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Umlauts in LaTeX how to

  • Feb 23, 2026
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Umlauts you can type in LaTeX as easy as you can when Writing a German text quickly memorize. You need to be Compiling as such displayed, we will show you in this practical tip.

Use special characters in LaTeX, indirectly,

If you enter umlauts indirectly, in LaTeX, you can edit your document without a problem, on different operating systems. To do this, you do not need any packages. In this Text, is always formed the small "ö". Other umlauts, you can make analog. For a large "Ä" for example, you replace the "o" with an "a".
  • The "ö" are you indirectly with \"o (Backslash, quotation marks, o).
  • You do not set the previous variant in braces, if it works: {\"o}.
  • You have included the package "german" or the package "ngerman", you can make a small hole with "o (quote o).

Umlauts using the package inputenc in LaTeX

If you include the package inputenc, you can use umlauts directly in your document type and do not need to rewrite this with Code. Since different operating systems use different encodings, you need a different LaTeX Commands that you can copy before your \begin{document}.
  • Under Windows, you typically use the coding "ansinew". The corresponding Code is then: \usepackage[ansinew]{inputenc}.
  • Linux is normally used in the encoding "latin1". The Code that you should be before \begin{document} that is: \usepackage[latin1]{inputenc}.
  • On your Mac, the encoding is "Apple Mac is likely to be used". You then need to copy the Code \usepackage[Apple Mac]{inputenc} before \begin{document}.
  • Is not working, the respective encoding or you want to use your LaTeX-document on different systems, you should save it with UTF-8 a try. This encoding is a tie with the Code \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}. However, make sure that your LaTeX document is then encoded in UTF-8.

Umlauts in math environments

In the LaTeX math environment, you are likely to have trouble with umlauts. With a simple Trick, but also this from the world.
  • With the Command \textrm{desired Text} will prepare you with umlauts in the regular mathematics environment, Worry no more.
  • You can use the package "amsmath", put your desired Text between the curly brackets of the Commands \text{desired Text}.
In our Download area you will find with Texmaker a solid LaTeX Editor. In a further practical tip we show you how you can with LaTeX, various kinds of quotation marks to create.

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1 COMMENTS

Michel Gasser, Wed 12, 2020

THX for this side. Is there a list for other options then latin1 in linux? Since i need some german Umlauts, which dont work in latin1

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