How to Type Dot Symbols • ● ◦ ⦿ ⊙ on Keyboard

Dot symbols are small round marks used in lists, designs, math, social media bios, usernames, documents, presentations, and online forms.

Some dot symbols are simple bullets, like this:

•

Others are circles, filled dots, hollow dots, middle dots, or special decorative dot symbols, such as:

● ○ ◦ · ⦿ ⦾ ⊙ ◉ ◎

In this guide, you’ll learn how to type dot symbols on Windows, Mac, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Docs, iPhone, Android, and more.

You can also copy and paste the dot symbols below if you only need them quickly.

Copy and Paste Dot Symbols

Popular dot symbols:

• · ‧ ∙ ● ○ ◦ ◌ ◎ ◉ ⦿ ⦾ ⊙ ⊚ ⊛ ◍ ◐ ◑ ◒ ◓ ◔ ◕ ◘ ◙ ⬤ ⚫ 🔴 🔵 🟢 🟠 🟣

Quick Reference: Common Dot Symbols

Dot Symbol	Name	Unicode
•	Bullet	U+2022
·	Middle Dot	U+00B7
‧	Hyphenation Point	U+2027
∙	Bullet Operator	U+2219
●	Black Circle	U+25CF
○	White Circle	U+25CB
◦	White Bullet	U+25E6
◌	Dotted Circle	U+25CC
◎	Bullseye / Open Circle	U+25CE
◉	Fisheye	U+25C9
⦿	Circled Bullet	U+29BF
⦾	Circled White Bullet	U+29BE
⊙	Circled Dot Operator	U+2299
⊚	Circled Ring Operator	U+229A
⊛	Circled Asterisk Operator	U+229B
◍	Circle with Vertical Fill	U+25CD
◐	Circle with Left Half Black	U+25D0
◑	Circle with Right Half Black	U+25D1
◒	Circle with Lower Half Black	U+25D2
◓	Circle with Upper Half Black	U+25D3
◔	Circle with Upper Right Quadrant Black	U+25D4
◕	Circle with All But Upper Left Quadrant Black	U+25D5
◘	Inverse Bullet	U+25D8
◙	Inverse White Circle	U+25D9
⬤	Black Large Circle	U+2B24
⚫	Medium Black Circle Emoji	U+26AB
🔴	Red Circle Emoji	U+1F534
🔵	Blue Circle Emoji	U+1F535
🟢	Green Circle Emoji	U+1F7E2

The Fastest Way to Type a Dot Symbol

The fastest method depends on the dot symbol you want.

What you want	Best method
A normal bullet point	Press the bullet list button in Word, Docs, or your editor
A single bullet symbol •	Copy and paste it, or use Alt + 0149 on Windows
A middle dot ·	Use Alt + 0183 on Windows, Option + Shift + 9 on Mac, or copy and paste
A decorative dot like ⦿ or ⊙	Copy and paste, or use Unicode in Word
Colored dot emoji 🔴 🔵 🟢	Use the emoji keyboard on your device
Dot symbols in HTML	Use HTML entity codes or Unicode

Method 1: Type the Bullet Dot Symbol • on Windows

The most common dot symbol is the bullet symbol:

•

On Windows, you can type it with an Alt code.

To type the bullet symbol on Windows:

1. Click where you want to insert the dot.
2. Turn on Num Lock.
3. Hold down the Alt key.
4. Type 0149 on the numeric keypad.
5. Release the Alt key.

The bullet symbol will appear: •

So the shortcut is: Alt + 0149 → •

Important: You must use the numeric keypad. The number row at the top of the keyboard usually will not work for Alt codes.

Method 2: Type the Middle Dot Symbol · on Windows

The middle dot is different from the bullet symbol.

Bullet: •

Middle dot: ·

The middle dot is often used in names, language writing, math, chemistry, and decorative text.

To type the middle dot on Windows:

1. Click where you want the dot.
2. Turn on Num Lock.
3. Hold down Alt.
4. Type 0183 on the numeric keypad.
5. Release Alt.

This gives you: ·

So the shortcut is: Alt + 0183 → ·

Method 3: Use Alt Codes for Dot Symbols on Windows

Windows Alt codes are useful for a few common dot symbols.

Symbol	Name	Windows Alt Code
•	Bullet	Alt + 0149
·	Middle Dot	Alt + 0183
○	White Circle	Alt + 9 may work in some apps
◘	Inverse Bullet	Alt + 8 may work in some apps

However, many decorative dot symbols do not have simple universal Alt codes that work everywhere.

For those symbols, it is usually better to use one of these methods:

1. Copy and paste the symbol.
2. Use Unicode + Alt + X in Microsoft Word.
3. Use the Windows Character Map.
4. Use the Windows emoji and symbol panel.

Method 4: Type Dot Symbols in Microsoft Word Using Unicode

Microsoft Word has a very useful Unicode shortcut.

You type the Unicode code, then press Alt + X.

For example:

2022 + Alt + X = •

To type a dot symbol in Word using Unicode:

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Click where you want the symbol.
3. Type the Unicode code.
4. Press Alt + X.

Word converts the code into the symbol.

Dot Symbol Unicode Shortcuts for Word

Symbol	Name	Type this in Word	Then press
•	Bullet	2022	Alt + X
·	Middle Dot	00B7	Alt + X
‧	Hyphenation Point	2027	Alt + X
∙	Bullet Operator	2219	Alt + X
●	Black Circle	25CF	Alt + X
○	White Circle	25CB	Alt + X
◦	White Bullet	25E6	Alt + X
◌	Dotted Circle	25CC	Alt + X
◎	Bullseye	25CE	Alt + X
◉	Fisheye	25C9	Alt + X
⦿	Circled Bullet	29BF	Alt + X
⦾	Circled White Bullet	29BE	Alt + X
⊙	Circled Dot Operator	2299	Alt + X
⊚	Circled Ring Operator	229A	Alt + X
⊛	Circled Asterisk Operator	229B	Alt + X
◍	Circle with Vertical Fill	25CD	Alt + X
◐	Circle with Left Half Black	25D0	Alt + X
◑	Circle with Right Half Black	25D1	Alt + X
◒	Circle with Lower Half Black	25D2	Alt + X
◓	Circle with Upper Half Black	25D3	Alt + X
◔	Circle with Upper Right Quadrant Black	25D4	Alt + X
◕	Circle with All But Upper Left Quadrant Black	25D5	Alt + X
◘	Inverse Bullet	25D8	Alt + X
◙	Inverse White Circle	25D9	Alt + X
⬤	Black Large Circle	2B24	Alt + X

This is one of the best methods for Microsoft Word because it works for many dot symbols, not just the normal bullet.

Method 5: Insert Dot Symbols in Microsoft Word Using the Symbol Menu

If you do not want to remember codes, use the Symbol menu in MS Word.

To insert dot symbols in Word:

1. Open your Word document.
2. Click where you want the dot symbol.
3. Go to Insert.
4. Click Symbol.
5. Choose More Symbols.
6. In the font box, choose Segoe UI Symbol, Arial Unicode MS, or another Unicode-supported font.
7. Look for the dot or circle symbol you want.
8. Click the symbol.
9. Click Insert.
10. Click Close.

This method is good when you want symbols like:

● ○ ◦ ◎ ◉ ⦿ ⦾ ⊙

If you cannot find the symbol quickly, try changing the subset to areas like Geometric Shapes, Mathematical Operators, or Miscellaneous Symbols.

Method 6: Create Bullet Points in Word

If you want dot symbols for a list, do not type the bullet manually. Use Word’s bullet list feature instead.

To create a bullet list in Word:

1. Place your cursor where you want the list.
2. Go to the Home tab.
3. Click the Bullets button.
4. Type your first item.
5. Press Enter to create the next bullet.

Example:

• First item
• Second item
• Third item

This is better than manually typing the bullet because Word will align and format the list properly.

How to change the bullet dot style in Word

You can also change the bullet style.

1. Highlight your bullet list.
2. Go to Home.
3. Click the small arrow beside the Bullets button.
4. Choose another bullet style.
5. To use a custom dot symbol, click Define New Bullet.
6. Click Symbol.
7. Choose the dot symbol you want.
8. Click OK.

This lets you use symbols like:

○ ◦ ● ◆ ▪

Method 7: Type Dot Symbols on Mac

On Mac, the easiest built-in keyboard shortcut is for the middle dot.

Type the middle dot on Mac

To type the middle dot:

Option + Shift + 9 → ·

This gives you: ·

For other dot symbols, use the Character Viewer.

Insert dot symbols on Mac using Character Viewer

1. Click where you want to insert the dot symbol.
2. Press Control + Command + Space.
3. The Character Viewer will open.
4. Search for words like:
   • bullet
   • circle
   • dot
   • black circle
   • white circle
5. Double-click the symbol you want to insert.

This method is good for symbols like:

• ● ○ ◦ ◎ ◉ ⦿ ⊙

Method 8: Type Dot Symbols in Excel

In Excel, you can type dot symbols inside cells, text boxes, chart labels, and headings.

Option 1: Use Alt codes in Excel on Windows

For the bullet symbol:

Alt + 0149 → •

For the middle dot:

Alt + 0183 → ·

Steps:

1. Double-click the cell where you want the dot.
2. Hold Alt.
3. Type the code on the numeric keypad.
4. Release Alt.

Option 2: Use Insert Symbol in Excel

1. Click the cell where you want the dot symbol.
2. Go to Insert.
3. Click Symbol.
4. Choose a font such as Segoe UI Symbol.
5. Select the dot symbol.
6. Click Insert.

Option 3: Copy and paste dot symbols into Excel

You can also copy any dot symbol from the widget above and paste it directly into Excel.

This is often the easiest method for decorative symbols like:

⦿ ⦾ ⊙ ◉ ◎ ⬤

Method 9: Type Dot Symbols in PowerPoint

PowerPoint supports the same basic methods as Word and Excel.

Option 1: Use Alt codes

On Windows:

Alt + 0149 → •
Alt + 0183 → ·

Option 2: Use Insert Symbol

1. Click inside a text box.
2. Go to Insert.
3. Click Symbol.
4. Choose the dot symbol.
5. Click Insert.

Option 3: Use bullet formatting

If you are creating a list, use PowerPoint’s bullet button.

1. Click inside the text box.
2. Go to Home.
3. Click the Bullets button.
4. Type your list.

This keeps your slide clean and properly aligned.

Method 10: Type Dot Symbols in Google Docs

Google Docs gives you two easy ways to insert dot symbols.

Option 1: Use the bullet list button

If you want a normal dot list:

1. Open Google Docs.
2. Click where you want the list.
3. Click the Bulleted list button.
4. Start typing your list.

Option 2: Use Special Characters

To insert a specific dot symbol:

1. Open Google Docs.
2. Go to Insert.
3. Click Special characters.
4. Search for:
   • bullet
   • dot
   • circle
5. Click the symbol you want.

You can insert symbols like:

• ● ○ ◦ ◉ ◎

Option 3: Copy and paste

You can copy any dot symbol from this page and paste it directly into Google Docs.

Method 11: Type Dot Symbols in Google Sheets

Google Sheets does not have the same full symbol menu as Google Docs, so copy and paste is often the easiest method.

To insert dot symbols in Google Sheets:

1. Copy the dot symbol you want.
2. Open your Google Sheet.
3. Click the cell where you want the symbol.
4. Press Ctrl + V on Windows or Command + V on Mac.

You can also paste symbols into formulas as text.

Example:

="• "&A1

This can add a bullet before the text in cell A1.

Method 12: Type Dot Symbols on iPhone and iPad

On iPhone and iPad, the easiest method is usually copy and paste, but you can also use the emoji keyboard for colored dots.

To type colored dot emoji on iPhone:

1. Tap where you want to type.
2. Open the emoji keyboard.
3. Search for:
   • red circle
   • blue circle
   • green circle
   • black circle
4. Tap the emoji you want.

Examples:

🔴 🔵 🟢 🟠 🟣 ⚫ ⚪

For text-based dot symbols like these:

• · ● ○ ◦ ⦿

copy and paste is usually faster.

Method 13: Type Dot Symbols on Android

On Android, the easiest methods are copy and paste or the emoji keyboard.

To type colored dot emoji on Android:

1. Tap where you want to type.
2. Open the emoji keyboard.
3. Search for “circle” or “dot”.
4. Tap the symbol or emoji you want.

Common dot emoji include:

🔴 🔵 🟢 🟠 🟣 ⚫ ⚪ 🟤

For plain text dot symbols, copy and paste from the top of this page.

Method 14: Type Dot Symbols on Chromebook

On Chromebook, you can use copy and paste, the emoji picker, or Unicode input.

Option 1: Copy and paste

Copy the symbol you want from this page, then paste it into your document.

Option 2: Use the emoji picker

1. Right-click where you want to type.
2. Choose Emoji.
3. Search for “circle” or “dot”.
4. Select the symbol or emoji.

Option 3: Use Unicode input

For some symbols, Chromebook supports Unicode input.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + U.
2. Type the Unicode code.
3. Press Enter or Space.

Example:

Ctrl + Shift + U, then 2022, then Enter = •

Method 15: Type Dot Symbols in HTML

If you are writing HTML, you can use HTML entities or Unicode.

Common dot symbol HTML codes

Symbol	Name	HTML Entity / Code
•	Bullet	• or •
·	Middle Dot	· or ·
◦	White Bullet	◦
●	Black Circle	●
○	White Circle	○
∙	Bullet Operator	∙
⊙	Circled Dot Operator	⊙
⦿	Circled Bullet	⦿
⦾	Circled White Bullet	⦾

Example:

• Item one

This displays as:

• Item one

Method 16: Type Dot Symbols in CSS

In CSS, dot symbols are often used as decorative content.

Example:

.list-item::before {
  content: "•";
}

You can also use Unicode escape codes.

Example:

.list-item::before {
  content: "\2022";
}

This inserts the bullet symbol:

•

Common CSS Unicode values:

Symbol	CSS Unicode
•	\2022
·	\00B7
●	\25CF
○	\25CB
◦	\25E6
⊙	\2299

Method 17: Type Dot Symbols in LaTeX

If you use LaTeX, dot symbols have special commands.

Symbol	LaTeX Command	Meaning
·	\cdot	Center dot
⋅	\cdot	Multiplication dot
•	\bullet	Bullet
\dots	\dots	Ellipsis dots
\ldots	\ldots	Low ellipsis
\cdots	\cdots	Centered ellipsis

Examples:

a \cdot b

This means:

a · b

x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n

This means:

x₁, x₂, …, xₙ

Dot Symbol Names and Meanings

Not all dot symbols mean the same thing.

Some are used for bullet lists. Some are used in math. Some are decorative. Some are emoji.

Common dot symbols and where they are used

Symbol	Name	Common use
•	Bullet	Lists, notes, documents
·	Middle Dot	Math, names, language, separators
∙	Bullet Operator	Math notation
●	Black Circle	Design, labels, diagrams
○	White Circle	Empty option, outline marker
◦	White Bullet	Sub-bullet lists
◌	Dotted Circle	Typography, combining marks
◎	Bullseye	Decorative circle, target-like symbol
◉	Fisheye	Selected option, decorative dot
⦿	Circled Bullet	Decorative bullet, technical symbols
⦾	Circled White Bullet	Decorative bullet
⊙	Circled Dot Operator	Math, logic, technical notation
⊚	Circled Ring Operator	Math symbol
⊛	Circled Asterisk Operator	Math symbol
⬤	Black Large Circle	Large filled dot
⚫	Black Circle Emoji	Emoji-style black circle
🔴	Red Circle Emoji	Color marker, status indicator
🔵	Blue Circle Emoji	Color marker, status indicator
🟢	Green Circle Emoji	Online/active/status marker

Bullet Dot vs Middle Dot vs Black Circle

Many people search for “dot symbol,” but they may mean different things.

Bullet dot: •

The bullet dot is mostly used for lists.

Example:

• Apples
• Mangoes
• Bananas

Middle dot: ·

The middle dot sits in the middle of the text line. It is often used as a separator or multiplication symbol.

Example:

A · B

Black circle: ●

The black circle is larger and heavier than the normal bullet. It is often used for design, diagrams, labels, or visual emphasis.

Example:

● Important

White bullet: ◦

The white bullet is often used as a smaller sub-bullet.

Example:

• Main point
◦ Sub point

Dot Symbols for Bullet Lists

Here are common dot symbols you can use in lists:

Symbol	Best for
•	Standard bullet list
◦	Sub-bullet list
●	Bold bullet
○	Hollow bullet
▪	Small square bullet
▫	Hollow square bullet
◉	Decorative selected bullet
⦿	Decorative bullet
⊙	Technical-looking bullet

Example:

• Main item
◦ Sub item
▪ Smaller detail

Dot Symbols for Social Media Bios

Dot symbols are also useful for Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Discord, and other social media bios.

Examples:

• Designer • Writer • Creator

● Open for work ●

Travel · Food · Lifestyle

◦ simple bio ◦ clean style ◦

You can use these symbols as separators:

• · ‧ ∙ ◦ ● ○ ⦿ ⊙

Dot Symbols for Usernames

Some dot symbols can be used in usernames, display names, and gaming names, depending on the platform.

Examples:

Alex•Design
Mira·Studio
King●Mode
Blue◦Star
Dot⦿Master

Note: Not every platform accepts every Unicode symbol. If a symbol does not work in a username, try a simpler one like:

• · _ .

Dot Symbols for Math

In math, dot symbols can have special meanings.

Symbol	Meaning
·	Multiplication dot or center dot
⋅	Dot operator / multiplication
∙	Bullet operator
⊙	Circled dot operator
⊚	Circled ring operator
⊛	Circled asterisk operator

Example:

a · b

This can mean “a multiplied by b.”

In Microsoft Word, you can insert these using Unicode + Alt + X or the Symbol menu.

Dot Symbols for Status Indicators

Colored dot emoji are often used as status indicators.

Symbol	Common meaning
🟢	Online, active, available, good
🔴	Offline, busy, urgent, stop
🟠	Away, warning, pending
🟡	Caution, waiting, in progress
🔵	Info, calm, neutral
⚫	Closed, inactive, dark mode
⚪	Empty, inactive, not selected

Example:

🟢 Available
🔴 Busy
🟠 Pending

Why Some Dot Symbols Show as Boxes

Sometimes a dot symbol may appear as an empty square, box, or question mark.

This usually means your device, app, or font does not support that symbol.

For example, this can happen with newer emoji or less common Unicode symbols.

How to fix it

Try one of these:

1. Use a more common dot symbol like •, ·, ●, ○, or ◦.
2. Change the font to Segoe UI Symbol, Arial Unicode MS, Noto Sans Symbols, or another Unicode font.
3. Update your device or browser.
4. Use a simpler symbol if you are posting on social media.

Why Alt Codes Are Not Working

If Alt codes do not work, check these common issues.

1. Num Lock is off

Turn on Num Lock and try again.

2. You are using the top number row

Alt codes usually need the numeric keypad, not the numbers above the letters.

3. You are on a laptop without a numeric keypad

Some laptops do not have a dedicated numpad. In that case, use copy and paste, Character Map, or the Symbol menu.

4. The app does not support that Alt code

Some Alt codes work in Word but not in every app. For rare symbols, use Unicode in Word or copy and paste.

5. You are trying to type an emoji with an Alt code

Emoji-style dots like 🔴 and 🟢 are better inserted using the emoji keyboard.

Best Dot Symbol to Use

For most users, these are the best choices:

Purpose	Recommended dot symbol
Normal bullet list	•
Sub-bullet list	◦
Separator between words	·
Bold visual dot	●
Hollow circle	○
Decorative dot	⦿ or ⊙
Status marker	🟢 🔴 🟠
Math multiplication	· or ⋅
HTML bullet	•

FAQs About Dot Symbols

What is the dot symbol called?

The most common dot symbol is called the bullet symbol:

•

Other dot symbols have different names, such as middle dot, black circle, white circle, white bullet, circled bullet, and circled dot operator.

How do I type the dot symbol on Windows?

For the normal bullet symbol, hold Alt and type 0149 on the numeric keypad.

Alt + 0149 → •

For the middle dot, use:

Alt + 0183 → ·

How do I type a dot symbol on Mac?

For the middle dot on Mac, press:

Option + Shift + 9 → ·

For other dot symbols, press Control + Command + Space, then search for “bullet,” “dot,” or “circle” in the Character Viewer.

How do I type a dot symbol in Word?

In Microsoft Word, you can use Unicode.

Type:

2022

Then press:

Alt + X

This gives you:

•

You can also go to Insert > Symbol > More Symbols and choose the dot symbol you want.

How do I type a dot symbol in Excel?

In Excel on Windows, use:

Alt + 0149 → •

You can also go to Insert > Symbol or copy and paste the dot symbol into a cell.

How do I type a dot symbol in Google Docs?

In Google Docs, go to:

Insert > Special characters

Then search for:

dot, bullet, or circle.

You can also copy and paste the symbol from this page.

What is the difference between • and ·?

The symbol • is a bullet. It is commonly used in lists.

The symbol · is a middle dot. It is smaller and sits in the middle of the line. It is often used as a separator or math symbol.

What is the Unicode for the bullet symbol?

The Unicode for the bullet symbol is:

U+2022

In Microsoft Word, type 2022 and press Alt + X to insert it.

What is the HTML code for the bullet symbol?

The HTML entity for the bullet symbol is:

•

You can also use:

•

Both display as:

•

Can I use dot symbols on Instagram and TikTok?

Yes. Most simple dot symbols work on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, Discord, and other platforms.

Good choices include:

• · ● ○ ◦

Some rare symbols may not display correctly on all devices.

Why does the dot symbol appear as a square?

That usually means the font, app, or device does not support the symbol. Try using a simpler symbol like •, ·, ●, ○, or ◦.

Conclusion

Dot symbols can be typed in many ways, depending on the device and app you are using.

For the normal bullet symbol on Windows, use:

Alt + 0149 → •

For the middle dot on Windows, use:

Alt + 0183 → ·

On Mac, use:

Option + Shift + 9 → ·

In Microsoft Word, you can type many dot symbols using Unicode codes and Alt + X.

For rare, decorative, or emoji-style dot symbols, the easiest method is usually to copy and paste them from the top of this page.