This guide is always evolving. Suggestions for software or resources to link to are welcome.
Accent & Diacritical Marks
Software for Macs
Software for PCs
Setting Up Foreign Language Keyboards
The following accent shortcuts work with most applications and browsers, including Microsoft Word and Gmail.
Typing French accent marks on a Mac:
| Accute Accent | é | option + e , then e |
| Grave Accent | à, è, ù | option + `, then the letter |
| Cédille | ç | option + c |
| Circumflex | â, ê, î, ô, û | option + i, then the letter |
| Tréma |
ë, ï, ü |
option + u, then the letter |
| Quotation Marks |
« |
option + \ option + shift + \ |
Typing French accent marks on a PC:
| Accute Accent | é | alt + 130 | É | alt + 144 |
| Grave Accent | à è ù |
alt + 133 alt + 138 alt + 151 |
À È Ù |
alt + 0192 alt + 0200 alt + 0217 |
| Cédille | ç | alt + 135 | Ç | alt + 128 |
| Circumflex | â ê î ô û |
alt + 131 alt + 136 alt + 140 alt + 147 alt + 150 |
Â Ê Î Ô Û |
alt + 0194 alt + 0202 alt + 0206 alt + 0212 alt + 0219 |
| Tréma | ä ë ï ü |
alt + 132 alt + 137 alt + 139 alt + 129 |
Ä Ë Ï Ü |
alt +142 alt + 0203 alt + 0207 alt + 154 |
| Quotation Marks | « » |
alt + 174 alt + 175 |
The Microsoft Office suite supports French spell check. You can set it as your default language in Office for Mac using these instructions.
Gmail also supports French spell check. To use this, click on the drop-down menu for spell check in an email and select Francais. You may still have correctly spelled words appear misspelled depending on your browser settings.
To change your browser language:
Firefox: In the Preferences window go to the Content tab and set the Language.
Chrome: Settings -> Advanced settings -> Languages
The Microsoft Office suite supports French spell check. You can set it as your default language using these instructions.
Gmail also supports French spell check. To use this, click on the drop-down menu for spell check in an email and select Francais. You may still have correctly spelled words appear misspelled depending on your browser settings.
To change your browser language:
Firefox: In the Options window go to the Content tab and set the Language.
Chrome: Settings -> Advanced settings -> Languages
