The fastest way depends on your device and keyboard

Adding an accent over the letter e takes different steps on Windows, Mac, and mobile devices. On a Mac, hold down the e key and a menu appears with accent options — just click the one you want. On Windows, you can hold Alt and type a number code on the numeric keypad, or use a compose key if you have one set up. On phones and tablets, press and hold the e key until accent variants appear, then tap the one you need.

The method you choose matters because some are faster than others once you learn them, and some only work in certain programs. If you type accented letters often — for French, Spanish, Portuguese, or other languages — it's worth learning the fastest route for your device rather than hunting through menus each time.

Key Takeaways

  • On Mac, press and hold the e key to see accent options, then click or type the number of the accent you want.
  • On Windows, hold Alt and type 0233 (for é) or other codes on the numeric keypad, or enable a compose key in settings.
  • On iPhone and iPad, press and hold e until a menu appears, then slide to the accented letter and release.
  • On Android, the method varies by keyboard app — most show accent options when you press and hold e, but some require a long press followed by a swipe.
  • If you type accented letters constantly, consider switching your keyboard layout to one designed for that language rather than using shortcuts each time.

Mac: Hold the key and pick from the menu

On any Mac, press and hold the e key. After about half a second, a small menu pops up showing e with different accents: é, è, ê, ë, and ẽ. The accents are numbered 1 through 5. You can either click the one you want with your mouse or trackpad, or press the number key that corresponds to it.

This works in any program — email, word processors, web browsers, text editors. The menu stays open as long as you hold the key, so there's no rush. If you want to type the same accented letter multiple times in a row, you can keep the key held down and tap the number repeatedly.

Windows: Alt codes or a compose key

Windows doesn't have a built-in hold-and-pick menu like Mac does. Instead, you can use Alt codes — keyboard shortcuts that produce specific characters. For é, hold Alt and type 0233 on the numeric keypad (the number pad on the right side of most keyboards), then release Alt. For other e accents: è is Alt+0232, ê is Alt+0234, ë is Alt+0235.

Alt codes work in most programs, but not all — some web browsers and online text editors don't recognize them. If Alt codes don't work where you're typing, you can set up a compose key instead. A compose key is a key you designate (often Caps Lock or the right Alt key) that lets you type accent combinations: press compose, then e, then the accent symbol (like an apostrophe for é). You set this up in Windows Settings under Language and Region, then Keyboard, then Compose Key. Once enabled, it works in most programs.

iPhone and iPad: Press and hold, then slide

On an iPhone or iPad, press and hold the e key on the on-screen keyboard. A menu appears above your finger showing e with accents: é, è, ê, ë. Slide your finger to the accent you want without lifting your finger off the screen, then release. The accented letter appears in your text.

This works in any app that uses the standard iOS keyboard — Mail, Messages, Notes, web browsers, most text editors. If you use a third-party keyboard app like Gboard or SwiftKey, the process is the same: press and hold e, and accent options appear.

Android: Press and hold, or long press and swipe

On Android, the method depends on which keyboard app you're using. With the default Android keyboard, press and hold the e key and a menu appears showing accented options. Tap the one you want. With Gboard (Google's keyboard app), press and hold e, then tap the accented letter from the menu that appears.

Some third-party keyboards work differently — they may require you to hold e and swipe in a direction to select an accent, or they may show the menu but require a tap rather than a slide. If you're not sure how your keyboard works, try pressing and holding e first. If nothing happens, try a longer press. If a menu appears but tapping doesn't work, try swiping instead.

If you type accented letters constantly, change your keyboard layout

If you write in French, Spanish, Portuguese, or another language with accented letters regularly, using shortcuts for each letter gets slow. A better approach is to switch your keyboard layout to one designed for that language. Your device already has these layouts built in — you just need to enable them.

On Mac, go to System Settings, then Keyboard, then Input Sources, and add the language you need (like French or Spanish). Then you can switch between layouts using the flag icon in the menu bar. On Windows, go to Settings, then Time and Language, then Language and Region, and add the language. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, then Keyboard, then Keyboards, and add the language. On Android, open your keyboard settings and add the language layout.

Once you switch to a French or Spanish layout, the keys are in different positions — but the accented letters are in their normal spots rather than hidden behind shortcuts. If you type in multiple languages, you can switch layouts with a single tap or keystroke, which is much faster than using Alt codes or compose keys each time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I copy and paste an accented letter instead of typing it?

Yes. You can find an accented letter online, copy it, and paste it wherever you need it. This works in any program, but it's slower than learning a keyboard shortcut if you need the letter more than once or twice. It's useful as a backup if your normal method isn't working.

Why don't Alt codes work in some programs?

Some web browsers and online text editors don't recognize Alt codes because they intercept the keyboard input before Windows can process it. Compose keys work more reliably in these programs because they send the character differently. If Alt codes fail, try a compose key or switch to a language keyboard layout.

Is there a way to type accents on a Chromebook?

Yes. On a Chromebook, press Ctrl+Shift+U, then type the Unicode code for the character (e0 for è, e9 for é, ea for ê), then press Space or Enter. You can also add a language keyboard layout the same way you would on Android, since Chromebooks use similar settings.

What if I want to type an accent over a capital E?

The same methods work for capital letters. On Mac, hold Shift+E to see capital accent options. On Windows, use Alt codes for capitals: Alt+0201 for É, Alt+0200 for È, Alt+0202 for Ê. On phones, hold Shift, then hold E, then pick the accented capital from the menu.