How to Type the Hash (#), Euro (€), Accents and Symbols on a Mac
"Where's the hash key?" is one of the first questions UK Mac users ask. It isn't printed on a UK Mac keyboard, but it's there. So are hundreds of other symbols and accented letters.
The ones everyone asks about
Symbol | UK Mac keyboard | US Mac keyboard
# (hash) | Option + 3 | Shift + 3
£ (pound) | Shift + 3 | Option + 3
€ (euro) | Option + 2 | Option + Shift + 2
@ (at) | Shift + 2 | Shift + 2
" (quote marks) | Shift + ' | Shift + '
# (hash) | Option + 3 | Shift + 3
£ (pound) | Shift + 3 | Option + 3
€ (euro) | Option + 2 | Option + Shift + 2
@ (at) | Shift + 2 | Shift + 2
" (quote marks) | Shift + ' | Shift + '
Not sure which keyboard you have? Look at the 3 key. If it shows £, you have a UK keyboard. If it shows #, it's a US one.
If the symbols you get don't match what's printed on your keys, your Mac may be set to the wrong layout. Go to System Settings > Keyboard, click Edit… next to Input Sources, and add British (or U.S.), then remove the one you don't want.
How to type accented letters
The easy way: press and hold
Hold down a letter key for a second. A small menu of accented versions appears. Press the number shown under the one you want, or click it.
For example, hold e to see è é ê ë, then press 2 for é.
The fast way: Option key shortcuts
Press the shortcut, let go, then type the letter.
Accent | Shortcut | Then type | Result
Acute | Option + E | e | é
Grave | Option + ` | a | à
Umlaut | Option + U | u | ü
Circumflex | Option + I | o | ô
Tilde | Option + N | n | ñ
Cedilla | Option + C | | ç
Acute | Option + E | e | é
Grave | Option + ` | a | à
Umlaut | Option + U | u | ü
Circumflex | Option + I | o | ô
Tilde | Option + N | n | ñ
Cedilla | Option + C | | ç
For capitals, hold Shift when you type the letter.
Handy symbols
Symbol | Shortcut
© copyright | Option + G
® registered | Option + R
™ trademark | Option + Shift + 2 (UK) or Option + 2 (US)
° degree | Option + Shift + 8
… ellipsis | Option + ;
• bullet | Option + 8
– en dash | Option + -
÷ divide | Option + /
≠ not equal | Option + =
π pi | Option + P
Apple logo | Option + Shift + K
© copyright | Option + G
® registered | Option + R
™ trademark | Option + Shift + 2 (UK) or Option + 2 (US)
° degree | Option + Shift + 8
… ellipsis | Option + ;
• bullet | Option + 8
– en dash | Option + -
÷ divide | Option + /
≠ not equal | Option + =
π pi | Option + P
Apple logo | Option + Shift + K
Find any symbol or emoji
Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer. You can also press the 🌐 Globe / fn key on newer keyboards.
Search by name ("arrow", "tick", "heart"), then double-click a symbol to insert it. Click the icon in the top-right corner to expand it into a full window with categories such as arrows, currency and maths symbols.
See what every key does
The Keyboard Viewer shows an on-screen keyboard that changes as you hold Option or Shift. It's a quick way to discover where symbols live.
1. Go to System Settings > Keyboard, click Edit… next to Input Sources, and turn on Show Input menu in menu bar.
2. Click the new icon in the menu bar and choose Show Keyboard Viewer.
3. Hold Option and watch the keys change.
2. Click the new icon in the menu bar and choose Show Keyboard Viewer.
3. Hold Option and watch the keys change.
Wrapping up
Remember Option + 3 for the hash on a UK keyboard, press and hold for accents, and Control + Command + Space for everything else.
