CHROMEOS SHORTCUT MATRIX

Master Chromebook Special Characters Shortcut Reference Matrix

On Google Chromebooks (running ChromeOS), traditional Windows Alt codes do not work. Instead, ChromeOS relies on two primary input engines: the Ctrl + Shift + u Unicode shortcut and the US-International keyboard dead keys (Right Alt / AltGr):

Character & Symbol Name Glyph ChromeOS Unicode Shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+u) US-Intl Keyboard Shortcut (Right Alt / Dead Keys) HTML Entity
Degree Symbol ° Ctrl+Shift+u then 00b0 → Enter Right Alt + Shift + 8 °
Euro Symbol € Ctrl+Shift+u then 20ac → Enter Right Alt + 5 €
Pound Sign £ Ctrl+Shift+u then 00a3 → Enter Right Alt + Shift + 4 £
Cent Sign ¢ Ctrl+Shift+u then 00a2 → Enter Right Alt + c ¢
Copyright Symbol © Ctrl+Shift+u then 00a9 → Enter Right Alt + c (or Right Alt+Shift+c) ©
Registered Trademark ® Ctrl+Shift+u then 00ae → Enter Right Alt + r ®
Trademark Symbol ™ Ctrl+Shift+u then 2122 → Enter Character / Symbol Picker ™
Bullet Point • Ctrl+Shift+u then 2022 → Enter Google Docs: Ctrl+Shift+8 •
Em Dash — Ctrl+Shift+u then 2014 → Enter Right Alt + Shift + - —
Spanish Eñe ñ Ctrl+Shift+u then 00f1 → Enter Press ~ then n (or Right Alt+n) ñ
Inverted Question ¿ Ctrl+Shift+u then 00bf → Enter Right Alt + ? ¿
Inverted Exclamation ¡ Ctrl+Shift+u then 00ad → Enter Right Alt + ! ¡
Square Root √ Ctrl+Shift+u then 221a → Enter Google Docs Insert Special Characters √
Plus-Minus Sign ± Ctrl+Shift+u then 00b1 → Enter Right Alt + + ±
CHROMEOS INPUT METHODS

How to Type Special Characters on Chromebook (5 Native Methods)

Depending on whether you are writing an essay in Google Docs, writing code in Termina, or filling web forms, ChromeOS provides five distinct input techniques:

Method 1: Universal ChromeOS Unicode Shortcut (Ctrl + Shift + u)

This is the most powerful native shortcut on ChromeOS. It allows you to enter any Unicode character directly using its 4-character hexadecimal code:

1
Click inside any text field or document on your Chromebook.
2
Press Ctrl + Shift + u simultaneously. An underlined u prompt will appear on your screen.
3
Type the 4-character hex code for your target symbol (e.g., 00b0 for °, 20ac for €, 00f1 for ñ, 2022 for •).
4
Press Enter (or Space) → the u prompt immediately converts into your special character!

Method 2: US-International Keyboard Layout (Dead Keys & AltGr)

Enabling the US-International keyboard on ChromeOS unlocks two effortless ways to type special characters:

  • Dead Keys for Accent Letters:
    • Press ~ (tilde) then n → ñ | ~ then a → ã
    • Press ' (single quote) then e → é | ' then c → ç
    • Press " (double quote) then u → ü | " then o → ö
    • Press ` (backtick) then a → à | ^ then e → ê
  • Right Alt (AltGr) Key Shortcuts:
    • Right Alt + Shift + 8 → ° (Degree)
    • Right Alt + 5 → € (Euro)
    • Right Alt + Shift + 4 → £ (Pound)
    • Right Alt + c → © (Copyright)
    • Right Alt + r → ® (Registered)
    • Right Alt + ? → ¿ (Inverted Question)

Method 3: ChromeOS Built-in Symbol & Emoji Picker

  • Press Everything Key / Launcher + Shift + Space.
  • Alternatively, right-click (two-finger tap on touchpad) inside any text input field and click Emoji & Symbols.
  • Click the Symbols (Ω) category tab to browse math, currency, arrows, and punctuation.

Method 4: Chromebook On-Screen Touch Keyboard

  • If you are using a 2-in-1 convertible Chromebook (or enable the virtual keyboard in Accessibility settings), tap and hold down any key (e.g. e, a, n, $).
  • A popup bubble with accented letters and currency variants will appear. Slide your finger and release to insert.
CHROMEOS CONFIGURATION

How to Enable the US-International Keyboard on Chromebook

To use dead keys and the Right Alt (AltGr) key shortcuts, enable the US-International layout in ChromeOS Settings:

1
Click the time on the bottom-right shelf to open Quick Settings, then click the Settings (gear) icon.
2
Select Device from the left menu → click Keyboard and inputs.
3
Under "Input methods", click + Add input methods.
4
Search for US International keyboard, check the box, and click Add.
5
Quickly toggle between standard US and US International by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Space.
DEVELOPER CHEAT SHEET

Developer Reference (ChromeOS Hex Codes & Unicode)

Character ChromeOS Hex Code (Ctrl+Shift+u) Unicode Code Point HTML Entity CSS Escape
° (Degree) 00b0 U+00B0 ° \\00B0
€ (Euro) 20ac U+20AC € \\20AC
£ (Pound) 00a3 U+00A3 £ \\00A3
© (Copyright) 00a9 U+00A9 © \\00A9
® (Registered) 00ae U+00AE ® \\00AE
• (Bullet) 2022 U+2022 • \\2022
— (Em Dash) 2014 U+2014 — \\2014
ñ (Spanish Eñe) 00f1 U+00F1 ñ \\00F1
√ (Square Root) 221a U+221A √ \\221A
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions About Chromebook Special Characters

No, standard Windows Alt codes (like Alt + 0176) do not work on Chromebooks because ChromeOS uses Linux kernel input drivers. Instead, ChromeOS uses Ctrl + Shift + u followed by the 4-digit Unicode hex code (e.g. Ctrl + Shift + u then 00b0 then Enter for °).
On a Chromebook, press Ctrl + Shift + u, type 00b0, and press Enter. If using the US-International keyboard layout, press Right Alt + Shift + 8.
Press Ctrl + Shift + u, type 20ac, and press Enter. On US-International layout, press Right Alt + 5.
Enable the US-International keyboard in Settings > Device > Keyboard. Then use dead keys: ~ then n gives ñ, ' then e gives é, " then u gives ü, ' then c gives ç.
Press Launcher / Search Key + Shift + Space on your Chromebook keyboard, or right-click any text entry box and select Emoji & Symbols.
Press Ctrl + Shift + u, type 2022, and press Enter. In Google Docs, press Ctrl + Shift + 8.
Press Ctrl + Shift + u, type 2014, and press Enter. On US-International layout, press Right Alt + Shift + Hyphen.
When the US-International keyboard layout is active on ChromeOS, the Alt key on the right side of the spacebar functions as AltGr (Alt Graphic), enabling quick access to special symbols like ¡, ¿, ¢, £, ¤, and °.
MORE TYPING GUIDES

Explore All WayToType Typing Guides & Symbol Directories

Need detailed shortcuts for specific characters, diacritics, math equations, or currency signs? Browse our complete library of typing guides:

Special Characters Hub Chromebook Guide Degree Symbol (°) Euro Symbol (€) Bullet Point (•) Em Dash (—) Square Root (√) Master Accented Letters N with Accent (ñ) E with Accent (é) U with Accent (ü) Umlaut (¨) Tilde (~) 1-Click Copy Symbol Hub Alt Code Finder All Typing Guides Hub