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Numero Sign (№) on Keyboard: How to Type It (Windows, Mac, Word, Docs, Phone)

The Numero sign (№) is a symbol that means “number” (like “No. 12”). You’ll see it in documents, lists, forms, invoices, labels, and older printed materials—especially in some European and Cyrillic-language contexts.

Because № isn’t on a standard English keyboard, you usually insert it from a symbol tool (or use a Word shortcut).

1-Minute Answer (fastest ways)

  • Copy & paste: №
Numero Sign
Click any symbol to copy it. (№ is different from No., #, and N°.)
Main
Common alternatives
Related / often confused
Optional helpful
  • Windows (most reliable):
    • Character Map (search “numero”), or
    • Insert Symbol in Word/Excel/PowerPoint
  • Mac (fastest):
    • Character Viewer: press Control + Command + Space, then search numero
  • Word / Excel / PowerPoint:
    • Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, then find №
  • Google Docs:
    • Insert → Special characters, search numero
  • Google Sheets:
    • Copy/paste (best)
  • iPhone / Android:
    • Copy/paste (it usually isn’t on the default keyboard)
  • Chromebook:
    • Copy/paste, or use a Unicode input method (short section below)

Quick Reference (Numero Sign vs No. vs # vs N°)

SymbolNameMeaningBest way to type it (Windows / Mac)Notes
№Numero sign“Number” (like “No.”)Windows: Insert Symbol / Character Map • Mac: Character ViewerReal symbol (not the same as # or N°)
No.Number (abbreviation)“Number” in plain textJust type N + o + .Most universal (works everywhere)
#Hash / number signHash tag / number signOn US keyboard: Shift + 3Often means “number” in English, but it’s a different character
N°N + degree sign“Number” in some French/Spanish-style contextsType N, then insert °Not the Numero sign (№). It’s literally N + °

Step-by-step methods

A) Windows

Method 1: Alt code (Word only)

The alt code method is not the most reliable Windows method, because it’s Word-specific for many people.

  1. Open Microsoft Word.
  2. Turn on Num Lock.
  3. Place your cursor where you want №.
  4. Hold Alt.
  5. Type 8470 on the numeric keypad (not the number row above letters).
  6. Release Alt → № should appear.
Numero Sign alt code

Laptop workaround (no keypad):

  • Some laptops have a hidden keypad. Look for small blue numbers on keys (often J K L U I O M).
  • Turn it on with something like Fn + NumLk (varies by laptop), then try the Alt code again.

If this doesn’t work, use Character Map or Insert Symbol below.

Method 2: Character Map (reliable)

  1. Click Start and search Character Map, then open it.
  2. Tick Advanced view (if you see it).
  3. In Font, choose Segoe UI Symbol (or another symbol-friendly font).
  4. In the search box, type numero.
  5. Click №, then click Select → Copy.
  6. Paste it anywhere with Ctrl + V.

Method 3: Insert Symbol in Office

In Word / Excel / PowerPoint:

  1. Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols.
  2. Find №, then Insert.
How to insert Numero Symbol in Word

B) Mac

Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space)

  1. Place your cursor where you want the symbol.
  2. Press Control + Command + Space (opens Character Viewer).
  3. Search numero (you can also try number or paste № into search).
  4. Double-click № to insert it.

Tip: If you use it often, add it to Favorites in Character Viewer.

C) Microsoft Word

Insert № using the Symbol menu

  1. Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols.
  2. Look for № (you can try fonts like Segoe UI Symbol).
  3. Select it and click Insert.

Fast Word shortcut (Alt+X)

This is great if you type symbols often in Word.

  1. In Word, type: 2116
  2. Press Alt + X
  3. Word converts it to: №

Optional: AutoCorrect trick (type “noo” → №)

  1. In Word, go to File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options.
  2. Under “Replace text as you type”:
    • Replace: noo (or numo)
    • With: №
  3. Click Add → OK.

D) Excel

Best options (display use)

  • Insert → Symbol (same idea as Word)
  • Copy/paste № into a cell

Note: In formulas, “No.” is just text and № is also just a character. Use them for labels and display, not for calculations.

E) PowerPoint

  1. Click where you want the symbol (in a text box).
  2. Go to Insert → Symbol (or Insert → Symbol → More Symbols).
  3. Select № and insert.

F) Google Docs + Google Sheets

Google Docs

  1. Go to Insert → Special characters.
  2. Search numero.
  3. Click № to insert it.

Google Sheets

Sheets doesn’t have the same symbol picker as Docs in many cases, so the easiest method is:

  • Copy/paste № into a cell (great for headers and labels).

G) iPhone + Android

Best reliable method: copy/paste

Most phone keyboards don’t show № by default.

  1. Copy this: №
  2. Paste it into your message/document.

Optional: create a text replacement shortcut

If you type it often, set your phone so typing noo becomes №.

  • iPhone: Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement
  • Android: Keyboard settings → Personal dictionary / Text shortcuts (name varies by phone)

H) Chromebook

Easiest: copy/paste

Copy № and paste it where you need it.

Optional: Unicode input (short + practical)

If your Chromebook has Unicode input enabled, you may be able to type the Unicode value for Numero sign (U+2116) and insert it.

If that sounds annoying, stick to copy/paste—it’s the fastest on Chromebooks.

Common confusion (№ vs No. vs # vs N°)

№ vs No. (which should you use?)

  • Use № when you specifically want the symbol in formal or traditional formatting.
  • Use No. when you want the most universal option that works everywhere.

Examples:

  • № 12 (symbol)
  • No. 12 (plain text)

№ vs # (hash / number sign)

  • № is the Numero sign.
  • # is the hash/number sign (keyboard key used in hashtags and many contexts).

Example:

  • #12 is common in English, but it’s not the same character as № 12.

№ vs N° (N + degree symbol)

  • N° is literally the letter N plus the degree sign (°).
  • It’s used in some French/Spanish-style formatting for “number,” but it’s not the same as №.

Example:

  • N° 12 (French-style)
  • № 12 (Numero sign)

Troubleshooting

“I can’t find № in Special Characters”

Try searching:

  • numero
  • number
  • number sign
  • U+2116

Also try changing the font to a symbol-friendly one (like Segoe UI Symbol in Windows apps).

“Alt code not working”

Most common reasons:

  • You’re not using Microsoft Word (this Alt code is often Word-only).
  • Num Lock is off.
  • You’re using the top number row, not the numeric keypad.
  • Your laptop keypad is not enabled (try Fn + NumLk, if your keyboard supports it).

Use Character Map or Insert Symbol instead.

“The symbol shows as a box ☐ or tofu”

That usually means the font doesn’t support the character.

  • Switch to a font like Segoe UI Symbol, Arial Unicode MS (if available), or another modern font.
  • If you’re sending the text somewhere else, use No. as a safe fallback.

FAQ

What is the № symbol called?

It’s called the Numero sign (№).

How do I type the numero sign on Windows?

Most reliable: Character Map or Insert → Symbol in Office. In Word, you can also type 2116 then Alt + X.

How do I type the numero sign on Mac?

Press Control + Command + Space, search numero, then insert №.

Is № the same as No.?

No. No. is plain text. № is a separate symbol character. They often mean the same thing, but they’re not identical.

Is № the same as #?

No. # is the hash/number sign on the keyboard. № is the Numero sign.

How do I type N°?

Type N, then insert the degree symbol (°) (from a symbol menu or by copy/paste), making N°.

Quick recap

  • Fastest: copy/paste №
  • Windows best: Character Map or Insert Symbol
  • Word fastest: 2116 + Alt + X
  • Mac best: Control + Command + Space → search “numero”