diff --git a/importlib_metadata/__init__.py b/importlib_metadata/__init__.py
index 02c799d1..0ce535a1 100644
--- a/importlib_metadata/__init__.py
+++ b/importlib_metadata/__init__.py
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ def read_text(self, filename) -> Optional[str]:
         """
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
-    def locate_file(self, path: os.PathLike[str]) -> SimplePath:
+    def locate_file(self, path: str | os.PathLike[str]) -> SimplePath:
         """
         Given a path to a file in this distribution, return a SimplePath
         to it.
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ def discover(
         )
 
     @staticmethod
-    def at(path: os.PathLike[str]) -> "Distribution":
+    def at(path: str | os.PathLike[str]) -> "Distribution":
         """Return a Distribution for the indicated metadata path.
 
         :param path: a string or path-like object
@@ -841,7 +841,7 @@ def __init__(self, path: SimplePath) -> None:
         """
         self._path = path
 
-    def read_text(self, filename: os.PathLike[str]) -> Optional[str]:
+    def read_text(self, filename: str | os.PathLike[str]) -> Optional[str]:
         with suppress(
             FileNotFoundError,
             IsADirectoryError,
@@ -855,7 +855,7 @@ def read_text(self, filename: os.PathLike[str]) -> Optional[str]:
 
     read_text.__doc__ = Distribution.read_text.__doc__
 
-    def locate_file(self, path: os.PathLike[str]) -> SimplePath:
+    def locate_file(self, path: str | os.PathLike[str]) -> SimplePath:
         return self._path.parent / path
 
     @property
diff --git a/newsfragments/+e563b690.bugfix.rst b/newsfragments/+e563b690.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7a1bcc66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/newsfragments/+e563b690.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixed type annotations to allow strings.
\ No newline at end of file