Spreadsheets handle accented characters differently from word processors, and a few quirks can catch people out, especially around CSV files. This guide shows how to enter an accented O in Excel and Google Sheets, how to generate one with a formula, and how to stop the mark breaking when you import or export data.
Entering An Accented O Directly
The simplest method is the same as anywhere else. In Excel or Google Sheets, you can paste an accented O into a cell, or use your operating system's input method such as a Windows Alt code, a Mac Option shortcut or a phone long press. The character sits in the cell as ordinary text and behaves like any other letter.
For a character you use repeatedly, copy it from the finder and keep it on the favourites shelf. Pasting is often quicker than typing a code inside a busy spreadsheet.
Generating One With A Formula
Excel and Google Sheets can produce a character from its Unicode number. The UNICHAR function takes a decimal code point and returns the character, so UNICHAR(211) returns Ó. This is useful when you are building text from data, for example assembling names or codes where the accented letter is determined by another cell.
UNICHAR turns a number into a character, which lets you build accented text programmatically. It is the spreadsheet equivalent of a numeric HTML entity.
The reverse function, UNICODE, returns the code point of the first character in a cell, which helps when you are checking whether a cell holds the accented character you expect or a plain O.
The Older CHAR Function
Excel also has an older CHAR function, but it is tied to a limited character set and is unreliable for accented letters across systems. Prefer UNICHAR for anything beyond basic ASCII, because it works consistently with Unicode code points.
The CSV Encoding Trap
The most common way accented O breaks in spreadsheets is through CSV files. A CSV is plain text, and if it is saved in one encoding but opened as another, every accented character turns into garbled symbols. This is the classic mojibake problem.
The fix is to save and open CSV files as UTF-8. When exporting from a spreadsheet, choose the UTF-8 CSV option if it is offered. When importing, use the import dialog and set the encoding to UTF-8 rather than letting the program guess. Doing both keeps Ó intact from export to import.
Checking A Cell's Contents
If a name is failing to match or sort as expected, the cell may contain a combining mark rather than a precomposed character, or a plain O where you expected an accented one. Using UNICODE on the cell reveals the actual code point, which quickly confirms what is really stored.
In Summary
In Excel and Google Sheets, enter an accented O by pasting or with your usual input method, or generate one with UNICHAR from its code point. Guard against broken characters by keeping CSV files in UTF-8 on both export and import, and use UNICODE to check what a cell truly contains.