It seems to be the keyboard layout, which has the accents as "dead keys", not there until another key is pressed. Unfortunately I haven't got it to work myself yet. The right-alt should work, but doesn't Found a link to a keyboard layout on the windows help site: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-desktop/disable-dead-keys-for-us-international-keyboard/1de44160-83d9-4cd8-9eb3-e6b06b8604a4 (not the direct link, its in this topic) EDIT: If you don't want that, hold CTRL+ALT + desired key (i.e. SHIFT + '), press space and you're done. Not the easiest way I'll admit