How to Type French Accents

In order to use one of these alternate keyboard layouts, you need to add it to Windows. Once you've done this, you can either set it as your default keyboard, or use alt plus shift to toggle between two or more layouts. The way to do this is slightly different for each operating system.

Windows Vista

1. Open your Control Panel
2. If in Classic View, click Control Panel Home in upper-left corner
3. Under Clock, Language, and Region, click Change keyboards or other input methods
4. Click Change keyboards
5. Click Add
6. Scroll down to the layout you want to add*
7. If you don't see a list including the keyboard you want, click + to expand
8. Choose your layout
9. Click OK in each dialog window.

Windows XP

1. Open your Control Panel (via Start menu or My Computer)
2. Double-click Regional and Language Options
3. Click Languages
4. Click Details
5. Click Add
6. Under "Input Language" pick the language you want to add*
7. Under "Keyboard layout/IME" make your selection
8. Click OK in each dialog window.

Windows 95, 98, ME, NT

1. Open your Control Panel (via Start menu or My Computer)
2. Double-click Keyboard
3. Click Language
4. Click Properties, Settings, or Details (whichever you see)
5. Click Add
6. Pick the layout you want to add*
7. Click OK in each dialog window.

Windows 2000

1. Open your Control Panel (via Start menu or My Computer)
2. Double-click Keyboard
3. Click Input Locales
4. Click Change
5. Click Add
6. Pick the layout you want to add*
7. Click OK in each dialog window.

*Layout names:
   International Keyboard: English (United States), US-Int'l
   UK Extended Keyboard: English (UK - extended)
   French Keyboard: French (Standard)
   French Canadian Keyboard: French (Canadian)