Most folks do not use accented letters in their documents in MS Word documents on a daily basis. However, you find that you will have the need to use certain words that require an accented letter at some point, (i.e., café, résumé, fiancé).
I am sure that most of you are aware that you can insert an accented letter in your document the long way:
- In versions 2007 and 2010 Insert tab in versions 2007 or 2010 or the Insert menu in version 2003.
- Click on Symbol.
- Locate the needed accented letter.
- Click it.
- Click Insert.
- Close the Symbol dialog box.
There is another method you could employ, which is a keyboard shortcut for that symbol, which is easy enough to create —
- Navigate to the Symbol menu.
- Click on the symbol you need.
- Click Shortcut Key.
- Press the key combo you would like to use.
- Make sure your key combination is not currently assigned to another shortcut.
- Click Assign.
— but not always easy to remember if you do not use it on a daily basis!
Either of the above methods would work just fine for you, but as you know, I am a huge proponent of less time and less keystrokes. There is another shortcut that will insert your accented letter for you much more quickly and easily:
Depress Ctrl + ` + the letter of your choosing. For instance, if you want to type the word fiancé, you simply press Ctrl+’, release those keys and type the letter e.
The other option is to depress simultaneously (Ctrl + ` + e). Both options will give you the same result.
If you need a letter with a tildè (~) above it, use Ctrl + Shift +`. Using the Shift key gives you the tildè. Release and click the letter of your choosing and a tilde will now appear above it.
Depressing all keys simultaneously will not give you the same result for the tildè; instead it will give you an upper case letter.