Cross Symbol on Keyboard in Word/Excel (†, ✝, ✗, ×, +) — How to Type It

When people search for a “cross symbol”, they don’t always mean the same thing.

Some people mean the dagger (†) they saw in Microsoft Word. Others mean a Christian/Latin cross (✝). Many mean an X/cross mark (✗ / ✕ / ✖) for “wrong” or “close”. And a huge number of people actually mean the multiplication sign (×) — not the letter x.

This guide helps you pick the right cross first, then shows the fastest ways to type it in Word, Excel, Google Docs, and on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android.

Table of Contents

1-Minute Answer (fastest ways to get any Cross Symbol)

Copy/paste the most common “cross symbols” (pick the one you mean)

Cross Symbols (Click to Copy)

Click any symbol to copy it. This widget avoids WordPress character/encoding issues.

Tip: If you see □, change your font.

Copied

Main picks

More cross marks

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Windows (fastest safe method)

Copy/paste the symbol above (fastest).
Or use Character Map (built-in) to find and copy symbols.

Mac (fastest safe method)

Open Character Viewer: Control + Command + Space
Then search for: dagger, latin cross, multiplication, ballot x.

Microsoft Word (fastest method)

Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols and insert the symbol (best beginner method).
Optional (Word for Windows): you can also use type the code → Alt + X for some symbols (details in the Word section).

Google Docs (fastest method)

Insert → Special characters, then search terms like dagger, latin cross, multiplication, ballot x.

Phone (iPhone/Android)

Most reliable: copy/paste from this page.
Emoji versions (like ❌ or ✝️) can paste differently depending on the app (more on that below).

Quick Reference (pick the right “cross”)

Symbol	What it’s called	What people use it for	Fastest way (Windows)	Fastest way (Mac)	Fastest way (Word)
†	Dagger (obelisk)	Footnotes, notes, “deceased” marker	Character Map search “dagger” (or copy/paste)	Character Viewer → search “dagger”	Insert → Symbol → More Symbols (or Word code 2020 then Alt+X)
✝	Latin cross	Christian cross symbol	Character Map (or copy/paste)	Character Viewer → search “latin cross”	Insert → Symbol → More Symbols (Word code 271D then Alt+X)
✗	Cross mark (Ballot X)	Wrong/No/Close/Cancel	Character Map (or copy/paste)	Character Viewer → search “ballot x”	Insert → Symbol → More Symbols (Word code 2717 then Alt+X)
×	Multiplication sign	Math “times”, dimensions (3×5)	Alt code often works: Alt + 0215 (numpad)	Character Viewer → search “multiplication”	Insert → Symbol → More Symbols (or Word code 00D7 then Alt+X)
+	Plus sign	Math plus, add, positive	On keyboard (Shift + =)	On keyboard (Shift + =)	On keyboard (Shift + =)
❌ (optional)	Cross mark emoji	“Wrong” emoji / cancel	Emoji panel / copy paste (varies)	Character Viewer → emoji	Copy/paste (may vary)

Step-by-step: How to type the cross symbol you want

A) Windows

Method 1: Copy/paste (fastest)

Copy the symbol you want from this line: † ✝ ✗ × +
Paste it where you need it (Ctrl + V).

Method 2: Character Map (beginner-proof)

Click Start and search Character Map (or type charmap).
Open it and choose a font. If you don’t see the symbol in one font, try another:
- Try Segoe UI Symbol (good for many symbols)
- Try Segoe UI Emoji (for emoji like ❌)
If you see Advanced view, turn it on and search by name (when available):
- dagger
- latin cross
- multiplication
- ballot x
Click the symbol → Select → Copy → paste into your document.

Method 3: Alt code (ONLY for the ones that are reliable)

Alt codes can be great — but they depend on Num Lock and a real numeric keypad.

† Dagger (verified)

Turn Num Lock ON.
Hold Alt.
Type 0134 on the numeric keypad (not the number row).
Release Alt → you get †.

× Multiplication sign (often works)

Turn Num Lock ON.
Hold Alt.
Type 0215 on the numeric keypad.
Release Alt → you get ×.

Laptop with no numpad?
Alt codes may not work. Use Character Map or Insert → Symbol instead (those work on all keyboards).

B) Mac (macOS)

Method 1: Character Viewer (best all-around)

Press Control + Command + Space to open Character Viewer.
In the search box, type what you want:
- dagger (†)
- latin cross (✝)
- multiplication (×)
- ballot x (✗)
Double-click the symbol to insert it.

Tip: If you use a symbol often, add it to Favorites inside Character Viewer so it’s always one click away.

C) Microsoft Word (strongest section)

Method 1 (best): Insert it from the Symbol menu

Put your cursor where you want the symbol.
Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols.
In the Font dropdown, try fonts that usually contain many symbols:
- Segoe UI Symbol (great for ✝ ✗ ×)
- Times New Roman (often shows † × well)
Scroll and click the symbol you want, then click Insert.

How to insert the Cross symbol in Word or Excel

What to look for

† is the Dagger symbol (often used for footnotes).
✝ is the Latin Cross symbol.
✗ is often listed as Ballot X.
× is Multiplication sign (not the letter x).

Method 2: If you can’t find it, change your “search strategy”

Inside More Symbols:

Try a different Font (this is the #1 fix).
Use the Subset dropdown (if you see it) to jump to the right area.
If you still can’t find it, use copy/paste from this page.

Method 3 (optional, Word for Windows): Type the code, then Alt + X

This method converts a Unicode value into the symbol inside Word.

† type 2020, then press Alt + X
✝ type 271D, then press Alt + X
✗ type 2717, then press Alt + X
× type 00D7, then press Alt + X

Optional: Make your own shortcut in Word (AutoCorrect)

If you insert a symbol a lot (like × or †), you can create a simple text replacement:

Example idea: replace xmul → ×, or dag → †.

(Word’s exact AutoCorrect steps can vary slightly by version, but the feature is there under Word Options/Preferences.)

D) Excel

Method 1: Insert → Symbol

Click the cell where you want the symbol.
Go to Insert → Symbol (or Insert → Symbol…, depending on your version).
Choose a font like Segoe UI Symbol, find your symbol, and insert it.

Method 2: Copy/paste (best for quick labels)

Copy † ✝ ✗ × + from this page and paste into your cell.

E) PowerPoint

Click inside your text box.
Go to Insert → Symbol.
Pick the symbol (or copy/paste from this page).

F) Google Docs + Google Sheets

Google Docs: Insert → Special characters

Go to Insert → Special characters.
Search for:
- dagger
- latin cross
- multiplication
- ballot x
Click the symbol to insert it.

Google Sheets: Copy/paste (simplest)

Sheets doesn’t always make symbol insertion easy, so the most reliable method is:
1. Copy the symbol from this page
2. Paste it into the cell

G) iPhone + Android

Best method: Copy/paste (most reliable)

Copy the symbol you want from: † ✝ ✗ × +
Paste it into your message, document, or notes app.

Optional: Create a text replacement (nice shortcut)

If you type the same symbol often, set a shortcut like:

cross → ✝
xmark → ✗
times → ×

(Exact steps depend on your phone, but both iPhone and many Android keyboards support text shortcuts.)

H) Chromebook (short)

Use copy/paste from this page (fastest and reliable).
If you need many symbols often, use the Character Viewer / special characters option inside the app you’re using (Google Docs is usually easiest).

Meaning + quick examples (so you choose the right one)

† Dagger: often used for footnotes
Example: “See note † on page 2.”
✝ Latin cross: a Christian cross
Example: “✝ Easter Sunday”
× Multiplication sign: math times or dimensions
Example: “6 × 7 = 42” or “Photo size: 4 × 6”
✗ Cross mark: wrong / no / cancel / close
Example: “✗ Incorrect answer”
+ Plus sign: add/positive
Example: “+ 10 points”

Common confusion (quick and direct)

† vs ✝ (two different “crosses”)

† is a dagger (often footnotes).
✝ is the Latin cross (religious).

× vs x (huge one)

× is the multiplication sign.
x is just the letter x.
They can look similar in some fonts, but they are not the same character.

✗ / ✕ / ✖ vs ×

✗ (Ballot X) is a “wrong/cancel” style mark.
× is the multiplication sign.
They’re used differently and can look different depending on font.

Emoji vs text symbols

❌ and ✝️ are emoji-style on many devices.
Emoji can appear larger, colored, or change style depending on the app and platform.

Troubleshooting (fast fixes)

I can’t find the symbol in Word/Excel “Symbol” menu
- Change the Font to Segoe UI Symbol (common fix).
- Try Times New Roman for † or ×.
- Use copy/paste from this page.
It pastes as a blank box (□)
- That’s almost always a font problem. Switch to a font that supports the symbol (Segoe UI Symbol is a good try).
Alt code not working on Windows
- Make sure Num Lock is ON.
- You must use the numeric keypad, not the number row.
- If you’re on a laptop without a keypad, use Character Map or Insert → Symbol instead.
Emoji doesn’t paste the same everywhere
- Try the text symbol version instead (e.g., ✝ instead of ✝️, or ✗ instead of ❌).

FAQ (People Also Ask)

How do I type the cross symbol on a keyboard?

First, decide which “cross” you mean (†, ✝, ✗, ×, +). The fastest method on any device is copy/paste. On Windows, Character Map is the most reliable built-in tool; on Mac, use Character Viewer.

How do I type † in Word?

Use Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, or (Word for Windows) type 2020 then press Alt + X.

What is the difference between † and ✝?

† is the dagger symbol (often footnotes). ✝ is the Latin cross (religious).

How do I type the multiplication sign × (not x)?

On Windows you can often use Alt + 0215 (numpad). In Word for Windows, you can type 00D7 then Alt + X, or insert it via Insert → Symbol.

How do I insert a cross symbol in Google Docs?

Go to Insert → Special characters, then search for dagger, latin cross, multiplication, or ballot x.

Quick recap

“Cross symbol” can mean †, ✝, ✗, ×, or +
Fastest for everyone: copy/paste
Windows: Character Map (and Alt codes only for a few reliable symbols)
Mac: Control + Command + Space → Character Viewer
Word: Insert → Symbol → More Symbols (best beginner method)