How to Type Symbols Using the ALT Key

In Windows, the key combined with numeric codes can access characters that aren't readily available on a normal keyboard. While Alt codes don't exist on Mac computers, there are a variety of Option key shortcuts that can let you type the...

Method 1 of 3:

Windows

Type currency symbols. Hold Alt and type the number below using the numeric pad on your keyboard. When you release Alt, the symbol will appear. NumLock must be enabled.^[1] Symbol Name Code €
Euro

0128
£
Pound

156
¢
Cent

155
¥
Yen

157
ƒ
Florin

159
¤
Currency

0164
Type mathematics symbols. Hold Alt and type the number below using the numeric pad on your keyboard to insert mathematics symbols. When you release the Alt key, the symbol will appear. NumLock needs to be enabled.^[2] Symbol Name Code ÷
Division (Obelus)

246
×
Multiplication

0215
±
Plus or minus

0177
≈
Approximate

247
√
Square root

251
ⁿ
Power n

252
²
Squared

253
¼
Quarter

0188
½
Half

0189
¾
Three quarters

0190
∞
Infinity

236
≥
Greater than or equal

242
≤
Less than or equal

243
π
Pi

227
°
Degree

248
Type special punctuation and editing symbols. Hold Alt and use the numeric pad to enter the number below to create special punctuation symbols. When you let go of the Alt, the symbol will be inserted. NumLock must be enabled.^[3] Symbol Name Code ¡
Inverted exclamation

173
¿
Inverted question

168
§
Section

21
¶
Paragraph

20
©
Copyright

0169
®
Registered

0174
™
Trademark

0153
†
Dagger

0134
‡
Double dagger

0135
–
En dash

0150
—
Em dash

0151
•
Bullet

0149
Type musical notation. Hold the Alt key and enter the number below using the numeric pad on your keyboard. When you release Alt, the musical symbol will appear. NumLock must be enabled for these to work. Symbols with codes between 9000 and 9999 rely on certain fonts, and may not work everywhere. Symbol Name Code ♪
Quarter note

13
♫
Eighth note

14
♬
Sixteenth note

9836
♭
Flat

9837
♮
Natural

9838
♯
Sharp

9839
Type other miscellaneous symbols. Hold Alt and type the number below with the numeric pad. When you release Alt, the symbol will appear. NumLock has to be on.^[4] Symbol Name Code ☺
Smiley

1
☻
Black Smiley

2
♥
Heart

3
♦
Diamond

4
♣
Club

5
♠
Spade

6
♂
Male

11
♀
Female

12
↑
Up arrow

24
↓
Down arrow

25
→
Right arrow

26
←
Left arrow

27
☼
Sun

15
⌂
Home

127

Method 2 of 3:

Mac

Type currency symbols. When you hold ⌥ Opt or ⇧ Shift+⌥ Opt, your keyboard keys will make different symbols than normal. This includes some of the more popular currency symbols. Use the shortcuts below to type different currency symbols. Symbol NameShortcut¢
Cent

⌥ Opt+4
€
Euro

⇧ Shift+⌥ Opt+2
£
Pound

⌥ Opt+3
¥
Yen

⌥ Opt+Y
ƒ
Florin

⌥ Opt+F
Type mathematics symbols. Use ⌥ Opt or ⇧ Shift+⌥ Opt to modify the functions of your keyboard keys. Use the modifiers below to type different mathematics symbols. Symbol NameShortcut÷
Division (Obelus)

⌥ Opt+/
±
Plus or minus

⇧ Shift+⌥ Opt+=
°
Degree

⇧ Shift+⌥ Opt+8
≥
Greater than or equal

⌥ Opt+>
≤
Less than or equal

⌥ Opt+<
π
Pi

⌥ Opt+P
≈
Approximate

⌥ Opt+X
≠
Not equal

⌥ Opt+=
∞
Infinity

⌥ Opt+5
∫
Integral

⌥ Opt+B
Type special punctuation and editing symbols. The ⌥ Opt and ⇧ Shift+⌥ Opt modifiers will change the symbols your keyboard keys create. Some of these modified characters are punctuation and editing symbols. Use the key combinations below to type these symbols. Symbol NameShortcut¿
Inverted question

⇧ Shift+⌥ Opt+?
¡
Inverted exclamation

⌥ Opt+1
©
Copyright

⌥ Opt+G
®
Registered

⌥ Opt+R
™
Trademark

⌥ Opt+2
¶
Paragraph

⌥ Opt+7
§
Section

⌥ Opt+6
•
Bullet

⌥ Opt+8
–
En dash

⌥ Opt+-
—
Em dash

⇧ Shift+⌥ Opt+-
†
Dagger

⌥ Opt+T
‡
Double dagger

⇧ Shift+⌥ Opt+7
Use the Symbol Viewer to find more symbols. The Mac doesn't have as many codes as a Windows computer, but you can find lots of different symbols in the Symbol Viewer:^[5]
1. Click the Apple menu and select "System Preferences."
2. Click the "Keyboard" option and then check "Show viewers for keyboard, emoji, and symbols in menu bar."
3. Click the viewer icon that appears in the menu bar and select "Show Emoji & Symbols."
4. Browse through the categories of symbols and double-click the one you want to insert.

Method 3 of 3:

Linux

Press Ctrl+⇧ Shift+U. An underlined u will appear.
Type the Unicode hex value of the character. You can look it up in a Unicode table and convert from decimal to hexadecimal if necessary. You don't have to type the zeroes at the beginning.
Press ↵ Enter. The character should appear in place of the underlined u and the numbers.
Type currency symbols:

Symbol Name Code €
Euro

20AC
£
Pound

00A3
₽
Ruble

20BD
$
Dollar

0024
₩
Won

20A9
¥
Yen

00A5
Type mathematical symbols:

Symbol Name Code ÷
Division Sign

00F7
×
Multiplication Sign

00D7
±
Plus Minus

00B1
≈
Approximately Equal To

2248
≠
Not Equal To

2260
∈
Is Element Of

2208
∉
Not Element Of

2209
∞
Infinity

221E
≤
Less Or Equal

2264
≥
Greater Or Equal

2265
π
Pi

03C0
√
Square Root

221A
∛
Cube Root

221B
Type special punctuation:

Symbol Name Code ¡
Inverted Exclamation Mark

00A1
¿
Inverted Question Mark

00BF
«
Left Angle Quote

00AB
»
Right Angle Quote

00BB
《
Left Angle Bracket

300A
》
Right Angle Bracket

300B
„
Low Left Cursive Quote

201E
'
Left Cursive Quote

201C
‰
Per Mille Sign

2030
–
En Dash

2013
—
Em Dash

2014
Type common symbols:

Symbol Name Code §
Section

00A7
¶
Pilcrow / Paragraph Mark

00B6
©
Copyright

00A9
®
Registered

00AE
™
Trademark

2122
�
Replacement Character

FFFD
⌘
Command Key

2318
Type musical notation:

Symbol Name Code ♩
Quarter Note

2669
♪
Eighth Note

266A
♫
Beamed Eighth Notes

266B
♬
Beamed Sixteenth Notes

266C
♭
Bemolle / Flat

266D
♮
Natural

266E
♯
Dièse / Sharp

266F
Type chess symbols:

Symbol Name Code Symbol Name Code ♔
White King

2654

♚

Black King

265A
♕
White Queen

2655

♛

Black Queen

265B
♖
White Rook

2656

♜

Black Rook

265C
♗
White Bishop

2657

♝

Black Bishop

265D
♘
White Knight

2658

♞

Black Knight

265E
♙
White Pawn

2659

♟

Black Pawn

265f
Type arrows:

Symbol Name Code ←
Left Arrow

2190
↑
Up Arrow

2191
→
Right Arrow

2192
↓
Down Arrow

2193
↔
Left Right Arrow

2194
↕
Up Down Arrow

2195
↖
Diagonal Left Up Arrow

2196
↗
Diagonal Right Up Arrow

2197
↘
Diagonal Right Down Arrow

2198
↙
Diagonal Left Down Arrow

2199
↺
Counterclockwise Circle Arrow

21BA
↻
Clockwise Circle Arrow

21BB
Type other miscellaneous symbols:

Symbol Name Code ☺
Smiley

263A
☻
Black Smiley

263B
♥
Heart

2665
♦
Diamond

2666
♣
Club

2663
♀
Female

2640
♂
Male

2642
⚥
Male and Female

26A5