Replace accented characters with regular characters with VBA

Replace accented characters with regular characters with Kutools for Excel

For users who are experienced with Microsoft Excel, using VBA macro is an easy way to deal with this complicated work.

1. Hold down the Alt + F11 keys in Excel, and it opens the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

2. Click Insert > Module, and paste the following macro in the Module Window.

Function StripAccent(thestring As String)
Dim A As String * 1
Dim B As String * 1
Dim i As Integer
Const AccChars= "ŠŽšžŸÀÁÂÃÄÅÇÈÉÊËÌÍÎÏÐÑÒÓÔÕÖÙÚÛÜÝàáâãäåçèéêëìíîïðñòóôõöùúûüýÿ"
Const RegChars= "SZszYAAAAAACEEEEIIIIDNOOOOOUUUUYaaaaaaceeeeiiiidnooooouuuuyy"
For i = 1 To Len(AccChars)
A = Mid(AccChars, i, 1)
B = Mid(RegChars, i, 1)
thestring = Replace(thestring, A, B)
Next
StripAccent = thestring
End Function

3. Then go to a blank cell and paste the formula in a cell: =CheckStringCHAR(InString), for example =CheckStringCHAR("ù"), or =CheckStringCHAR(A2).

Notes:
(1) Your Microsoft Visual Basic may not recognize accented characters at all, if it does not support Unicode. For example, when you paste the "š" in the Visual Basic, you may get "?". If so, this macro is not available.
(2) It does not replace accented characters in the strings of selected cell directly.

It requires too much skills and knowledge to use VBA macro. And the following method will help you work easier with only some clicks. Kutools for Excel's Replace Accented Characters tool makes it possible for you to replace all kinds of accented characters with regular characters easily at once.

1. Select the range in which you will replace all accented characters.

2. Click Kutools > Text > Replace Accented Characters…, see screenshot:

3. In Replace Accented Characters dialog box, click the Select all button to select all replace rules, and click the Ok button to replace all accented characters. see screenshot:

Notes:
(1) If there are not some specific accented characters you want, you can click the Add rule button to add your own rules into the list box in above Replace Accented Characters dialog.
(2) You can customize new replacing rules in the Replace Accented Characters dialog box.

Now you will have all accented characters in strings of selected range converted to regular characters immediately. See screenshot:

The Replace Accented Characters feature of Kutools for Excel can easily replace all kinds of accented characters with regular chars in the entire workbook. Have a Free Trial!