German Characters FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Typing
German on an English-Language Keyboard
On this page you'll find some of the more frequently asked questions I have received from readers who want to know how to type or view ö, Ä, é, ß, etc., or spell-check in German on an English-language keyboard. You'll also find answers for using “foreign” keyboards abroad and how to display German or other special characters on a Web page using HTML. NOTE: If you are using Windows XP or Mac OS X, see this article: Optimize Your PC for German. Also see our free download page for PC users: DeKey for Windows Vista/XP.
For FAQs about German grammar and vocabulary, see our German Forum FAQs page.
FAQ MENU > German Language FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
- How can I type German characters and/or get them to print on an English-language computer?
- Is there software that will let me type German using an English-language keyboard?
- I'm going overseas and plan to use cybercafes for email and Web surfing. Is there anything I should know before I go?
- Does the English version of MS Word™ offer an easy way to type German characters?
- I'd like to be able to spell check a document in German (or in both English and German). Do you know of a way to do this?
- Why do special German characters appear as odd text in my email?
- I've forgotten the character code for typing the German letter "x." Can you tell me the code?
- How do I get German or other foreign characters to appear on my Web page?
Answers to the FAQs
- How can I type German characters and/or get them to print on an English-language computer? - There are several methods to do this on a computer using either the Mac or Windows operating systems. You need to choose the method that best suits your particular situation. A good place to start is our feature entitled Can Your PC Speak German? (Win 95/98/ME, Mac OS 8/9). That article details the three main ways to type German on an English-language keyboard. If you're using or thinking of using Windows XP or Mac OS X, then see Optimize Your PC for German.
- Is there software that will let me type German using an English-language keyboard? - There are several software solutions for typing German on a US, British or other English-language computer. Programs such as SwapKeys™ offer one way to switch between English and German on a PC using the Windows OS. (See our software links below.) But Win XP and Mac OS X both allow you to easily change your keyboard setup in the Control Panel or Preferences (see Optimize Your PC for German). - Also see our free download page for PC users: DeKey for Windows Vista/XP.
- I'm going overseas and plan to use cybercafes for email and Web surfing. Is there anything I should know before I go? - Foreign keyboards-even in other English-speaking countries!-can be quite different from a US standard keyboard or your homeland's keyboard. Our article entitled Computer Keyboards Abroad will tell you the details and show the photos. You can even link to cybercafes in Austria, Germany and elsewhere.
- Does the English version of MS Word™ offer an easy way to type German characters? - MS Word (and probably Word Perfect) offers an easy way type German letters on an English-language keyboard, but it only works when you're using that particular word processor. Here is a reader suggestion sent in by Clare Butler in the UK:
In Word 97/98/2000, to get umlauts and esszett, I can either choose Symbol on the Insert menu and pick the right character from the display, or better, type Ctrl-: (ie Ctrl-Shift-;) followed by a, o or u, and Ctrl-& followed by s for the esszett. Formatting the Normal style as Language = German (several varieties available) means you automatically get the opening quotes in the right place. It may do other things I haven't discovered, but unfortunately it doesn't mean you get a German spell checker. - I'm told you need to buy the German version of Office 97/2000 for that. (Annoying, because French and Spanish spell checkers do come as defaults.)
But see below for German spell checker info... - I'd like to be able to spell check a document in German (or in both English and German). Do you know of a way to do this? - The Windows XP and Mac OS X operating systems are much more multilanguage-friendly than previous versions. The latest English versions of MS Word (both Mac and Windows) now include tools for German-language spell-checking, grammar checking, and a German thesaurus as an option. All you have to do is install it. But there are a few tricks you should know. For more information, see this article: Optimize Your PC for German.
- Why do special German characters appear as odd text in my email? - Answer: FAQ 6.
- I've forgotten the character code for typing the German letter "x." Can you tell me the code? - All of the German character Alt-codes and shortcuts for some other symbols and punctuation marks are listed on our Special Character Chart.
- How do I get German or other foreign characters to appear on my Web page? - Most of the HTML code for German letters and other symbols are almost the same as the Alt-codes. We tell you how to adapt them for HTML on the Special Character Chart 2 (at the bottom of the chart).
Related Pages
DeKey for Windows Vista/XP
A free download for a neat little program that makes it easy to type German on a US or UK keyboard.
Optimize Your PC for German
A detailed look at the German options available in Win XP and Mac OS X for an English-language computer/keyboard.
Can Your PC Speak German?
A detailed look at all the options for typing special German characters on an English-language keyboard. (Win 95/98/ME)
Special Character Chart
Our Special Character Chart tells you the Alt-codes for typing special German characters, German quotation marks and more.
Computer Keyboards Abroad
Where the heck is the @ sign? German and other European computer keyboards, Internet cafés and computer terms in German.
German Punctuation
An article about some important differences in German versus English punctuation.
Computer Glossary
Our annotated English-German glossary of computer terms.
German Language FAQs
All of our FAQs for German.
Related Links
German Downloads - ZDNet
Over 600 program downloads for German for Palm, Windows, and Mac. From ZDNet.
LessMess.com
Low-cost software solutions of many kinds, including German and other foreign languages.
OpenOffice.org
A free international alternative to Bill's empire and Office/Word: "To create, as a community, the leading international office suite that will run on all major platforms and provide access to all functionality and data through open-component based APIs and an XML-based file format." (Based on Sun's old StarOffice.)
SwapKeys™ Home Page
A Windows™ utility that allows you to "remap" (change) certain "hot keys" to type various symbols and characters for German or other languages.
Typing Accented Characters in Win9x
A step-by-step guide, complete with screenshots, on how to set up your Windows™ computer to type in German and other non-English languages. From Creighton University.
For more software alternatives, see our Software and Translation pages.
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