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Paragraph Symbol (¶) on Keyboard: How to Type the Pilcrow on Windows, Mac, Word, and More

The paragraph symbol (¶) is also called the pilcrow or paragraph sign. You’ll see it in editing and proofreading, legal documents, and sometimes in references to sections/paragraphs (for example: “See ¶ 3”).

Important: ¶ is NOT the same thing as Word’s “Show/Hide ¶” button.

  • The real ¶ symbol is a character you can insert into text.
  • The Show/Hide ¶ button only shows or hides formatting marks (like paragraph breaks and spaces). It doesn’t insert the symbol into your sentence.

1-Minute Answer (Fastest Ways)

Need the pilcrow quickly? Use one of these:

  • Windows (Alt code): Hold Alt and type 0182 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt.
    (If your keyboard has no numpad, this may not work.)
  • Mac (Character Viewer): Press Control + Command + Space, search pilcrow or paragraph, then insert .
  • Microsoft Word:
    • Insert → Symbol → More Symbols → find
    • Or (Word Windows): type 00B6 then press Alt + X
  • Google Docs: Insert → Special characters → search pilcrow or paragraph sign
  • iPhone/Android: Copy/paste is usually fastest.
  • You can also copy and paste this symbol using the copy tool below:
Copy Paragraph Symbol (¶)
Click any symbol to copy. Then paste anywhere.
Tip: If copy doesn’t work, highlight the symbol and copy manually.

Quick Reference (¶ Pilcrow)

Symbol:
Name: Pilcrow / paragraph sign
Unicode: U+00B6
Windows Alt code: Alt + 0182 (0182 is the safest format)
HTML: ¶ and ¶

Quick Reference Table

ItemValue
Symbol
Also calledPilcrow / Paragraph sign
UnicodeU+00B6
Windows Alt codeAlt + 0182 (numeric keypad required)
Word (Alt+X)00B6 then Alt + X
HTML¶ / ¶

A) How to Type ¶ on Windows

Method 1: Use the Windows Alt Code (Alt + 0182)

This is the quickest Windows method if your keyboard has a numeric keypad.

  1. Click where you want to insert .
  2. Turn Num Lock ON.
  3. Press and hold Alt.
  4. On the numeric keypad, type 0182.
  5. Release Alt → you should see .
type Paragraph symbol alt code

Important notes (so this works):

  • Alt codes need the numeric keypad (the number row above letters usually won’t work).
  • On many laptops, you may need an Fn + NumLock or a built-in “embedded keypad” to use Alt codes.

Method 2: Use Character Map (Windows built-in)

  1. Open the Start menu and search Character Map.
  2. Open Character Map.
  3. (Optional) Tick Advanced view.
  4. In the search box, type pilcrow (or try paragraph).
  5. Click to select it, then click Select → Copy.
  6. Paste it where you want (Ctrl + V).
copy and paste the paragraph symbol on Windows

B) How to Type ¶ on Mac

Method 1: Character Viewer (Most reliable)

  1. Press Control + Command + Space to open Character Viewer.
  2. In the search box, type pilcrow or paragraph.
  3. Double-click to insert it.

Method 2: Copy/paste

Copy from this page (or the widget above), then paste with Command + V.

C) How to Insert ¶ in Microsoft Word (Windows + Mac) — Main Section

Method 1: Insert → Symbol (Works on Word Windows and Word Mac)

  1. Open your Word document.
  2. Click where you want .
  3. Go to Insert (tab).
  4. Click Symbol → More Symbols.
  5. Find (you can often locate it faster by looking in common symbol sets).
  6. Click Insert, then Close.
Inserting the Paragraph symbol on Word

Method 2: Word Alt+X (Word on Windows)

This is a fast “convert code to symbol” method in Word.

  1. Click where you want the symbol.
  2. Type 00B6
  3. Press Alt + X
  4. Word converts it to

IMPORTANT: The “Show/Hide ¶” Button (This is NOT inserting the symbol)

Many people mix these up.

  • The Show/Hide ¶ button does NOT type the pilcrow into your sentence.
  • It only shows/hides formatting marks, like:
    • Paragraph breaks (pilcrow-style marks)
    • Spaces (dots)
    • Tabs (arrows)

How to turn formatting marks on/off in Word

  1. Go to the Home tab.
  2. Click the ¶ (Show/Hide) button.

If you suddenly see ¶ marks everywhere in your document: formatting marks are turned on. Click the button again to hide them.

D) How to Use ¶ in Excel (and Google Sheets)

Most people use in spreadsheets for display/text, not calculations.

Excel (Best method): UNICHAR

  • In a cell, type:
    =UNICHAR(182)
    → returns

Example (combining text + ¶):
="See paragraph "&UNICHAR(182)&" 3"

Tip: In older Excel versions, CHAR(182) may also work because 182 is within the classic character range.

Google Sheets

  • Try:
    =CHAR(182)
    → returns

Example:
="See paragraph "&CHAR(182)&" 3"

E) How to Insert ¶ in PowerPoint (Short)

  1. Click inside a text box.
  2. Go to Insert → Symbol (or Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, depending on version).
  3. Select and insert it.

Or simply copy/paste .

F) How to Type ¶ in Google Docs

  1. Go to Insert → Special characters.
  2. In the search, type pilcrow or paragraph sign.
  3. Click to insert it.

G) How to Type ¶ on iPhone + Android

On phones, the most reliable method is:

  • Copy ¶ from the widget or this page
  • Paste into your app (Messages, Notes, Word mobile, Google Docs, etc.)

H) Chromebook (Short)

Chromebooks don’t use Windows Alt codes.

Use either:

  • Google Docs → Insert → Special characters → search pilcrow / paragraph sign
  • Or copy/paste from the widget.

Troubleshooting (Fix Common Problems)

1) Alt code not working (Windows)

Common causes:

  • Your keyboard has no numeric keypad
  • Num Lock is off
  • You used the top number row instead of the numpad
  • You typed 182 instead of 0182 (try 0182 first)

Fix: Use Character Map or Insert → Symbol instead.

2) “I see ¶ everywhere in Word”

That means formatting marks are turned on.

Fix: Home tab → click the ¶ (Show/Hide) button to toggle them off.

3) The symbol shows as a box ☐

That usually means the font you’re using doesn’t support the character.

Fix: Change the font to a common one like Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman, then insert again.

FAQ (People Also Ask)

What is the ¶ symbol called?

It’s called the pilcrow or paragraph sign.

What is the Alt code for ¶?

On Windows, the common Alt code is Alt + 0182 using the numeric keypad.

How do I type ¶ on Mac?

Use Character Viewer: Control + Command + Space, then search pilcrow or paragraph and insert .

How do I insert ¶ in Word?

Use Insert → Symbol → More Symbols and select .
Or on Word for Windows: type 00B6 then press Alt + X.

Why are paragraph marks showing in Word and how do I hide them?

You turned on formatting marks. Go to Home and click the ¶ (Show/Hide) button to hide them.

Quick Recap

  • Copy/paste:
  • Windows: Alt + 0182 (numeric keypad required)
  • Mac: Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space) → search pilcrow
  • Word: Insert → Symbol or 00B6 + Alt + X
  • Google Docs: Insert → Special characters → search pilcrow
  • If ¶ shows everywhere in Word: turn off Show/Hide ¶