Here are directions for typing accents on either a Mac or PC keyboard. If you are using Microsoft Word you can change the settings in the tools section to French and it will change the spelling/grammar check for the document you are working on. It will not change the writing for anything else in the menus. To do this go to Tools>Language>French then hit OK. You can also change the language on a GoogleDoc item by going to File>Language>Français

 

Information from www.French.About.com

 

Typing accents on a Mac keyboard

Note: In these instructions, "and" means to keep holding the option key and the first key listed while typing the second. "Then" means to release the option key and the first key before typing the second.

 

acute accent é Hold option key and e then e

 

grave accent à, è, ù Hold option key and ` then a, e, or u

 

cedilla ç Hold option key and c

 

circumflex â, ê, î, ô, û Hold option key and i then a, e, i, o, or u

 

tréma ë, ï, ü Hold option key and u then e, i, or u

 

oe ligature œ Hold option key and q

 

French quotation marks « Hold option key and \ » Hold option key and shift key and \

 

Euro symbol € Hold option key and shift key and 2

 

 

Typing accents on a PC keyboard

ALT codes only work with the numeric keypad, NOT the row of numbers across the top of your keyboard. So they won't work on a laptop unless you hit number lock to activate the number pad. To type accents with ALT codes, hold down the ALT key, then on the numeric keypad type the three or four digits listed here. When you release the ALT key, the character will appear.

 

a with grave accent à ALT + 133   À ALT + 0192

 

a with circumflex â ALT + 131   Â ALT + 0194

 

a with tréma ä ALT + 132   Ä ALT + 142

 

c with cedilla ç ALT + 135   Ç ALT + 128

 

e with acute accent é ALT + 130   É ALT + 144

 

e with grave accent è ALT + 138    È ALT + 0200

 

e with circumflex ê ALT + 136    Ê ALT + 0202

 

e with tréma ë ALT + 137    Ë ALT + 0203

 

i with circumflex î ALT + 140    Î ALT + 0206

 

i with tréma ï ALT + 139    Ï ALT + 0207

 

o with circumflex ô ALT + 147    Ô ALT + 0212

 

o e ligature œ ALT + 0156    Œ ALT + 0140

 

u with grave accent ù ALT + 151    Ù ALT + 0217

 

u with circumflex û ALT + 150    Û ALT + 0219

 

u with tréma ü ALT + 129    Ü ALT + 154

 

French quotation marks « ALT + 174 » ALT + 175

 

Euro symbol € ALT + 0128