The iPhone keyboard contains more characters than are visible on its main layout. Accented letters, alternate punctuation, currency signs, dashes, quotation marks, and other symbols are often hidden behind a long press or another keyboard layer.
This guide explains how to reveal those characters, add language keyboards, create text replacements, and paste characters that the built-in keyboard does not provide directly. When a symbol is difficult to find, you can use symbols copy and paste and insert the verified Unicode text into Notes, Messages, Mail, or another app.
How to Get Special Characters on iPhone
- Open an app with a text field.
- Touch and hold a related letter, number, or symbol.
- Keep your finger on the screen and slide to the required character.
- Release your finger to insert it.
For example, hold E to reveal é, è, ê, ë, and other variants. Hold N to find ñ. The available alternatives depend on the active keyboard language and iOS version.
Where iPhone Hides Different Types of Characters
| Character type | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Accented letters | Touch and hold the base letter |
| Currency signs | Touch and hold the visible currency key |
| Alternate quotes and apostrophes | Touch and hold quotation or apostrophe keys |
| Dashes and bullet-like marks | Touch and hold the hyphen or punctuation key where available |
| Math and technical signs | Open the number and symbol layers; copy uncommon characters |
| Emoji | Switch to the Emoji keyboard |
| Language-specific letters | Add the appropriate language keyboard |
How to Type Accented Letters
Touch and hold the base letter, then select the accented form:
- A may reveal á, à, â, ä, ã, å, or æ.
- E may reveal é, è, ê, or ë.
- I may reveal í, ì, î, or ï.
- O may reveal ó, ò, ô, ö, õ, ø, or œ.
- U may reveal ú, ù, û, or ü.
- N may reveal ñ.
- C may reveal ç.
The exact menu varies by keyboard language. If the required character is missing, add a keyboard for that language rather than substituting an unaccented letter.
How to Type the Degree Symbol on iPhone
Open the numeric keyboard, touch and hold the zero key, then slide to the small circle. The result should be the Unicode degree sign. You can compare its identity and usage on the degree symbol on iPhone reference.
Do not confuse the degree sign with a superscript letter o, masculine ordinal indicator, ring above, or a small circle operator. Similar appearance does not guarantee the same code point.
How to Find Currency Symbols
Open the number and symbol keyboard, then touch and hold the visible currency key. Depending on the keyboard and region, the popup can include symbols such as:
$ € £ ¥ ₩ ₽ ₹ ¢
Adding another regional or language keyboard may change which sign appears on the main key. The stored character remains Unicode text and can be pasted into documents and spreadsheets.
How to Type Alternate Quotes and Dashes
Touch and hold punctuation keys to look for typographic variants:
- Straight quotation marks and curly quotation marks.
- Straight apostrophe and typographic apostrophe.
- Hyphen, en dash, and em dash where available.
- Ellipsis as one character instead of three full stops.
- Inverted question and exclamation marks on suitable keyboards.
Choose according to meaning, not appearance. A hyphen-minus, minus sign, en dash, and em dash perform different functions.
How to Add Another Keyboard Language
- Open Settings.
- Go to General → Keyboard → Keyboards.
- Tap Add New Keyboard.
- Select the language or layout.
- While typing, touch and hold the globe or keyboard-switch key to change keyboards.
Apple allows multiple keyboard languages, and supported languages can work together without requiring a change to the entire iPhone system language. A language keyboard can also improve autocorrection and predictive suggestions.
Use Text Replacement for Symbols You Type Often
Text Replacement can turn a short trigger into a symbol or character string.
- Copy the symbol you want.
- Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement.
- Tap the plus button.
- Paste the symbol in the Phrase field.
- Create a memorable shortcut that is unlikely to appear in normal typing.
Examples:
| Shortcut | Phrase |
|---|---|
;copy | © |
;deg | ° |
;tm | ™ |
;arrow | → |
Avoid common words as shortcuts or iPhone may replace text unexpectedly.
Use Copy and Paste for Uncommon Unicode Characters
The iPhone keyboard does not display every Unicode character. For an uncommon mathematical sign, Greek letter, technical notation, or text symbol:
- Find the exact character and verify its name or code point.
- Touch and hold it, then select Copy.
- Paste it into the target app.
- Check the result after pasting.
Copying transfers the character value, not the source font. The destination app may draw it differently.
Use a Personal Symbol List in Notes
If you frequently use a small set of characters, store them in a pinned note. Label each one so that visually similar characters do not become mixed up.
Example:
- Degree sign: °
- Plus-minus: ±
- Multiplication sign: ×
- Right arrow: →
- Copyright sign: ©
Text Replacement is faster for repeated typing, while a Notes list is better for symbols you need to inspect before copying.
Special Characters with an External Keyboard
When an external keyboard is connected, available shortcuts depend on the selected hardware layout. Apple provides extended layouts for entering diacritical marks with modifier keys. If a Mac-style Option shortcut does not work, check the external keyboard layout configured in iPhone settings.
Why Some Characters Are Missing
The active keyboard language does not include them
Add the relevant language keyboard or use copy and paste.
The key has no long-press alternatives
Not every key exposes a popup. Open another symbol layer or use a verified external source.
The app restricts characters
Usernames, passwords, payment forms, and old business systems may allow only a limited character set. The character can be valid Unicode and still be rejected by that app.
The font cannot display the character
A box or blank space often means the app’s font lacks a glyph. The underlying text may still contain the correct code point.
The symbol changes to an emoji
Some Unicode characters support text and emoji presentation. The app and font can affect which style appears. Copying a variation sequence can also preserve a requested presentation in supported software.
Security and Privacy Notes
Third-party keyboards can offer larger symbol catalogs, but they may request broad access. Review the developer, permissions, privacy policy, and whether full access is necessary. For a few uncommon characters, copy and paste or Text Replacement may be safer than installing another keyboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get special characters on the iPhone keyboard?
Touch and hold a related letter, number, or symbol, then slide to the alternate character.
How do I type accents on iPhone?
Touch and hold the base letter. Add the relevant language keyboard if the accent is not shown.
Can I add custom symbols to the iPhone keyboard?
You cannot freely add keys to Apple’s standard layout, but you can create Text Replacement shortcuts or install a carefully reviewed third-party keyboard.
Why can’t I find every Unicode symbol?
The built-in keyboard exposes only a practical subset. Unicode contains far more characters than a phone keyboard can display.
Do copied symbols work in every app?
Most modern apps accept Unicode, but fonts, validation rules, normalization, and platform support can affect the result.