How to Get Accent on a MacBook

Types of accent marks used in different languages include grave, acute, circumflex, umlaut and tilde. You are able to make all of these accent marks on a MacBook by using the “Option” and “Shift” modifier keys on your keyboard as you type a letter that needs an accent. You are able to identify which modifier keys produce which accent marks using the “Keyboard Viewer,” a menu item that visually represents your keyboard on the computer screen.

Instructions

1. Go to the “Apple” menu, select “System Preferences” and press the “Keyboard” icon. On older versions of OS X, you may need to press the “International” icon.

2. Place a check mark in the box to “Show Keyboard & Character Viewer in menu bar.” In older versions of OS X, click on the “Input Menu” and place a check mark in the box next to “Keyboard Viewer.”

3. Click on the “Keyboard Viewer” icon in the menu at the top of the screen.

4. Press the “Option” key to see the locations of the different accent marks on the keyboard. The accent marks are highlighted in the viewer.

5. Hold down the “Option” key and press the key on the keyboard specific to the accent mark you want to make. Type the key for the letter you want to appear with an accent. To type an accented capital letter, hold down the “Shift” key and the “Option” key together when you type the accent key.

References

• Penn State Univeristy: Letters with Accents
• Apple: Adding Accent Marks to Characters