Tired of poring through keyboard layouts or copying and pasting special characters on Linux? Looking for a way to insert accented letters or special symbols without lifting your hands from the keyboard? Find out here how to enable and configure the “Compose” key on Linux ⤓ (Gnome and KDE) for advanced shortcuts.
How to Enable and Set the “Compose” Key on Linux
Gnome
Time needed: 3 minutes
To pick a Compose key for entering special characters under Linux using Gnome:
- Open the Settings app.
Here’s how: Open the quick settings menu from the top right corner, for example, and select the settings gear icon (⚙).
- Go to the Keyboard category.
- Select Compose Key under Special Character Entry.
- Enable Compose Key (if the option is present).
- Turn off Use layout default (if the option is present).
- Now choose the key you want to use as the Compose key.
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KDE
To pick the Compose key using KDE Plasma:
- Open the System Settings app.
Here’s how: Open the Application Launcher menu, for example, then choose System Settings in the Settings category. - Go to the Input Devices category under Hardware.
- Switch to the Advanced tab.
- Expand the Position of Compose key.
- Check the key (or keys) you want to use as the Compose key.
- Now click Apply.
Keyboard layouts for all kinds of characters: How to Change the Keyboard Layout on Linux
How to Enable and Set the “Compose” Key on Linux: FAQ
Can I set the Compose key using configuration files?
Yes.
Using X11 configuration files, you can also set the Compose key mapping directly.
How do I use the Compose key?
To inset a special character using the “Compose” key on Linux:
- Position the text cursor where you want to insert the character.
- Press the key Compose (if your keyboard includes one) or the key you set up to act as the “Compose” key (see above).
- Now type the key combination that will produce the desired character.
What are some examples characters I can compose using the “Compose” key?
You can use key sequences with the Compose key for entering accented letters, for example, and special characters — amongst them:
| Compose % O | ‰ (per mille) |
| Compose 3 4 | ¾ |
| Compose , C | ç |
| Compose S S | ß (sharp S) |
| Compose o " | ö (o umlaut) |
| Compose ? ? | ¿ |
| Compose - - - | — (em dash) |
| Compose Space Space | NBSP (non-breaking space) |
| Compose > ' | ’ (typographic apostrophe) |
| Compose . . | … (ellipsis) |
| Compose O C | © (copyright) |
| Compose O R | ® |
| Compose O O | ° (degree) |
| Compose L - | £ (pound) |
Special characters without the “Compose” key: How to Insert Emoji and Special Characters on Linux
(Tested with Gnome 46–49 and KDE Plasma 6.1–6.3; first published August 2024, last updated February 2026)