Mac Option key shortcuts for symbols and accents

How the Mac Option key layers work

Every standard keyboard on macOS contains two complete layers of hidden characters that have remained consistent on US English layouts for decades. When you hold down the Option key (labeled ⌥ on Apple keyboards), every letter, number, and punctuation key types an alternative symbol.

When you hold down both Option and Shift simultaneously, you access a second secondary layer with even more characters. Because these shortcuts are built into the macOS core text engine, they function identically across every application, from Safari and Apple Pages to Microsoft Word, Slack, and terminal shells.

Essential symbols cheat sheet

Here are the most frequently used mac option key shortcuts organized by category for the US keyboard layout:

To inspect specific symbol properties and code points, explore individual reference pages like our copyright symbol page and degree symbol page.

Currency symbols on Mac

Typing foreign currency marks on macOS requires no special software. Using the standard US keyboard layout:

• Euro (€): Press Option + Shift + 2. (On British UK Mac keyboards, press Option + 2).
• British Pound (£): Press Option + 3. (On UK keyboards, the pound is typed directly with Shift + 3).
• Japanese Yen (¥): Press Option + Y.
• Cent Sign (¢): Press Option + 4.

See all global monetary glyphs in our comprehensive currency symbols collection.

Typing accents with dead keys

Five keys on the Option layer act as dead keys: when you press them, nothing appears on screen immediately. Instead, macOS waits for your next keystroke and attaches the diacritical accent to that letter:

• Acute accent (á, é, í, ó, ú): Press Option + E, then type the vowel.
• Grave accent (à, è, ì, ò, ù): Press Option + ` (tilde key), then type the vowel.
• Umlaut / Diaeresis (ä, ë, ï, ö, ü): Press Option + U, then type the vowel.
• Circumflex (â, ê, î, ô, û): Press Option + I, then type the vowel.
• Tilde (ã, ñ, õ): Press Option + N, then type the letter.
• Cedilla (ç, Ç): Press Option + C (types ç directly; add Shift for Ç).

To type the accent mark by itself, press the Option shortcut followed immediately by the Spacebar. Learn more accenting methods in our guide on how to type accents.

Using macOS Keyboard Viewer

You do not need to memorize every key combination. macOS includes an interactive on-screen map that reveals what every key produces in real time:

1. Open System Settings > Keyboard.
2. Under Text Input, click Edit... next to Input Sources.
3. Toggle on “Show Input menu in menu bar” and click Done.
4. Click the Input menu icon in your top macOS menu bar and choose Show Keyboard Viewer.

A virtual keyboard appears on your screen. Hold down Option, and watch the key labels transform to show the primary Option layer. Hold Option + Shift, and the keys change to display the secondary layer. Keys outlined in orange indicate accent dead keys.

Beyond Option keys: the Character Viewer

While the Option key covers dozens of common symbols, Unicode contains over 150,000 characters. For emojis, arrows, math operators, and obscure glyphs that lack physical keyboard shortcuts, press Control + Command + Space to open the macOS Character Viewer. Read our complete guide to the Mac Character Viewer to learn how to search, favorite, and customize symbols across macOS.