German Umlauts and Sharp S
Copy German ä, ö, ü, and ß in lowercase and uppercase forms, with reliable typing methods.
Codes for German Umlauts and Sharp S
| Letter | Name | Unicode | HTML | Windows Alt code | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ä | a umlaut | U+00E4 | ä | Alt + 0228 | |
| Ä | capital a umlaut | U+00C4 | Ä | Alt + 0196 | |
| ö | o umlaut | U+00F6 | ö | Alt + 0246 | |
| Ö | capital o umlaut | U+00D6 | Ö | Alt + 0214 | |
| ü | u umlaut | U+00FC | ü | Alt + 0252 | |
| Ü | capital u umlaut | U+00DC | Ü | Alt + 0220 | |
| ß | sharp s | U+00DF | ß | Alt + 0223 | |
| ẞ | capital sharp s | U+1E9E | ẞ | Use Unicode or copy |
Typing Methods That Work Across Devices
Windows
Use the listed Alt code with the numeric keypad when one is available. In Microsoft Word, type the hexadecimal digits from the Unicode value and press Alt + X.
Mac
For common accents, press and hold the base letter to open the accent menu. You can also open Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space.
Chromebook and Linux
Press Ctrl + Shift + U, enter the hexadecimal Unicode value without U+, and press Enter. Compose-key sequences may also be available on Linux.
iPhone and Android
Press and hold the base letter, slide to the accented form, and release. Copying from the table is useful when a keyboard layout does not offer the character.
When These Characters Are Used
Umlauts are distinct vowel forms that can affect both pronunciation and meaning. When technical limitations prevent them, German commonly expands ä to ae, ö to oe, and ü to ue. ß may be replaced with ss, but the real character is preferred when available.
Accents are part of correct spelling, not decorative extras. Omitting one can change pronunciation, meaning, or grammatical form. Preserve the intended character when copying names, addresses, quotations, and foreign-language text.