Symbols & Alt Codes

Click any row to copy the symbol. To type it with a physical keyboard, hold Alt and enter the code on the numeric keypad.

Typography

—Alt+0151Em dash
–Alt+0150En dash
“Alt+0147Left double quote
”Alt+0148Right double quote
‘Alt+0145Left single quote
’Alt+0146Apostrophe
«Alt+0171Left guillemet
»Alt+0187Right guillemet
…Alt+0133Ellipsis
•Alt+0149Bullet
§Alt+0167Section sign
Alt+0182Pilcrow
‼Alt+19Double exclamation

Legal & Currency

©Alt+0169Copyright
®Alt+0174Registered trademark
™Alt+0153Trademark
€Alt+0128Euro
£Alt+0163Pound sterling
¥Alt+0165Yen
¢Alt+0162Cent
₽Ruble

Math & Science

±Alt+0177Plus-minus
×Alt+0215Multiplication
÷Alt+0247Division
°Alt+0176Degree
µAlt+0181Micro
½Alt+0189One half
²Alt+0178Superscript two
√Alt+251Square root
≠Not equal
≤Less or equal
≥Greater or equal
≈Almost equal
∞Infinity

Arrows & Fun

←Alt+27Left arrow
→Alt+26Right arrow
↑Alt+24Up arrow
↓Alt+25Down arrow
♥Alt+3Heart
♪Alt+13Eighth note
☺Alt+1Smiley
☼Alt+15Sun

This is a quick reference for special characters and their Windows Alt codes. The symbols are grouped into typography, legal & currency, math & science, and arrows & fun. Click any row to copy the symbol to your clipboard, or use the search box to find one by name.

To type a symbol on a physical keyboard, hold Alt and enter the listed code on the numeric keypad (with Num Lock on).

Alt codes are a small piece of MS-DOS history that still works in Windows today. A code typed with a leading zero, like Alt+0151 for an em dash (—), comes from the Windows-1252 character set, while a code without it, like Alt+161 for í, uses the older DOS code page 437 - which is why the two can produce different characters. The numeric keypad is required because Windows reads the Alt-code sequence only from those keys, not from the number row.

Want this symbol picker on your own website? You can embed it with a single line of HTML.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I copy and paste a special character?

Click any row and the symbol is copied to your clipboard straight away - just paste it wherever you need with Ctrl+V (or Cmd+V on a Mac). Each symbol you click is also added to the box at the top, so you can gather several and copy the whole line at once.

They are the Windows Alt codes: hold down the Alt key, type the number on the numeric keypad (with Num Lock on), then release Alt and the symbol appears. For example Alt+0151 gives an em dash and Alt+0169 the copyright sign. They work in most Windows programs and double as search terms here.

Alt codes need the separate number pad, which many laptops leave out and Macs do not use at all. The simplest way on any device is to click the symbol here and paste it. On a Mac you can also hold Option with a letter for common symbols, or open the Character Viewer with Ctrl+Cmd+Space; on Windows laptops the on-screen touch keyboard has a symbols panel too.

Pick a group - Typography, Legal & Currency, Math & Science or Arrows & Fun - or type in the search box to filter by name, symbol or Alt code, for example dash, euro, degree or arrow. The list narrows as you type and empty groups are hidden.

On many European keyboard layouts the euro sign is available with AltGr+E - hold the right Alt key and press E. On Windows you can also hold Alt and type 0128 on the numeric keypad. For more information, see the euro symbol page.

Almost anywhere that accepts text: documents, spreadsheets, email, chat and messaging apps, social media posts, file and folder names, and even code. They are standard Unicode characters rather than images, so they keep the same meaning everywhere you paste them.

Yes on both counts. It is completely free and runs entirely in your browser - there is nothing to install or sign up for. Whatever you type and collect in the box stays on your device and is never sent to a server.