ARCHIVED: In Microsoft Word for Windows, how do I access foreign or special characters?
On this page:
- Inserting symbols within Word 2010 and 2007
- Using the numeric keypad
- Changing the keyboard language settings
Inserting symbols within Word 2010 and 2007
To insert individual characters from the available symbols that come
with Microsoft Word, from the Symbol
dialog box that appears,
select from the available symbols, and then click . The
selected character will appear in the text of your document; when
finished, click to close the Symbol
dialog
box.
If you do not find the character you want, you may have to change the font. The "Font:" box lists the current font; you can switch fonts by selecting the down arrow button next to this box. The symbols available in the new font will then appear in the dialog box.
Using the numeric keypad
To insert symbols using extended ASCII characters, make
sure the Num Lock
key is on, and then hold down the
Alt
key and type the symbol's three- or four-digit code
on the numeric keypad. For a list of some common ASCII codes, see ARCHIVED: In Windows, how can I access extended keyboard characters, such as
accent marks?
Changing the keyboard language settings
Note: If this doesn't match what you see, refer to ARCHIVED: Get around in Windows.
If a desired foreign or special character is not available in any of the fonts you have, you may wish to acquire additional fonts or try changing the keyboard language settings. To change your keyboard language settings, follow the appropriate instructions below.
Note: Have the appropriate Windows CD on hand in case
you are prompted for it. If you do not have the Windows CD available,
it may be possible to acquire a language pack from Microsoft
Unlimited Potential. Not all languages are available, and some
languages are only available for a specific product (some languages on
this site only work in Office; some work only in the Windows
interface). For Vista, the language files are almost always
downloaded as .exe
files. Once the file has been
installed, use the instructions below to actually make the language
change.
Windows 8
- Press
Win-x
, and then select . - Click .
- Under "Language", click .
- In the menu, click .
- Under "Add a language", use the alphabetical list to select the language you want to use. To add the language, click . The added language should appear in the list of languages. You can set your primary input language by using the button to move that language to the top of the list.
Windows 7
- From the menu, select .
- Click .
- Under "Region and Language", click .
- In the tab, click .
- Under "Default input language", use the drop-down menu to select the language you want to use. To add more languages to the drop-down menu, click . Select the input language you want to add, and then click . The added language should appear in the drop-down menu.
Windows Vista
- From the , select or .
- In the Control Panel, double-click the icon.
- Select the tab.
- Select the desired language from the drop-down menu in the section.
Windows XP
- From the , select or . If the menu is in classic mode, select , then , and then .
- In the Control Panel, double-click the icon.
- Select the tab. Under "Text services and input languages", click .
- Under "Installed services", click . In the "Input language:" list, click the language you want to add.
- If multiple options are available, select the type of text service you want to install; then click a service in the list. Click to finish.
This is document adbk in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2018-01-18 10:35:20.