The number of keys on a standard English keyboard is between 80 and 100. Keys consist of commonly used alphabets, numbers, symbols and special functions. Due to the limited size of keyboards, it is impossible to fit all possible representations of alphabets and symbols on them.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t do it when you need to write an accented word or need a specific symbol to indicate something. There are four ways to add accents and symbols as you type in Windows 10. We describe them below:
Adding Highlights and Symbols Using Windows Character Mapping
The Windows Character Map contains a set of characters and symbols from different languages, both existing and absent. Here’s how to add accents and symbols using the Character Map.
Stage 1: Launch Character Map from the Start Menu.
Step 2: After launching the Character Map, click on the drop-down menu next to Font and select the Font type whose symbols or accented letters you want to see.
Stage 3: After selecting Font, browse to the characters shown and click on the accented letter of your choice.
Step 4: Click Select and the character you selected appears in the box next to Characters to copy.
Step 5: Click Copy to save the selected character to your clipboard.
Step 6: In your word processing document or any interface, paste the copied character by pressing CTRL + V on your keyboard.
Adding Highlight Marks to Text in Microsoft Word
If you have text already written in Microsoft Word, you can add diacritics to it. Here’s how to do this:
Stage 1: Place your cursor to the right of the letter that needs the accent mark.
Step 2: Click the Insert tab in the upper left of the ribbon.
Stage 3: Select the drop-down menu next to the Symbol at the top right of the ribbon.
Step 4: Select More Symbols.
Step 5: In the dialog, select the Symbols tab in the upper left.
Step 6: Select the Font drop-down menu and choose the same Font type as your Word document. Doing so ensures that the sign you selected matches the current font.
Step 7: Select the Subset drop-down menu and choose Combine Diacritics.
Step 8: Click on the diacritic you need from the symbols displayed.
Step 9: Click Add and then close the dialog. The accent mark should be above the letter you originally selected.
Adding Accent Marks and Symbols Using ALT Codes
Every accented character in Windows has a unique ASCII code. This code is also known as ALT Code. You can use the code to write to the document processor to display the corresponding accented character. But you should know the ALT Code of the letter you need.
Stage 1: Move your cursor to the position where you need the accented character.
Note: Make sure Num Lock is enabled or not working on your keyboard when using this method. If your keyboard does not have a numpad, you can ignore it.
Step 2: Hold down the ALT key and enter the ALT Code for the character you need.
Stage 3: Release the ALT key and the corresponding character appears.
Note: You can view ASCII codes for accents and symbols in Windows Character Map.
Adding Diacritics Using the English International Keyboard
Another way to add accents and symbols in Windows 10 is to use the English International Keyboard. However, this requires installing the keyboard and switching to the keyboard while typing. Here’s how:
Stage 1: Search for Language Settings in the start menu and launch it.
Step 2: Under Preferred Languages, click the plus sign next to Add Preferred Language.
Stage 3: Search for and select English (United States). Click Next.
Step 4: Click Install to install the keyboard.
Step 5: After the keyboard installation is complete, click on it and select Options.
Step 6: Under Keyboard group, click Add keyboard.
Step 7: Scroll down and select United States-International. After doing that, you will see this keyboard at the bottom of your keyboard list.
Step 8: With the keyboard now available, you can switch to the keyboard by simultaneously pressing the Windows + Spacebar keys while typing.
Step 9: Once the keyboard is enabled, select a pair of punctuation marks and letters to see the different accented letter combinations you can get.
How to Easily Add a Checkmark in Windows 10
Here’s how to add accents and symbols as you type in Windows 10. The four methods are simple and can be applied in different situations. Want to know how you can add tick marks in Windows 10? Read this article.
