How to Type International Characters on an English Keyboard

This article describes how to type international characters and symbols on an English keyboard.

To type international characters with an English keyboard, you need to change the keyboard layout. To change the Windows keyboard layout, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Keyboard.
3. Click the Language tab, and then select your current keyboard layout (which you want to change).
   
   Note: If your keyboard is not listed, click the Add button to install a different language.
4. Click the Properties tab, and then click United States-International for the keyboard layout.
5. Click OK, and then click Set as Default.
6. Click Apply, and when prompted, insert your Windows CD-ROM.
7. Click OK to close Keyboard Properties, and then close Control Panel.

When you want to type an international character, hold down the ALT key, and then press the character you would like to accent.

If you want to disable this feature, change the keyboard layout back to its original setting.