French uses accented letters like é, è, ê, ë, à, ç, and œ that aren’t printed on an English keyboard. On Windows 10 you have several ways to type them without buying a new keyboard: the United States-International layout (best if you type French often), Alt codes, Word shortcuts, the touch keyboard, or a full French layout. This guide explains each so you can pick what fits.
Quick Answer
Add the United States-International keyboard in Settings > Time & Language > Language > English > Options > Add a keyboard. Then type an accent key followed by the letter: ‘ + e = é, ` + e = è, ^ (Shift + 6) + e = ê, “ + e = ë, and ‘ + c = ç.
Method 1: United States-International Keyboard (Recommended)
Add it
- Open Settings > Time & Language > Language.
- Click English (United States) > Options.
- Click Add a keyboard and choose United States-International.
- Switch keyboards with Windows + Space, or remove the plain US keyboard if you want International all the time.
Type French accents
| Accent | Keys | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Acute (aigu) | ‘ then e | é |
| Grave | ` then a, e, u | à è ù |
| Circumflex | Shift + 6 (^) then a, e, i, o, u | â ê î ô û |
| Diaeresis (tréma) | Shift + ‘ (“) then e, i, u | ë ï ü |
| Cedilla | ‘ then c (or AltGr + ,) | ç |
| Guillemets | AltGr + [ and AltGr + ] | « » |
For capitals, hold Shift on the letter (for example, ‘ then Shift + E = É). To type a plain apostrophe or quotation mark, press the key and then Space.
Method 2: Alt Codes (No Settings Change)
Hold Alt and type the number on the numeric keypad (Num Lock on):
| Letter | Alt code | Letter | Alt code |
|---|---|---|---|
| é | 130 | à | 133 |
| è | 138 | â | 131 |
| ê | 136 | ç | 135 |
| ë | 137 | ô | 147 |
| î | 140 | ù | 151 |
| ï | 139 | û | 150 |
| É | 144 | œ | 0156 |
Laptops without a number pad can’t use Alt codes easily; use Method 1 or 3 instead.
Method 3: Microsoft Word Shortcuts
- Ctrl + ‘, then e = é
- Ctrl + `, then e = è
- Ctrl + Shift + 6, then e = ê
- Ctrl + Shift + ;, then e = ë
- Ctrl + ,, then c = ç
These work in Word and Outlook, not in other apps.
Method 4: Touch Keyboard or Emoji Panel
- Touch keyboard: right-click the taskbar and turn on Show touch keyboard button. Open it and press and hold a letter to choose an accented version.
- Emoji panel: press Windows + . and open the Symbols tab to insert accented letters.
- Character Map: search Start for Character Map to copy any character.
Method 5: French or Canadian Multilingual Keyboard
If you type mostly in French, add French (France) or French (Canada) in Language settings. The French (AZERTY) layout moves many keys, so Canadian Multilingual Standard or Canadian French is often easier for QWERTY users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which method is fastest?
US-International, once you get used to it. It works in every app.
Will US-International change my other keys?
Only the accent keys behave differently; press Space after them for the normal character.
Summary
- Add United States-International and type accent + letter.
- Use Alt codes on a number pad for occasional letters.
- Use Ctrl shortcuts in Word.
- Use the touch keyboard or a French layout as alternatives.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
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