How to Type French Accents

By Laura K. Lawless, About.com Guide

In my opinion the best way to type accents on a PC is with the international keyboard, which requires a simple control panel configuration - there is no keyboard to purchase or software to download.

If you're really set against the international keyboard, you can type accented characters with ALT codes, which use the ALT key and a 3 or 4 digit code. However, ALT codes only work with the numeric keypad, NOT the row of numbers across the top of your keyboard. So they won't work on a laptop unless you hit number lock to activate the number pad "built into" the right-side of your keyboard, which is a big hassle because then the letters won't work. Bottom line, if you're on a laptop, choose a different keyboard rather than messing around with ALT codes.

To type accents with ALT codes, hold down the ALT key, then on the numeric keypad type the three or four digits listed here. When you release the ALT key, the character will appear.

a with grave accent
   à  ALT + 133    À  ALT + 0192

a with circumflex
   â  ALT + 131    Â  ALT + 0194

a with tréma
   ä  ALT + 132    Ä  ALT + 142

a e ligature
   æ  ALT + 145    Æ  ALT + 146

c with cedilla
   ç  ALT + 135    Ç  ALT + 128

e with acute accent
   é  ALT + 130    É  ALT + 144

e with grave accent
   è  ALT + 138    È  ALT + 0200

e with circumflex
   ê  ALT + 136    Ê  ALT + 0202

e with tréma
   ë  ALT + 137    Ë  ALT + 0203

i with circumflex
   î  ALT + 140    Î  ALT + 0206

i with tréma
   ï  ALT + 139    Ï  ALT + 0207

o with circumflex
   ô  ALT + 147    Ô  ALT + 0212

o e ligature
   œ  ALT + 0156   Œ  ALT + 0140

u with grave accent
   ù  ALT + 151    Ù  ALT + 0217

u with circumflex
   û  ALT + 150    Û  ALT + 0219

u with tréma
   ü  ALT + 129    Ü  ALT + 154

French quotation marks
   «  ALT + 174    »  ALT + 175

Euro symbol
   €  ALT + 0128