Quick Answer
On a Mac, press Option + U, release, then press the vowel you want (a, o, u, e, i, or y) to add the two dots.
On Windows, hold Alt and type the four digit code on the numpad (Alt + 0228 for ä, Alt + 0246 for ö, Alt + 0252 for ü). The United States International layout lets you press Shift + quotation mark, then the vowel, instead.
Umlaut versus diaeresis
The two dots look identical but they do different jobs. In German, the umlaut signals a sound change (schon means already, schön means beautiful). In French and English the same two dots are called a diaeresis and tell the reader to pronounce two adjacent vowels separately (naïve, coöperate, Chloë). The typing methods are the same regardless of which job the dots are doing.
The Mac Option + U workflow
Apple uses a single dead key for every umlauted vowel.
- Hold Option and press U. A highlighted pair of dots appears.
- Release both keys.
- Press the vowel you want.
Capital versions: hold Shift when you press the vowel. Option + U, then Shift + A gives Ä.
If you forget the combo, press and hold the vowel key. A popup of every accent variant appears, and the umlauted versions are always included.
The Windows alt code chart
Use a numeric keypad with Num Lock on. Hold Alt, type the code, release Alt.
- ä Alt + 0228, Ä Alt + 0196
- ö Alt + 0246, Ö Alt + 0214
- ü Alt + 0252, Ü Alt + 0220
- ë Alt + 0235, Ë Alt + 0203
- ï Alt + 0239, Ï Alt + 0207
- ÿ Alt + 0255, Ÿ Alt + 0376
The United States International layout
If you type umlauts often, install this layout and use the quotation mark as a dead key.
- Open Settings, then Time and Language, then Language and Region.
- Add the United States International keyboard under your language.
- Switch with Windows + Spacebar.
- Press Shift + apostrophe (the quotation mark key). Nothing appears yet.
- Press the vowel. The two dots are now over it.
To type a real quotation mark on this layout, press Shift + apostrophe followed by a space.
The German layout
If you switch to the German QWERTZ layout entirely, ä, ö, and ü sit on dedicated keys to the right of the L and P keys. The shortcut is just one keystroke each. This is the fastest option if you write German daily.
iPhone and Android
Touch devices use the long press menu.
- Tap and hold the base vowel.
- Wait a moment for the accent popup.
- Slide your finger to the umlauted version and lift.
Switching your keyboard language to German in settings adds the umlauted vowels directly to the main layout, which is faster if you type long passages.
Inside Microsoft Word and Google Docs
Word has a dedicated shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + colon, then the vowel, produces the umlauted version. Ctrl + Shift + colon, then Shift + A, gives Ä.
Google Docs does not include accent shortcuts. Use the operating system method, install the international layout, or click Insert then Special characters and search for umlaut.
Linux and Chromebook
The compose key approach is straightforward: Compose, then quotation mark, then the vowel, gives the umlauted version. ChromeOS users can press Ctrl + Shift + U, type the Unicode hex (00e4 for ä, 00f6 for ö, 00fc for ü), then Enter.
When to use a diaeresis in English
English mostly drops the diaeresis today, but a few publications (notably The New Yorker) preserve it in words like coöperate, reëlect, and naïve. Personal names also keep the marker (Brontë, Zoë, Chloë). If you are writing in those styles, the same shortcuts apply.
FAQs
Can I write ae, oe, ue instead of ä, ö, ü?
Yes. The substitution is standard practice in German URLs, passport machine readable zones, and old typewriter contexts. Use the umlauted form for body text, and the two letter substitution where Unicode is not supported.
Does Google treat ü and ue as the same?
For German speaking search markets, Google often returns mixed results for both spellings. Writing the umlauted version in headings and body text is still the most reader friendly choice.
Why does my keyboard print ' instead of two dots?
You are on a layout where Shift + apostrophe is a literal quotation mark rather than a dead key. Switch to United States International, the German QWERTZ, or any layout that defines a dead key for the umlaut.
The takeaway
Umlauts and diaereses use the same two dots and the same shortcuts. Pick the workflow that fits your daily setup, build the habit on one device, and the same muscle memory carries to almost every operating system and app you use.
Pro tips for German and Scandinavian writers
If you spend half your week in English and half in German or Swedish, switching layouts on every word slows you down. Three small workflow changes restore the speed.
- Stay on one international layout. United States International on Windows and ABC Extended on Mac both let you type English at full speed and reach umlauts with a single dead key combo. No layout switching required.
- Bind the layout switch to a hotkey. If you must keep two layouts, set the switch to Caps Lock or a side mouse button. The default Windows + Spacebar is fine for occasional swaps but feels heavy for every paragraph.
- Use a text expander for proper nouns. Names like Müller, Köln, or Göteborg appear often. Bind mu1 to Müller and skip the dead key entirely.
Print versus screen considerations
Some print fonts position the umlaut dots so high that they collide with the line above when text is set tight. If you are designing a poster or a book interior in German, increase line height by five to ten percent compared with English typography. The same advice applies to Finnish and Estonian, where words like äiti and Hämeenlinna stack the dots in close succession.
