For those learning the German language, it is important to quickly type special symbols like
ä, ü, ö, ß, which are not available on a standard English keyboard.
You don’t need to buy a German keyboard or switch to a German layout, especially considering that
Y and
Z are swapped, which can confuse you.
German Symbols for Windows- Choose the layout US-International in your keyboard settings.
- Use the following combinations:
- Shift + ", then a, o, or u — adds umlauts (ä, ö, ü).
- Ctrl + Alt + s or AltGr + s — types ß.
- To type regular quotation marks, press Shift + " and quickly press " again.
German Symbols for MacOS- The layout remains English.
- Use the following combinations:
- Option + u, then a, o, or u — adds umlauts (ä, ö, ü).
- Option + s — types ß.
These settings allow you to type German symbols easily without giving up your usual keyboard layout.