#How to access alt key on mac software#
#How to access alt key on mac plus#

When you release the ALT key, the character will appear. To type accents with ALT codes, hold down the ALT key, then on the numeric keypad type the three or four digits listed here. Bottom line, if you're on a laptop, choose a different keyboard rather than messing around with ALT codes. So they won't work on a laptop unless you hit number lock to activate the number pad 'built into' the right-side of your keyboard, which is a big hassle because then the letters won't work. However, ALT codes only work with the numeric keypad, notВ the row of numbers across the top of your keyboard. If you're really set against the international keyboard, you can type accented characters with ALT codes, which use the ALT key and a 3 or 4 digit code.

#How to access alt key on mac software#

The best way to type accents on a PC is by using the international keyboard, which requires a simple control panel configuration - there is no keyboard to purchase or software to download. *Layout names: International Keyboard: English (United States), US-Int'l UK Extended Keyboard: English (UK - extended) French Keyboard: French (Standard) French Canadian Keyboard: French (Canadian)

Open Control Panel (via Start menu or My Computer).

Click 'Properties,' 'Settings,' or 'Details' (whichever you see).

Under 'Keyboard layout/IME' make your selection.

Under 'Input Language,' pick the language you want to add*.Double-click 'Regional and Language Options'.If in Classic View, click 'Control Panel Home' in the upper-left corner.To use the layout, click the language input button on the taskbar (it probably says EN) and select it.Under 'Clock, Language, and Region,' click 'Change keyboards or other input methods'.

Scroll down to the language you want to add, click + next to it, then select the layout*.

Click 'Options' to the right of your language.

Under 'Clock, Language, and Region,' click 'Change input methods'.

The way to do this is slightly different for each operating system.

#How to access alt key on mac plus#

Once you've done this, you can either set it as your default keyboard or use alt plus shift to toggle between two or more layouts. In order to use one of these alternate keyboard layouts, you need to add it to Windows. In order to use the international keyboard to type French accents, you need to select that keyboard layout. If you are plagued by strangeness such as cГ©st when you try to type c'est, re-read the note above.

Troubleshooting the international keyboard It takes a little while to get used to typing that extra space when you just want to type ' or ' For example, to type c'est, type c then ' then hit the spacebar then type e s t. Note: The minor disadvantage of the international keyboard is that when you want to type the 'helping' character (e.g., single or double quotes) by itself rather than above a vowel, you have to type the symbol then hit the space bar.

To type French quotation marks В« В» use ctrl + alt +, respectively.

Circonflexe (ГЄ), type ^ (shift + 6) then e.

To type accent grave (Г , ГЁ, etc), type ` (to the left of 1) then the vowel.

English keyboard users, the international keyboard (which is not a physical keyboard, but rather a simple Control Panel setting) is the easiest and most convenient method for typing French accents because it maintains the QWERTY layout, with just a few changes and additions: