Y with Accent (ý ÿ ŷ ỳ) on Keyboard: How to Type Y with Accents

To type Y with accent, use Alt + 0253 for ý on Windows, Option + U then Y for ÿ on Mac, or copy ý ÿ ŷ ỳ from the box below.
On Windows, hold the Alt key and type 0253 on the number pad to get ý. Use 0255 for ÿ.
On Mac, press and hold the Y key and pick the accent from the popup.
ý is used in Czech, Slovak and Icelandic, like in dobrý (good). ŷ and ỳ are Welsh, and ÿ is rare, but you see it in some French and Dutch names.
Below I explain every way to type Y with accent on Windows, Mac, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Chromebook, and phones. There is also a quick reference table at the end with all the codes in one place.
Y with Accent Copy and Paste
Just need the letter one time? Click on any letter below and it will be copied to your clipboard. Then paste it anywhere with Ctrl + V (Windows) or Command + V (Mac).
Click a letter to copy it.
Copy and paste is fine for one or two words. But if you type accents a lot, learning the keyboard shortcut will save you a lot of time.
Y with Accent Alt Codes (Windows)
Alt codes is the most popular way to type Y with accent on Windows. It works in almost every apps, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Google Docs and your web browser.
Here's how to type Y accent using Alt code:
- Make sure Num Lock is turned On.
- Press and hold the Alt key.
- While holding Alt, type the code on the number pad. For example, 0253 for ý.
- Release the Alt key and the letter will appear.
Here are the Alt codes for Y with accent:
| Letter | Name | Alt Code | Short Alt Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| ý | y acute | Alt + 0253 | None |
| ÿ | y diaeresis | Alt + 0255 | Alt + 152 |
| Ý | Y acute | Alt + 0221 | None |
| Ÿ | Y diaeresis | Alt + 0159 | None |
ŷ ỳ are not in the table because Windows has no Alt code for them. Use copy and paste or one of the other methods below.
The 4 digit codes starting with 0 always work, so I recommend using them. The short codes are older and some apps show a different character with them.
The number keys on the top row of your keyboard will not work for Alt codes. You must use the number pad.
Alt Code Not Working on Laptop?
Most of laptops don't have a separate number pad. On some laptops, you can turn on a hidden number pad by pressing Fn + Num Lock (or Fn + F11 on some models).
If your laptop don't have one, use the methods below instead. In Word, the Alt + X method works without number pad.
Also, if your number keys are not typing anything at all, check my guide on number keys not working on HP laptop.
Other Ways to Type Y with Accent on Windows
Method 1: Using the US-International Keyboard
If you type accents every day, the US-International keyboard layout is the best option. It lets you type accents with normal keys, no codes to remember.
Here's how to add it in Windows 11:
- Open Settings from the Start Menu.

- Go to Time & language -> Language & region.
- Click on three dots next to your language and select Language options.
- Under Keyboards, click on Add a keyboard and select United States-International.
Now press Windows Key + Space to switch to the new keyboard.
With US-International keyboard, you first press the accent key and then the letter:
- ý: press ' (apostrophe), then Y
- ÿ: press Shift + ' ("), then Y
For capital letters, press Shift + Y instead of Y.
Note: On this keyboard, the apostrophe and quote keys wait for the next key. To type a normal ' or ", press the key and then Space.
Method 2: Using the Emoji Panel or Character Map
- Press Windows Key + . (period) to open the emoji panel.
- Click on the Symbols tab (the Ω icon).
- Select Latin Symbols and click on the Y with accent you need.
Alternatively, you can also use Character Map. Search for Character Map in the Start Menu, find the letter, click on Select and then Copy.
How to Type Y with Accent on Mac
Typing accents on Mac is much easier than Windows. No codes needed.
Method 1: Press and Hold the Y Key
- Press and hold the Y key on your keyboard.
- A small popup will appear with the accents and a number under each one.
- Click on the accent you want, or press its number.
On a US English keyboard, the popup includes ÿ. Hold Shift + Y for capital letters.
Press and hold not working? It may be turned off. Open Terminal, type the following command, hit Return, and then restart your Mac:
defaults write -g ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool true
Method 2: Using Option Key Shortcuts
Option shortcuts are faster once you remember them. Press the Option combination first, release both keys, and then press Y:
- ÿ: Option + U, then Y
For capital letters, press Shift + Y in the last step. These shortcuts work in every app on Mac, including Word and Google Docs.
Method 3: Using Character Viewer
Character Viewer works for every accent, even the rare ones.
- Press Control + Command + Space.
- Click on the expand icon at the top right to open the full Character Viewer.
- Search for the name, for example y with grave, and double-click the letter to insert it.
How to Type Y with Accent in Microsoft Word
On Windows, Alt codes works in Word. But Word also has its own shortcuts that are easier to remember because the accent key looks like the accent.
Method 1: Word Keyboard Shortcuts
Press the Ctrl combination, release it, and then press Y:
- ý: Ctrl + ', then Y
- ÿ: Ctrl + Shift + ; (:), then Y
Use Shift + Y in the last step for capital letters. These shortcuts also work in Outlook, but not in Google Docs or web browsers.
Method 2: Unicode and Alt + X
This one works for every accent, and even on laptops without a number pad.
Type the Unicode of the letter and then press Alt + X. For example, type 00FD and press Alt + X, and Word will change it to ý.
The codes are 00FD (ý), 00FF (ÿ), 0177 (ŷ) and 1EF3 (ỳ). For capitals: 00DD (Ý), 0178 (Ÿ), 0176 (Ŷ), 1EF2 (Ỳ).
Method 3: Insert Symbol
- Go to Insert -> Symbol -> More Symbols.
- Set Font to (normal text).
- If you can't find it, type the code (for example 00FD) in the Character code box at the bottom.
- Select the Y with accent and click on Insert.
How to Type Y with Accent in Google Docs
Google Docs don't support the Word Ctrl shortcuts. But Alt codes on Windows and Option shortcuts on Mac works fine. If you can't use those, here are two other ways.
Method 1: Special Characters
- Click on Insert -> Special characters.
- In the search box, type y with acute, y with diaeresis, y with circumflex or similar.
- Click on the letter to insert it.
You can also draw the letter with your mouse in the box on the left side, and Google Docs will find it for you.
Method 2: Create your Own Shortcut
This is my favorite trick for Google Docs. You can make Docs replace a short text with the accent letter automatically.
- Go to Tools -> Preferences and open the Substitutions tab.
- In the left box, type a short code like y::. In the right box, paste ý.
- Click on OK.
Now every time you type y:: followed by a space, Docs will change it to ý. Do the same for other accents.
How to Type Y with Accent on Chromebook
Alt codes don't work on Chromebook. Instead, ChromeOS has its own Unicode shortcut:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + U. You will see an underlined u.
- Type the code of the letter, for example 00fd for ý.
- Press Space or Enter.
The codes are same as Word: 00fd (ý), 00ff (ÿ), 0177 (ŷ) and 1ef3 (ỳ).
If you type accents often, add the US International keyboard. Go to Settings -> Device -> Keyboard and inputs -> Input settings, click on Add input methods, and select US International keyboard. It works same as the Windows one explained above.
How to Type Y with Accent on iPhone and Android
On both iPhone and Android, touch and hold the Y key on the keyboard. A small menu will appear with the accents. Slide your finger to the one you want and lift it.
Which accents you see depends on your keyboard language. If the one you need is missing, add a keyboard for that language in your phone settings, or copy it from the box above.
Other Y Accents (ỹ ỵ ȳ)
The accents above are the most common, but some languages use other Y accents too. You can copy all of them from the copy and paste box at the top.
- ỹ (y with tilde): Vietnamese, Guaraní. Unicode 1EF9.
- ỵ (y with dot below): Vietnamese. Unicode 1EF5.
- ȳ (y with macron): Latin, Livonian. Unicode 0233.
These letters don't have Alt codes on Windows. Use copy and paste, the emoji panel, or type the Unicode and press Alt + X in Word (or Ctrl + Shift + U on Chromebook).
Y with Accent Quick Reference Table
Here are all the shortcuts for Y with accent in one place. Bookmark this page so you can find it next time.
| Letter | Name | Windows Alt Code | Mac | Word | Unicode | Used In |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ý | y acute | Alt + 0253 | Character Viewer | Ctrl + ', Y | U+00FD | Czech, Slovak, Icelandic, Faroese, Vietnamese |
| Ý | Y acute | Alt + 0221 | Character Viewer | Ctrl + ', Shift + Y | U+00DD | Czech, Slovak, Icelandic, Faroese, Vietnamese |
| ÿ | y diaeresis | Alt + 0255 | Option + U, Y | Ctrl + Shift + ;, Y | U+00FF | French (rare), old Dutch |
| Ÿ | Y diaeresis | Alt + 0159 | Option + U, Shift + Y | Ctrl + Shift + ;, Shift + Y | U+0178 | French (rare), old Dutch |
| ŷ | y circumflex | None | Character Viewer | 0177, Alt + X | U+0177 | Welsh |
| Ŷ | Y circumflex | None | Character Viewer | 0176, Alt + X | U+0176 | Welsh |
| ỳ | y grave | None | Character Viewer | 1EF3, Alt + X | U+1EF3 | Vietnamese, Welsh |
| Ỳ | Y grave | None | Character Viewer | 1EF2, Alt + X | U+1EF2 | Vietnamese, Welsh |
For websites and HTML, you can use these codes: ý (ý), ÿ (ÿ), ŷ (ŷ) and ỳ (ỳ).
Common Questions
What is the Alt code for y with two dots?
The Alt code for ÿ is Alt + 0255, and for capital Ÿ it is Alt + 0159.
What is the Alt code for ý?
The Alt code for ý is Alt + 0253, and for capital Ý it is Alt + 0221.
How do I type ŷ for Welsh?
There is no Alt code for ŷ. In Word, type 0177 and press Alt + X, or use the United Kingdom Extended keyboard.
More Letters with Accents
Need an accent on a different letter? Here are guides for every letter of the alphabet:
- A with accent à á â ä ã å
- B with accent ḃ ḅ ɓ
- C with accent ç ć č ĉ
- D with accent ď đ ḍ
- E with accent è é ê ë
- F with accent ḟ ƒ
- G with accent ğ ĝ ġ ģ
- H with accent ĥ ħ ḥ
- I with accent ì í î ï
- J with accent ĵ ǰ
- K with accent ķ ḱ ǩ
- L with accent ł ĺ ľ ļ
- M with accent ḿ ṁ ṃ
- N with tilde ñ ń ň ņ
- O with accent ò ó ô ö õ ø
- P with accent ṕ ṗ
- Q with accent ʠ ɋ
- R with accent ř ŕ ŗ
- S with accent š ś ş ŝ
- T with accent ť ţ ț
- U with accent ù ú û ü
- V with accent ṽ ṿ
- W with accent ŵ ẁ ẃ ẅ
- X with accent ẋ ẍ
- Z with accent ž ź ż
I hope you found this guide useful. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me!
Electrical Engineer, Solopreneur, and Web Developer who loves troubleshooting gadgets and making cool things for the internet. Been the go-to person for tech problems for 20+ years.
