Special Characters
Click any symbol to copy it or insert it into your text: arrows, math, currency, stars, checkmarks, © ® ™ and 1,500+ more, each with its Unicode name, HTML code and Alt code. Everything runs in your browser.
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Hover or focus a symbol to see its Unicode name, code point, HTML entity and Windows Alt code. Recently used symbols are remembered in this browser only.
How to use the Special Characters
- Pick a category such as Arrows, Currency or Checkmarks, or type a name like degree, arrow right or copyright into the search box.
- Hover a symbol to see its official name, Unicode code point, HTML entity and Alt code.
- Click the symbol. It is copied to your clipboard and inserted at the cursor in the text box.
- Combine symbols and text in the box, then press Copy text.
- Paste into your document, social media bio, website or code.
Most-used symbols and their codes
| Symbol | Name | Unicode | HTML | Windows Alt code | Mac shortcut |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| © | Copyright | U+00A9 | © | Alt+0169 | Option+G |
| ® | Registered | U+00AE | ® | Alt+0174 | Option+R |
| ™ | Trademark | U+2122 | ™ | Alt+0153 | Option+2 |
| ° | Degree | U+00B0 | ° | Alt+0176 | Option+Shift+8 |
| € | Euro | U+20AC | € | Alt+0128 | Option+Shift+2 (US) |
| £ | Pound | U+00A3 | £ | Alt+0163 | Option+3 |
| — | Em dash | U+2014 | — | Alt+0151 | Option+Shift+− |
| – | En dash | U+2013 | – | Alt+0150 | Option+− |
| … | Ellipsis | U+2026 | … | Alt+0133 | Option+; |
| • | Bullet | U+2022 | • | Alt+0149 | Option+8 |
| ± | Plus-minus | U+00B1 | ± | Alt+0177 | Option+Shift+= |
| × | Multiplication | U+00D7 | × | Alt+0215 | Character Viewer |
| → | Right arrow | U+2192 | → | Word: 2192, Alt+X | Character Viewer |
| ✓ | Check mark | U+2713 | ✓ | Word: 2713, Alt+X | Character Viewer |
Mac shortcuts are for the U.S. keyboard layout. Open the Character Viewer with Ctrl+Cmd+Space.
Text symbols vs emoji
Many symbols exist in two styles: a plain text glyph that follows your font color (♥ ✔ ☀) and a colorful emoji. Phones sometimes turn text symbols into emoji automatically. A hidden variation selector controls this: U+FE0E after a symbol asks for the text style and U+FE0F asks for the emoji style. If you want the colorful versions, use the Emoji Counter to check a text, and for styled letters rather than symbols try the Fancy Text Generator or Upside Down Text.
Tips for using symbols
- Accessibility: screen readers read symbols by name (“black star”, “rightwards arrow”). Avoid long decorative rows of symbols in important text.
- Look-alikes: − (minus, U+2212) is not - (hyphen), × is not the letter x, and Ω (ohm sign) differs from Ω (Greek omega). Search by name to get the right one.
- Passwords and usernames: many systems only allow ASCII. Test before relying on a symbol there.
- Code: in HTML, CSS and JavaScript prefer the escape codes shown in the details panel when your file encoding is uncertain.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type special characters on my keyboard?
On Windows hold Alt and type the Alt code on the numeric keypad (for example Alt+0169 for ©), or press Win + . to open the symbol panel. In Microsoft Word type the hex code and press Alt+X (2122 then Alt+X gives ™). On a Mac use Option key combinations (Option+G gives ©) or Ctrl+Cmd+Space for the Character Viewer. Copying from this page works everywhere.
What is the difference between ™, ® and ©?
© (copyright) marks a creative work such as text, music or images. ™ (trademark) marks a brand name or logo used in trade, registered or not. ® (registered trademark) may only be used for a trademark that has been officially registered with a trademark office. ℠ is the service mark used for services instead of goods.
Why do some symbols show as empty boxes?
Your device has no font that contains that character, so the browser draws a box (sometimes called tofu). The character is still copied correctly and will display on devices that have a suitable font. Newer symbols and rare scripts are most often affected.
How do I use these symbols in HTML?
Save your page as UTF-8 and paste the symbol directly, or use the HTML code shown for it: a named entity like © or → where one exists, otherwise a numeric reference like → or →. In CSS content use the escape shown, e.g. content: "\2192".
Can I use special characters in Instagram, TikTok or Discord names?
Most apps accept standard Unicode symbols in bios, captions and messages. Usernames are often restricted to letters, numbers, periods and underscores, so symbols usually only work in display names and bios. Some symbols may also be shown as emoji on phones.
What are Alt codes?
Alt codes are a Windows way to type characters by holding Alt and entering a number on the numeric keypad. Codes with a leading zero (Alt+0176 for °) use the Windows-1252 character set; this page shows them for the characters that have one. They need a numeric keypad, or Num Lock on laptops that have an embedded keypad.