HTML Entity for Lowercase I Umlaut (ï)
What You'll Learn
How to display the lowercase i with diaeresis/umlaut (ï) in HTML using named entity, hexadecimal, decimal, and CSS escape methods. Used in French and Dutch, it appears in words such as naïf, coïncidence, and geïnteresseerd, indicating that the vowel is pronounced separately from the preceding letter. It is U+00EF in the Latin-1 Supplement block.
Render it with ï, ï, ï, or CSS escape \00EF. The named entity ï is often the most readable option in HTML source.
⚡ Quick Reference — Lowercase I Umlaut Entity
U+00EFLatin-1 Supplement
ïHexadecimal reference
ïDecimal reference
ïMost readable option
Name Value
──────────── ──────────
Unicode U+00EF
Hex code ï
HTML code ï
Named entity ï
CSS code \00EF
Meaning Latin small letter i with diaeresis
Also known as i umlaut
Related U+00CF = Ï (uppercase)
Block Latin-1 Supplement (U+0080–U+00FF)Complete HTML Example
A simple example showing the lowercase i umlaut (ï) using hexadecimal code, decimal HTML code, the named entity, and a CSS content escape:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
#point:after{
content: "\00EF";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Symbol (hex): ï</p>
<p>Symbol (decimal): ï</p>
<p>Symbol (named): ï</p>
<p id="point">Symbol (CSS): </p>
</body>
</html>🌐 Browser Support
The lowercase i umlaut (ï) and the named entity ï are supported in all modern browsers:
👀 Live Preview
See the lowercase i umlaut (ï) in French and Dutch contexts:
i (U+0069) or í (acute)🧠 How It Works
Named Entity
ï is the standard named entity for ï—readable in source HTML and part of the HTML5 entity set.
Hexadecimal Code
ï uses the Unicode hexadecimal value EF to display the character. The x prefix indicates hexadecimal format.
Decimal HTML Code
ï uses the decimal Unicode value 239 to display the same character. One of the most commonly used methods in HTML.
CSS Entity
\00EF is used in CSS stylesheets, particularly in the content property of pseudo-elements like ::before and ::after.
Same visual result
All four methods produce the glyph: ï. Unicode U+00EF sits in Latin-1 Supplement. It decomposes to i (U+0069) + combining diaeresis (U+0308). Uppercase equivalent: U+00CF (Ï). Do not confuse with plain i, í (acute), or Ï (uppercase).
Use Cases
The lowercase i umlaut (ï) is commonly used in:
Correct spelling of French words (e.g. naïf, coïncidence, maïs, aïeul).
Used in Dutch to indicate a vowel break, e.g. geïnteresseerd (interested).
Vocabulary, pronunciation guides, and bilingual content for French and Dutch.
Proper spelling of names (e.g. Anaïs) and brands that use ï in their spelling.
Websites and apps targeting French-speaking or Dutch-speaking audiences.
Books, articles, and editorial content with foreign words like naïve.
Accurate diacritics help screen readers pronounce words correctly.
💡 Best Practices
Do
- Use
ïin HTML when possible for readability - Serve pages as UTF-8; you can also type ï directly in UTF-8 source
- Set
lang="fr"orlang="nl"on relevant content - Use fonts that support Latin-1 Supplement characters
- Distinguish ï (umlaut) from plain
i, í (acute), and Ï (uppercase)
Don’t
- Substitute plain
iwhen ï is required for correct spelling - Confuse ï (umlaut) with í (acute) or other accented i variants
- Put CSS escape
\00EFin HTML text nodes - Assume all fonts render Latin-1 glyphs identically
- Mix entity styles randomly in one file
Key Takeaways
Four references render ï; named entity is most readable
ï ï ïFor CSS stylesheets, use the escape in the content property
\00EFUnicode U+00EF — LATIN SMALL LETTER I WITH DIAERESIS
Essential for French, Dutch, and internationalized web content
Previous: Lowercase I Tilde (ĩ) Next: Lowercase J
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
ï. You can also use ï (decimal) or ï (hex).U+00EF (LATIN SMALL LETTER I WITH DIAERESIS). Latin-1 Supplement block. Hex EF, decimal 239.Explore More HTML Entities!
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