Plus-Minus Symbol (±) Keyboard Shortcuts: How to Type It on Windows, Mac, Word, Excel, and Mobile

The plus-minus symbol (±) means “plus or minus.” People use it to show a tolerance, range, or margin of error—for example 10 ± 0.5, 5 ± 2, or mean ± standard deviation in statistics.

Quick note: ± is not the same thing as typing “+/-”. “+/-” is plain text, while ± is a real math symbol used in textbooks, science, engineering, and professional documents.

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1-Minute Answer (Fastest Ways)

Windows (Alt code): Hold Alt and type 0177 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt → ±
(Alt codes need a numpad—more on that below.)
Mac (keyboard shortcut): Press Option + Shift + = → ±
Word (fastest):
- Windows Alt code: Alt + 0177 (numeric keypad)
- Word code: Type 00B1 then press Alt + X → ±
Google Docs: Insert → Special characters → search plus minus → click ±
iPhone / Android: It’s not always on the keyboard, so the most reliable method is copy/paste from this page (see the copy section below).
Chromebook: Use Google Docs → Insert → Special characters (quickest reliable method).