, à, où |
| ê, â, î, ô, û | accent circonflexe | e, a, i, o, u | fête, âge, île |
| ç | cédille | c | ça, français, garçon |
| ë, ï, ü | tréma | e, i, u | Noël, naïf, Noël |
| œ | e dans l'o | oe ligature | sœur, cœur, œil |
Method 1: Windows — Alt Codes
Hold Alt and type the number code on your numeric keypad (not the number row). Make sure NumLock is on.
| Character | Alt Code | Character | Alt Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| é | Alt + 130 | É | Alt + 144 |
| è | Alt + 138 | à | Alt + 133 |
| ê | Alt + 136 | â | Alt + 131 |
| ë | Alt + 137 | ç | Alt + 135 |
| î | Alt + 140 | ï | Alt + 139 |
| ô | Alt + 147 | ù | Alt + 151 |
| û | Alt + 150 | œ | Alt + 0156 |
Method 2: Windows — Add a French Keyboard Layout
The easiest long-term solution for Windows users:
- Go to Settings → Time & Language → Language & Region
- Add French (France) as a language
- Switch between English and French keyboards with Windows key + Space
Tip: The French AZERTY keyboard moves some keys (A and Q are swapped; M is where ? is on QWERTY). It takes a week to adjust but becomes second nature.
Method 3: Mac — Option Key Shortcuts
On Mac, use the Option key (⌥) as a dead key:
- é: Press ⌥ + e, then press e
- è: Press ⌥ + `, then press e
- ê: Press ⌥ + i, then press e
- à: Press ⌥ + `, then press a
- â: Press ⌥ + i, then press a
- ç: Press ⌥ + c
- ë: Press ⌥ + u, then press e
- œ: Press ⌥ + q
- « and » (French quotes): ⌥ + \ and ⌥ + ⇧ + \
Even easier on Mac: Simply hold down any letter key (e.g., hold e) and a popup appears with all accented versions. Click the one you want.
Method 4: iPhone and Android
iPhone
Long-press any letter key to see accented versions pop up. Slide to the accent you need. Works for all accents including ç and œ.
Pro tip: Add the French keyboard in Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard → French. You can then switch with the globe icon.
Android
Long-press any letter key — similar popup appears. On Gboard (Google's keyboard), you can also add French as a language: Settings → System → Languages → Gboard → Languages → Add Keyboard.
The Simplest Solution for TCF Online Exams
The TCF online written test interface usually includes a built-in accent panel — click the accent buttons below the text area to insert them. This is the method used on the WayToFrench Grammar Checker tool too.
However, for your preparation essays and practice, learning the keyboard shortcuts will save significant time during the real exam.
The Most Important Accents to Master First
If you're pressed for time, focus on these five — they appear in almost every French sentence:
- é — by far the most common accent in French
- è — very common in verb conjugations and prepositions
- à — essential preposition; wrong form changes meaning
- ç — needed for français, ça, garçon and many common words
- ê — appears in être and many -ête, -ême endings
Want a structured path through grammar like this? Explore our French learning parcours for a complete course roadmap.