The ú — a u with an acute accent — appears in Spanish (tú, último), Portuguese (saúde, baú), Irish (tú, úll, cú), and other languages. It completes the set of accented vowels alongside á, é, í, and ó. Here’s every method for typing it, organized by platform.
Windows
Method 1: Alt Code
Hold the left Alt key, type the number on your numeric keypad (Num Lock must be on), then release:
- Alt + 0250 → ú (lowercase)
- Alt + 0218 → Ú (uppercase)
Note: This requires a numeric keypad recognized by Windows, with Num Lock enabled. A built-in, embedded, or external numeric keypad may work; the number row above the letters normally will not. If you do not have a numeric keypad, Method 2 is your best option.
Method 2: United States-International Keyboard Layout
If you have the US International keyboard layout enabled:
- Press ‘ (apostrophe) then u → ú
- Press ‘ then Shift + U → Ú
This works in most standard Windows applications and text fields and requires no numeric keypad.
Method 3: Copy and Paste
Need ú right now without any setup? Copy it directly:
ú Ú
Paste it wherever you need it.
You can also use our interactive Accent Character Finder to copy any accented character instantly and see keyboard shortcuts for every device.
Mac
Method 1: Option Key Shortcut
- Press Option + e, then press u → ú
- Press Option + e, then press Shift + U → Ú
This works in most applications that support standard macOS text input.
Method 2: Hold-Key Popup
Hold down the u key and a popup may appear showing accented versions — ú, ù, û, ü. Slide to ú and release. The accent menu works in many Mac apps, but it is not available in every application.
Note: Don’t confuse ú (acute accent) with ü (umlaut) — they look similar but are different characters used in different languages. ú slants right, ü has two dots above.
Method 3: ABC – Extended Keyboard
If you use the ABC – Extended keyboard layout on Mac, the same Option + e combination applies. This layout provides additional dead-key combinations for many accented and special characters.
iPhone and Android
iPhone and iPad
Tap and hold the u key. A popup will appear showing ú, ù, û, ü, and other variations. Slide to ú and release. Built into the iOS keyboard — no setup required.
Android
Same method: tap and hold u and select ú from the popup. If accented options don’t appear, switch to Gboard (Google’s keyboard), which supports accented characters across all major languages.
Chromebook
Method 1: US International Keyboard
With the US International keyboard enabled:
- Press ‘ then u → ú
- Press ‘ then Shift + U → Ú
To enable it, open Settings → Device → Keyboard → Change input settings. Under Input methods, select Add and choose English (US) with International.
Method 2: Unicode Input
Enter ú by Unicode without changing your keyboard layout:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + U
- Type 00FA (the hexadecimal value for Unicode character U+00FA, ú)
- Press Enter
This method requires no keyboard-layout change and works in many compatible ChromeOS text fields, but it may not work in every app or field.
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Quick Reference
| Platform | Method | Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Alt code | Alt + 0250 |
| Windows | US International | ‘ then u |
| Mac | Option shortcut | Option + e, u |
| Mac | Hold key | Hold u → select ú |
| iPhone | Hold key | Hold u → select ú |
| Android | Hold key | Hold u → select ú |
| Chromebook | US International | ‘ then u |
| Chromebook | Unicode | Ctrl+Shift+U, 00FA |
When Do You Need ú?
Some of the most common words where ú appears:
Spanish: tú (you), último (last), único (unique), útil (useful), músico (musician), público (public), menú (menu)
Portuguese: saúde (health), baú (trunk/chest)
Irish: tú (you), úll (apple), cú (hound), úr (fresh/new), údar (author)
Catalan and Galician: ú appears regularly as a stressed vowel in both languages
If you’re typing in Spanish regularly, our Spanish Accents guide covers every character you’ll need — á, é, í, ó, ú, ñ, and more — in one place. For Portuguese, see our Portuguese Accents guide.
ú vs. ü vs. ù vs. û — What’s the Difference?
These four characters are distinct and appear in different languages:
- ú (acute accent, slanting right) — Spanish, Portuguese, Irish
- ü (umlaut, two dots) — German, Spanish (in güe/güi combinations)
- ù (grave accent, slanting left) — Italian, French
- û (circumflex, hat shape) — French
On Windows: ü is Alt + 0252, ù is Alt + 0249, û is Alt + 0251. On Mac: ü is Option + u then u, ù is Option + ` then u, û is Option + i then u. On mobile, all four appear in the hold-key popup when you hold the u key.
Need other accented characters? See our guides on how to type á, how to type é, how to type í, how to type ó, how to type ñ, and how to type ü.
