German Special Characters: How to Type Ä, Ö, Ü and ß

German uses the basic Latin alphabet together with the umlauted vowels ä, ö, and ü and the sharp s ß. These letters are ordinary parts of German spelling, not decorative replacements. Writing schon instead of schön, or replacing ß without considering the word and regional convention, can change spelling, pronunciation, or meaning.

This guide provides German special characters you can copy and shows reliable ways to type them on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, and Chromebook. For other characters that are difficult to reach from your current keyboard, browse copy and paste symbols and paste the verified Unicode character into your document.

German Special Characters to Copy

Copy the full set:

ä ö ü Ä Ö Ü ß ẞ

What the German Characters Mean

German umlauts: ä, ö, and ü

The two dots are commonly called an umlaut in German. Although the Unicode character names use the term “diaeresis,” these letters have established linguistic roles in German. They can distinguish words and affect pronunciation.

When a technical system cannot represent umlauts, German text is sometimes transliterated as:

• ä → ae
• ö → oe
• ü → ue

This is a fallback, not a reason to replace the real character when Unicode is available. In names, addresses, legal text, and searchable data, use the spelling expected by the person or source.

The sharp s: ß

The character ß is called Eszett or scharfes S. It is not the Greek beta and should not be replaced with the visually similar character β. The German sharp s has its own Unicode identity and established spelling rules.

Uppercasing ß has historically often produced SS. Unicode also includes the capital sharp s ẞ. Actual usage depends on orthographic rules, typography, regional practice, and the text being reproduced. Do not automatically change names or quoted material without checking the required spelling.

How to Type German Characters on Windows

Add a German keyboard layout

If you write German regularly, adding a German input method is the most efficient option.

1. Open Windows language and keyboard settings.
2. Add German as a language or keyboard input method.
3. Switch layouts from the taskbar or with the configured language-switch shortcut.
4. Use the on-screen keyboard to learn key positions if your physical keyboard has another layout printed on it.

A German layout also changes the positions of several punctuation keys and commonly uses QWERTZ rather than QWERTY. Check the active layout before entering passwords or commands.

Use the United States-International layout

On a US-International layout, the quotation-mark key can act as a dead key for umlauts. Press the umlaut key combination and then the base vowel. The exact behavior depends on the selected Windows layout.

Use Windows Alt codes

Traditional Alt codes normally require a numeric keypad and Num Lock.

Type the digits on the numeric keypad, not the number row. Use the leading zero where shown. If a laptop lacks a keypad, use Character Map, Word Alt+X, a German layout, or copy and paste.

Use Microsoft Word Alt+X

In Word, enter the hexadecimal Unicode value and press Alt+X:

• 00E4 + Alt+X → ä
• 00F6 + Alt+X → ö
• 00FC + Alt+X → ü
• 00DF + Alt+X → ß
• 1E9E + Alt+X → ẞ

How to Type German Characters on a Mac

Press and hold the base letter

In many macOS apps, press and hold A, O, U, or S to view available alternatives. Select the numbered option or click the required character. Availability varies by input source and app.

Use Option-key combinations

On a common US Mac layout:

• Press Option+U, release, then type A, O, or U for ä, ö, or ü.
• Use Shift for uppercase after the dead key.
• Press Option+S for ß.

Verify shortcuts with Keyboard Viewer if your Mac uses a different input source.

Use Character Viewer

Open Character Viewer and search for “a with diaeresis,” “sharp s,” or a Unicode value. Character Viewer is the safer method when you need capital sharp s or a character not exposed by a familiar shortcut.

How to Type German Characters on iPhone and iPad

1. Open any text field.
2. Touch and hold A, O, U, or S.
3. Slide to ä, ö, ü, or ß and release.

If you type German often, add a German keyboard in Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards. A language keyboard improves spelling suggestions and provides more direct access to expected characters.

How to Type German Characters on Android

With Gboard and many Android keyboards:

1. Touch and hold A, O, U, or S.
2. Select the required alternative.
3. If the character is missing, add German to the keyboard’s language settings.

Keyboard manufacturers and layouts differ. Samsung Keyboard may expose alternate characters through long-press settings, while Gboard uses the enabled languages and long-press options. Copy and paste is a dependable fallback when a keyboard does not show ẞ.

How to Type German Characters on Chromebook

ChromeOS supports multiple input methods. Add German or US International in the keyboard input settings, then switch languages from the shelf. The physical keyboard can also provide dead-key combinations for accents and umlauts when the selected input method supports them.

For a known Unicode value, ChromeOS also supports Unicode entry in many text fields:

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+U.
2. Type the hexadecimal code, such as 00df.
3. Press Enter or Space.

Application support can vary, so verify the resulting character.

German Characters in HTML

Use UTF-8 and enter the characters directly whenever possible. Numeric character references are also available.

Common Problems

The umlaut appears separately

The text may use a base letter followed by a combining diaeresis instead of one precomposed character. Both can be valid Unicode, but some software searches and counts them differently. Use the precomposed characters above for broad compatibility.

ß becomes SS automatically

Case conversion and spell-checking rules may transform ß. Review automated changes in names, quotations, identifiers, and case-sensitive data.

The character shows as a box

The font lacks a glyph. Change to a font with Latin support. The stored character may still be correct.

A website rejects the character

The site may use an ASCII-only validation rule or an outdated encoding. Confirm whether transliteration is permitted rather than silently changing the spelling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are ä, ö, and ü separate German letters?

They are established letters used in German words. In sorting and dictionary behavior, treatment can vary by convention, but they should not be removed from ordinary spelling.

Is ß the same as beta?

No. ß is Latin small letter sharp s, while β is Greek small letter beta. They have different code points and uses.

Can I replace ß with ss?

SS is used in some uppercase and fallback contexts, but replacement is not always equivalent for names, quotations, or official spelling. Follow the relevant orthographic or document requirement.

How do I type capital ẞ?

Use a German keyboard that exposes it, Word Alt+X with 1E9E, Character Map or Character Viewer, Unicode input, or copy the character.

Sources and Further Reading

• Unicode CLDR: German locale data
• Unicode FAQ: case mappings and German sharp s
• Microsoft: manage Windows keyboard languages
• Apple: enter accented characters on Mac