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:
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.
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.
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?
Then I can use the nice us keyboard without dead keys for programming and access the local layout by holding <AltGr> (right alt) for local characters (usually via localized dead keys).
Example: é is "altgr+e", ç is "altgr+", while Ω is "right-ctrl, shift+w" and ⁶ is "right-ctrl,^,6" etc.
You can do it all with the compose key. But for typing in french I find altgr+e to be faster than "rightctrl,',e".