How do I insert an umlaut on the u in ubuntu?

Question

I have already activated the compose key (left CTRL). According to all the forums I've read, I have to punch in Compose, followed by "u. This is what I get as a result: ´u'

I am really stuck here. Any help will be most appreciated.

Solution 1

UPDATED

I have worked it out.

Firstly, set your Compose Key to Right Alt (Alt Gr on my keyboard) so that it doesn't interfere with the short cuts for copy, paste and many other combinations.

then go to your document and

• press the Alt Gr button
• release it
• then type in u
• followed by "
• which gives you a ü

Hope this helps

Solution 2

Update For OS: Ubuntu 16.04 x86_64

Alternate characters (like umlauts) are inserted using multiple keystrokes in conjunction with the compose key. In ubuntu 16.04, compose key binding is turned off by default which can be enabled from

System settings-> Keyboard-> Shortcuts tab-> Typing column-> Compose Key

If the value in front of compose key is Disabled, click the value and Press the key to bind from the keyboard. In my case, compose key is set to AltGr key. Now you system to ready to print all german umlauts as below

compose key + " + A = Ä

compose key + " + O = Ö

compose key + " + U = Ü

compose key + " + ss = ß

compose key + ss = ß

Bam you go!

Solution 3

I know this question specifies 13.04 but thought I would add a solution for 18.04.

I found the default on my machine without making any changes in preferences was the following (I am using a UK keyboard):

Alt Gr + [ followed by the character to add the umlaut to (i.e u)

Solution 4

I did it using Ubuntu 15.10 with a UK keyboard and EN-GB keyboard. I don't know what a Compose key is so didn't intentionally use one. Instead the following keystrokes put umlauts over ü and ö.

• press the Shift+AltGr buttons
• release them
• then type in u or o
• followed by "
• which gives you a ü or ö.

Cheers

Solution 5

In Ubuntu 18.10 and newer the best option if you regularly need umlauts is to use gnome-tweaks to activate the compose key -- install with: sudo apt install gnome-tweaks

Activate the compose key: Start Tweaks and choose at Keyboard & Mouse -> Compose-Key to designate your compose key. AltGr or Right-Alt is standard.

Now you can type Umlaut as explained in other answers: AltGr+" then u will get you ü -- in general you can add any umlaut to letters that take an umlaut or diaeresis with AltGr+" followed by the letter.

View more solutions

Comments

[thorstorm]

Which keyboard layout are you using?

[Takkat]

Also look here for some solutions including Linux: german.stackexchange.com/questions/724/…

[SimplySimon]

I found it out in the end :)

[Adrian May]

Or just copy-paste your ü from this thread ;-)

[blaha]

Try this: Übüntü

[dsample]

To find out how to set the Compose Key, head over to the Ubuntu Documentation page

[ihsan]

for me, it is only compose key + ss to type ß

[AlainD]

Confirm works in uBuntu 18.04 LTS. Exact sequence is (1) Shift + AltGr (these can now be released), (2) Shift + 2 (for quotation marks and now Shift can be released), (3) whatever letter you want an umlaut on eg. u.

[AlainD]

To install Tweaks: sudo apt install gnome-tweaks.The default Compose key in uBuntu 18.04 was Scroll Lock.

[syss]

the easiest for me so far!

[Max Murphy]

For those looking here, at the moment it is Compose then " then u. For this laptop compose is Shift and AltGr pressed down together so the actual key sequence is: Shift+AltGr then "u For my other machines it is just AltGr then "u

[rrob]

This answer should be more highly rated! The compose-key stuff is a bit of a hack in my opinion and it's better to use what's built into the keyboard layout (although sadly, it's not very well documented). It's also worth noting that this particular solution is not limited to any specific distro or version - it will work on any Linux distrubution that is using a keyboard layout with an alt-gr key (i.e. any of the European ones).

[suspectus]

by far the simplest solution, excellent!

[Zeta.Investigator]

For upper-case ß, use compose key + SS = ẞ

[Adam Barnes]

I love you so much - this works on Manjaro too. Previously I could only get a capital I with an umlaut by pressing and holding Shift then AltGr, then pressing I, releasing AltGr, and pressing 2. Your method works so much more easily and for lowercase.

[Zanna]

It looks like you're linking to your own blog post here - if so please do mention in the post that it's yours - we have rather strict rules about "disclosing affiliation" for links (see this harshly worded page in the Help Center)

[DavidPostill]

@Zanna It's not a first offense.

[Admin]

Thanks for the note, I was not aware of that, sorry! I got an answer ban now, and I only have two answers left that I could improve. I'd like to contribute to another question, but I can't. I've removed my blog link, so would you please mind removing your downvote? Thanks :)