Sans-AccentType without accents, write without mistakes.
Writing French on a QWERTY keyboard? Sans-Accent adds the accents as you type, in every app.
Sans-Accent is free and runs on macOS 14 or later.
How it works
Accents appear on their own
Type “ecole” and it becomes “école” as soon as you move on to the next word. Sans-Accent knows more than 35,000 words and enough grammar to write “je suis allé” or “à cause” without asking you.
You choose when French is ambiguous
Some words have two spellings, like “a” and “à” or “ou” and “où”. A small list appears above the word: choose with ↑ ↓, then confirm with ⏎. If you keep typing, the word stays as it is.
One key for everything else
Tap ⌥ after any word to see its other spellings. You can also turn Sans-Accent off in a specific app, like your code editor.
What you type stays on your Mac
To add accents, Sans-Accent reads what you type, which is why macOS asks you to allow Accessibility access. Everything happens on your Mac. The app sends nothing, stores nothing and contains no trackers.
Sans-Accent is signed by its developer and notarized by Apple, so macOS checks that the app hasn't been altered since it was published.
Install Sans-Accent
- Download the file and open it.
- Drag Sans-Accent into your Applications folder.
- Open the app: a window walks you through allowing access, then lets you try it right away.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type French accents on a Mac?
macOS offers three methods: pressing and holding a letter, Option shortcuts (⌥ E then E for “é”) and text replacements. Sans-Accent saves you the trouble: you type without accents and the app adds them for you. Our guide covers each method.
Does Sans-Accent work in every app?
Yes, in every app where you type text: Mail, Messages, Slack, Notion, Word, your browser or Terminal. It's off by default in code editors, and you can turn it off in any other app from its menu.
Is Sans-Accent useful when learning French?
Yes. It adds the accents you would otherwise miss, and when a word has two spellings, like “a” (has) and “à” (to), the choice list shows both so you pick the right one yourself. You can also set it to show the list for every word that can take an accent, to check each spelling as you write.
Does Sans-Accent send what I type anywhere?
No. Sans-Accent reads your keystrokes to add accents, which is why macOS asks for Accessibility access, but everything happens on your Mac: the app sends nothing and stores nothing. Its code is public on GitHub, so anyone can check.
Is Sans-Accent free?
Yes, and it will stay free. If the app helps you, you can support its development on Liberapay.
Does it work with a US or UK keyboard?
Yes. Sans-Accent works with the US, UK and “ABC” layouts, and with any other keyboard layout on a Mac: it reads the letters you type, not the keys you press. On a French AZERTY keyboard, it also helps with accented capitals like “É” or “À”.
Is Sans-Accent available for Windows, iPhone or Android?
Not yet. Sans-Accent runs on Mac, with macOS 14 or later.
Who makes Sans-Accent?
Sans-Accent is made in Toulouse, France, by Girafe Studio, an agency specializing in sovereign AI for small and medium businesses.
Support Sans-Accent
Sans-Accent is free and will stay free. If it saves you time, you can support its development: every contribution helps us improve it and keep it up to date.
Liberapay is a donation platform run by a French non-profit association.