Windows uses what they call "alt codes," where you hold down the alt key and type a numerical code on your numeric keypad. You can find them with a search: here's one site:

https://sites.psu.edu/symbolcodes/windows/codealt/

Note that you can't just do an accent and apply it to any character (like compose). You have to put in the code for the accented character.

Yes, I thought there had to be a grave accent method like altgr+e makes é, say altgr+ee makes è (it's easy on a touchscreen phone keyboard!).

If you have a 105 key (EU, tall return) layout, consider changing to a layout with the ` as dead key. For example, the Irish layout is pretty much just the UK layout with dead key functionality + euro sign. `e will then type è while AltGr+e will type é.

If you have a 104 key (US, wide return) keyboard layout, you can try the US international layout. In that case, shift-~ will get you ` and you can use the same compose rules as above.

nowadays the easiest way is to google the character by its name and add "unicode", then copy-paste, unless you do it a lot.

e.g. "a acute unicode" yields https://www.compart.com/en/unicode/U+00E1

That's not really easy...

Never said it’s easy ;) just the easiest…

Depending on your layout (I guess?) it's more easier to just type ´ (or any other dead key) and then the letter you want. éêè ...

Assuming US keyboard, you can use US International as a secondary layout. That would make typing “single quote” then the letter an acute accented letter.

So ‘ then a would become á

That's an acute, I want the accent the other way - and I know I could learn the alt-code but it's crazy if there isn't an easier way using the keyboard alone.

Why isn't it altgr+(letter) and repeated presses like holding down the letter on an Android mobile phone touch keyboard?