This article contains several methods you can use to type or insert the Eszett or SCHARFES S symbol (ß) anywhere like Microsoft Word or Excel, whether you are using the Windows or the Mac keyboard. I’ll show you all the easy methods including the Alt code shortcut.
This symbol (ß) is also known us sharp s and can be used interchangably.
Without any further ado, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Eszett (or SCHARFES S) symbol Quick Guide
To type the Eszett or Sharp s Symbol anywhere (like in Word or Excel), simply press Option + S shortcut for Mac. If you are on Windows, press down the Alt key and type 0223 using the numeric keypad on the right side of your keyboard.
However, to type the Eszett symbol in Microsoft Word, press Ctrl + & , S. You may need to press the shift key in addition before you can get the & key pressed. So, the final keystrokes will rather be Ctrl + Shift + &, S. Alternatively, just type 00DF and then press Alt + X to get the ß symbol.
The table below contains everything you need to type this symbol on both Windows and Mac.
| Symbol Name | Eszett |
| Symbol | ß |
| Alt Code | 0223 |
| Windows Shortcut | Alt + 0223 |
| Shortcut for Mac | Option + S |
| Shortcut for Word 1 | Ctrl + & , S |
| Shortcut for Word 2 | 00DF, Alt X |
Whether you are using Windows or Mac, the above information is all you need to get the Sharp S sign into your Word/Excel document.
However, if you are not satisfied with this quick help, keep reading below as I will explain in detail, how to insert this or any other symbol anywhere on your Mac or Windows PC like in MS Word or Excel.
As you may already know, there are several dual-purpose keys on the keyboard. That is to say that there are symbols readily available as second keys on the keyboard. Just by pressing two or more keys simultaneously, you can easily insert such symbols into your work. For instance, pressing Shift + 3 keys give you the Harsh (#) symbol.
However, other symbols aren’t printed on the keyboard as second keys. This makes it difficult to type. One of these symbols is theEszett symbol or SCHARFES S sign(ß).
Typing becomes very tough for you if you need to insert some of these symbols regularly into your work.
But it doesn’t have to be difficult. Especially now that you are reading this guide.
Insert the Eszett symbol in Word/Excel
In the following sections, I will show you all the easy ways to insert this symbol(ß) anywhere on your Windows or Mac PC (such as Word or Excel or PowerPoint).
In a couple of minutes, I’ll explain several methods you can use to get this (ß) and any other symbol as and when the need arises.
As a quick guide, press Ctrl + & , S on your keyboard to type the SCHARFES S or Eszett symbol in Microsoft Word. This shortcut works in MS Word only. For Windows users outside MS Word, press down the Alt key and type 0223 code on your numeric keypad. You can also press Option + S on Mac.
However, without any further ado, let’s get to work.
Method 1: Sharp S Symbol Shortcuts (Windows & Mac)
The Eszett Symbol Shortcut for Mac is Option + S.
Windows has several shortcuts, some of which works only in Microsoft Word.
However, there’s a Windows shortcut for the SCHARFES S Sign that works across all applications. It is the alt code shortcut which is Alt+0223 (will be discussed in the next section).
The Eszett Symbol shortcut for Microsoft Word is Ctrl + & , S or 00DF, Alt X.
These shortcuts work in Microsoft Word Only.
To use the above shortcut on Windows (for Word), obey the following instructions:
- Place the insertion pointer in the right place.
- Press and release Ctrl + Shift + & simultaneously, then type the letter S. This shortcut will insert the sharp S Symbol for you.
- Alternatively, type 00DF on your keyboard, then press Alt + X. This will convert the numbers into the SCHARFES S symbol at where you place the insertion pointer.
Below is a breakdown on how to use the Eszett symbol shortcut for Mac:
- First of all, place the insertion pointer where you need to insert the symbol.
- Now, using the Mac keyboard, Press Option + S simultaneously.
This shortcut should insert the symbol for you on your Mac PC.
In the next section, I’ll show you how to use the SCHARFES S Symbol Alt Code to type the symbol on your keyboard.
Method 2: Eszett Symbol Alt Code(Windows)
The Eszett (ß) Symbol Alt Code is0223.
Every symbol in Word has a unique code that you can use to insert the symbol into your document. This code is well known as “Alt code”.
Below are the steps to type this symbol on your keyboard (using the Alt code provided above:
- Press the num lock key to enable the numeric keypad. Use Fn key + NumLk keys to turn on Num Lock on laptops without the numeric keypad.
- Press and hold the Alt key and type 0223 using the numeric keypad.
- After typing the Alt code (i.e. 0223), release the[Alt]key you pressed down.
As soon as you release the Alt Key, the Eszett (ß) symbol should appear in your document.
Method 3: Copy and paste Eszett or Sharp S symbol
Use the button below to copy and paste the SCHARFES S symbol for your work.
My favorite method for inserting symbols I can’t easily type is copy and paste.
With this method, all you need to do is google the symbol you need to type, then copy it from one of the search results provided. Once you get the symbol into your document, you can always recopy and paste it as and when the need arises.
Use the button above to get this symbol on your clipboard.
There is another way to copy this and any other symbol on Windows. It involved using the Windows Character Map.
Obey the steps below to copy and paste any symbol, including the Eszett using the character map.
- Search for the Character map app by clicking on the Start button.
- The Character map app will show up in the search results. Click on it to launch.
- After the Character Map window opens up, click to check the Advance View checkbox to expand the window for more advanced options.
- On the Advanced View section, type Eszett in the search box.
- The symbol you searched for (i.e. the Eszett symbol) will now appear on the Character map. Double click on it to select it. You’ll see that the symbol appears in the Characters to copy text box. This allows you to select and copy several symbols at the same time.
- After selecting the symbol, you wish to copy, click on the Copy button.
- Switch over to wherever you need the symbol, whether in MS Word, Excel, or PowerPoint and press Ctrl + V to paste.
This is how you may copy and paste the SCHARFES S sign using the Character Map on Windows.
Method 4: Using Insert Symbol Dialog
This approach isn’t as straight forward as the shortcut methods. But it’s fairly simple.
And once you get the symbol into your document, you can always copy and paste it again and again, as and when you need it in your work.
Below are the steps to insert the SCHARFES S Sign in Word using the insert symbol dialog.
- Go to the Insert tab.
- On theInserttab, click theSymbolbutton and chooseMore Symbols…
These few clicks will bring up the Symbol dialog box.
- Locate theSymbol you want to insert.
To easily find the Eszett symbol on the Symbols window, look at the top right area of the dialog and selectLatin-1 Supplementin theSubset:drop-down list. TheEszettsymbol you want to insert is in this category and should appear.
- Select the symbol, and then click on the Insert button.
Alternatively, double-clicking on the symbol will also insert the symbol into your document.
- Click the Close button.
This is how you may insert a Eszett symbol in Word using the insert symbol dialog.
Method 5: Word’s AutoCorrect for the Eszett Sign
You can also type the Eszett Symbol using the AutoCorrect feature in Word.
It is a feature in MS Word designed for correcting spelling mistakes likethsitothis.
Using this AutoCorrect Feature, you can assign a short code to theSharp S symbol(such asEZT).
This way, whenever you type the textEZT, Word will think that you actually wanted to typeßand will convert it into theEszett symbolfor you automatically.
See illustration below:
What makes this method interesting is that you can assign your own custom shortcut or shortcode to the symbol and Word will automatically insert the symbol whenever you type the code.
Without further ado, below are the steps you can use to typeEszett symbolin Word using AutoCorrect.
- Go to the Insert tab.
- On the Insert tab, go toSymboland then clickMore Symbols… TheSymbolwindows will appear as shown in the below screenshot.
- Locate theEszett symbol, then click to select it.
- Click on theAutoCorrect…button to display the AutoCorrect window.
- In the AutoCorrect dialog box, enter the following:
Replace:EZT
With:ß
- ClickAdd, and then then hit the OK button.
Now, word will automatically insert theEszett symbolinto your document whenever you typeEZT.
However, below are some few things to note when you are using the AutoCorrect Method to insert theEszett sign.
- AutoCorrect is case sensitive. Meaning if you typeezt (in lowercase), Word will not convert it into theSharp s Symbol unless you typeEZT (in uppercase).
- If there is any text before or after the AutoCorrect text, Word will consider the AutoCorrect text as part of the text and hence will not convert it to theScharfes S symbol. For example,XEZT will not get converted, butX EZT will get converted toX ß.
Conclusion
As you can see, these are the various ways you may insert or type the Scharfes S or Sharp s sign or symbol in Word/Excel with or without using the keyboard.
My favorite method is using the copy and paste method followed by the Eszett symbol shortcut in Word for both Windows and Mac. The Alt Code method also comes handy.
For any comments or questions about this guide, please let me know in the comments section below.
Thanks.
FAQs
How do you type Eszett in Word on a Mac? ›
Make the Eszett letter (ß) on Mac / MacBook :
The technique: Keep the Option ⌥ key pressed, then type on the letter S , which will bring up the "Eszett" : ß at the desired location.
...
Hold down the “alt” key on your keyboard and type one of these codes:
- ä : Alt + 0228.
- ö : Alt + 0246.
- ü : Alt + 0252.
- ß : Alt + 0223.
- Ä : Alt + 0196.
- Ö : Alt + 0214.
- Ü : Alt + 0220.
type the Alt Code value of the special German letter, for example, for eszett, type 0 2 2 3 on the numeric pad , release the Alt key and you got ß.
How do you type Ö Alt code? ›- ö: alt +148.
- Ö: alt +0214.
- ü: alt +0252.
- Ü: alt +0220.
ß: press “option” and “s” simultaneously, and “ß” will appear. These shortcuts work in all programs on a Mac.
Why does my Microsoft account not allow editing on a Mac? ›By far, the most common reason for “Your account can view documents but it doesn't allow editing on a Mac” error is having an expired or incorrect license (without editing rights). To check your Microsoft license: Visit portal.office.com.
What is ß called in English? ›The German letter ß is a ligature and is also called a “scharfes s” (sharp s). But it's simpler than it sounds–it actually just means “ss”. The best thing about this letter? It sounds exactly like the “s” sound in English!
What is the pronunciation of ß? ›The double s (after a short vowel) and the ß (after a long vowel) are both pronounced like the -ss in the English word “pass”.
Is ß pronounced as S? ›The German ligature (additional character): The letter ß, is also known as the "sharp S", "eszett" or "scharfes S", and is the only German letter that is not part of the Latin/Roman alphabet. The letter is pronounced (like the "s" in "see").
Can you use ß in English? ›The ß is used only in German and never at the start of German words. The uppercase ß (ẞ) exists only for typesetting, such as in a dictionary. Instead of lowercase ß, one can also write ss.
Is the Eszett still used? ›
The Eszett letter is used only in German, and can be typographically replaced with the double-s digraph ⟨ss⟩, if the ß-character is unavailable.
Why does ß look like ab? ›Why Does ß Mean “Double S” in German? In German, the letter ß is known as the eszett or scharfes (sharp) S. It's a special character, similar to the German umlaut you're probably used to seeing by now. But unlike those two dots above a, o or u, the eszett is written as a capital B-shaped character with a tail: ß.
What is Alt Code 255? ›The magic sequence of keys Alt-255 typed at numeric keypad places an Invisible Character symbol into text. This character looks like a blank space in the program code and SAS output but is processed and printed by many programs as a valid text character.
Why are my alt codes not working Windows? ›The most common reason for ALT codes not working is that the number lock setting has been turned off. This setting controls how numbers on the numeric keypad function, so check it if you're having trouble with your ALT codes. Another cause of this problem is incorrect language settings on Windows.
What language uses ü? ›The letter Ü is present in the Hungarian, Turkish, Uyghur Latin, Estonian, Azeri, Turkmen, Crimean Tatar, Kazakh Latin and Tatar Latin alphabets, where it represents a close front rounded vowel [y].
How do you activate special characters on ä Mac keyboard? ›- When you type a letter that needs an accent or other diacritical mark, hold down that key on the keyboard to display an accent menu. If the key doesn't have any possible diacritical marks, the menu isn't shown.
- In the menu, click the character you want to use.
Typing other characters on a Mac
As above, press Control-Command-Space to bring up the Emoji pallet then click on the icon in the top right of the Emoji box to bring up the Character Viewer. Here you'll find more than Emoji: there are also Arrows, other currency symbols, Maths Symbols, and more.
To type the section symbol (§), press and hold the “Alt” key, then enter the numbers “0167.” On a Mac, press and hold the “Option” key and enter the number “6.” If this doesn't work, your section symbol may be bound to a different keybinding.
How do I activate Microsoft Office for free on my Mac? ›In the top menu bar select Finder > Applications and scroll down to the Microsoft Office apps. Open any Office app, like Microsoft Word and in the What's New box that opens, select Get Started. On the Sign in to activate Office screen, select Sign in.
How do I unlock Microsoft for editing? ›- Open the document.
- Click the Review menu.
- If you cannot see the Restrict Editing icon in the ribbon, click Protect.
- Select Restrict Editing.
- Click Stop Protection.
- Enter the password in the pop-up window and click OK.
- The document can now be edited.
How can I update Microsoft Office for Mac for free? ›
- Open the Mac App Store from your Dock or Finder.
- Click Updates on the left side menu, then click Update All, or the Update button next to the apps that you want to update.
The ß is usually used after a long vowel or double-vowel combination (dipthong), in words such as die Straße (the street), der Meißel (the chisel), and stoßen (to bump, to repel):
What is ß used for? ›ß does not exist everywhere that German is spoken—the Swiss dropped it years ago. But its purpose is to help readers figure out pronunciation: A ß signals that the preceding vowel is pronounced long, instead of short, and that you should make an “ss,” not “z,” sound. It's also written to signify “ss” after a diphthong.
Is it difficult to learn Germany? ›While German might not make the list of the easiest languages to learn, it isn't one of the top ten most difficult ones either. If you're looking for a quick answer to whether learning German really is as hard as you've heard – the answer is yes and no.
What is Ʒ called? ›Ezh (Ʒ ʒ) /ˈɛʒ/, also called the "tailed z", is a letter whose lower case form is used in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), representing the voiced postalveolar fricative consonant.
What is the difference between ß and ß? ›The current rules for the choice between ß and ss were introduced in 1996. They follow the simple principle that ss is used after short vowels and ß otherwise (i.e. after long vowels and diphthongs).
Do any words start with Eszett? ›The eszett (sometimes referred to as the eszett or Scharfes S) is a letter that is totally unique to the German alphabet. Unlike other letters, it has no upper case form, because it never occurs at the beginning of a word. The German eszett is used in words such as: Fuß Straße, groß, draußen.
What is the difference between German Eszett and Greek beta? ›Differences between the German ß and the Greek β
They have a completely different pronunciation: as the initial sound of either letter's name indicates, the Greek “vita” is pronounced /v/ (in modern Greek) and the German Eszett is pronounced /s/. They look slightly different, compare: (Eszett) ß | β (“vita“).
In Germany , and in other European countries, temperature is measured differently than we measure it in the United States. We use the Fahrenheit scale to measure degrees , but in most other areas of the world, the Centigrade (Celsius) scale is used.
Why do Germans use H instead of B? ›There are a few possible reasons for this: the 'H' might stand for 'hart' (German for 'hard') or, it could have just been a mistake in early sheet music, owing to the fact that the B flat symbol (♭) looks a bit like a 'b', and the sharp symbol (♯) looks a bit like an 'H'.
What is an ö with two dots above it? ›
Ö, or ö, is a character that represents either a letter from several extended Latin alphabets, or the letter "o" modified with an umlaut or diaeresis. In many languages, the letter "ö", or the "o" modified with an umlaut, is used to denote the close- or open-mid front rounded vowels [ø] ( listen) or [œ] ( listen).
How do I activate Alt codes? ›To use an Alt code, press and hold down the Alt key and type the code using the numeric key pad on the right side of your keyboard. If you do not have a numeric keypad, copy and paste the symbols from this page, or go back try another typing method.
How do you unlock Alt on a keyboard? ›Plug in another keyboard and check if that helps. Plug in this keyboard to another computer and check if the issue persists. Method 2. It is often possible to "unstuck" prefix keys by tapping all six keys one after the other: left Ctrl, Shift, Alt, right Ctrl, Shift, Alt.
How many Alts are on a keyboard? ›English-language keyboards have two Alt keys.
Why are my Alt shortcuts not working? ›If the key combinations for shortcuts are not working, check if Sticky Keys are enabled on your desktop. Step 1: Open Settings from the Start menu and go to 'Ease of Access'. Step 2: Scroll down on the left menu and select Keyboard from the Interaction section. Step 3: Turn the toggle bar on for Sticky Keys.
How do I fix a Windows key that was swapped to Alt? ›- reboot pc.
- try a different usb port for your keyboard.
- try it on another pc.
- replace keyboard.
– “ö” as in blöd is like an English person saying “burn” Make the sound “a” as in the word “may” and then make your lips into an “o” shape.
Who uses Ö? ›Ö or ö is not a letter used in English, but is used in some other languages, such as German, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Turkish, Swedish and Icelandic.
What is the N with 2 dots? ›"N̈", or "n̈" (referred to as n-diaeresis or n-umlaut) is a grapheme from several minor extended Latin alphabets, the letter N with a diaeresis mark. It occurs in the orthographies of Jacaltec (a Mayan dialect), Malagasy, Tol language, and Cape Verdean Creole, in all four cases representing a velar [ŋ].
Where is the letter ß? ›The letter ß (also known as sharp S, German: Eszett or scharfes S) is a letter in the German alphabet. It is the only German letter that is not part of the basic Latin alphabet. The letter is pronounced [s] (like the "s" in "see") and is not used in any other language.
How do you type a Hebrew vowel on a Mac? ›
Typing in Hebrew on a Mac is pretty simple, and fortunately, typing with Hebrew vowels (nikkud) is also pretty straightforward. To type most Hebrew vowels, you use the Alt/Option key plus the tilde (~) or number keys. To add a dagesh (e.g. בּ), hold down Alt/Option and press the tilde (~) key.
How do you use ß? ›ß does not exist everywhere that German is spoken—the Swiss dropped it years ago. But its purpose is to help readers figure out pronunciation: A ß signals that the preceding vowel is pronounced long, instead of short, and that you should make an “ss,” not “z,” sound. It's also written to signify “ss” after a diphthong.
Is eszett still used? ›The Eszett letter is used only in German, and can be typographically replaced with the double-s digraph ⟨ss⟩, if the ß-character is unavailable.
Does Bible have Hebrew vowels? ›The Hebrew alphabet has no vowel letters. The letters only mark consonants, which means that when you look at a word you would have no idea how it is pronounced. Such alphabets are known as "abjads".
How do I get Hebrew vowels on Windows 10? ›You can write Hebrew vowels using the MS Word app via the Insert symbol. Just click the Insert tab > Symbol > More Symbols... Change the Subset dropdown menu to Hebrew.
How do I set up Hebrew keyboard? ›- Go to the Apple menu. Select System Preferences.
- Click Language & Region. ...
- Click Keyboard Preferences… ...
- On the Input Sources tab, click the “+” button.
- Select Hebrew from the list. ...
- Check the box next to Show Input menu in menu bar.
- Go to the Keyboard tab.