Element Of Symbol (∈) on Keyboard — How to Type It in Word

The Element Of symbol ∈ is used in math and logic to mean “is an element of” or “belongs to a set.” In plain English, it’s a way to say something is “in” a group.

You’ll see ∈ in set notation, textbooks, homework, exams, spreadsheets, and technical writing.

This guide shows the fastest ways first, then simple step-by-step methods for Word, Windows, Mac, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Docs.

Table of Contents

1-Minute Answer (Fastest Ways)

Copy/paste:

Word (Windows, Word-only): Hold Alt and type 8712 on the numeric keypad → releases as ∈
- Note: Numeric keypad required (and works only in Microsoft Word)
Word / Excel / PowerPoint (reliable): Insert → Symbol → More Symbols → Font: Segoe UI Symbol → Character code: 2208 → Insert
Mac (reliable): Character Viewer → Control + Command + Space → search element of → insert
Google Docs (safe): Insert → Special characters → search element of

Quick Mini-Table (Fast Reference)

Symbol	Name	Best on Windows (any app)	Best on Mac
∈	Element of	Copy/paste ∈ or use Character Map	Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space), search “element of”
∉	Not an element of	Copy/paste ∉	Copy/paste ∉
∋	Contains as member	Copy/paste ∋	Copy/paste ∋
∊	Small element of	Copy/paste ∊	Copy/paste ∊

Step-by-Step: How to Type ∈ by Platform/App

A) Microsoft Word (Windows)

Method 1: Word Alt code (fastest)

Click where you want the ∈ symbol in Word.
Turn Num Lock ON.
Hold the Alt key.
On the numeric keypad, type 8712.
Release Alt → ∈ appears.

Element of symbol Alt code shortcut on keyboard

Important notes about Alt Codes:

This works only in Microsoft Word.
You must use the numeric keypad (the number row above letters usually won’t work).
On some laptops, you may need to enable a hidden numpad (often with Fn + NmLk).

Method 2: Insert Symbol (reliable)

Go to Insert.
Click Symbol → More Symbols.
Set Font to Segoe UI Symbol.
In Character code, type 2208.
Click Insert, then Close.

B) Windows (Any App)

Method 1: Copy/paste (most reliable)

Copy this: ∈
Paste it where you need it.

Method 2: Character Map (safe alternative)

Open Character Map on your PC.
Find the ∈ symbol in the list.
Copy it, then paste into your app (Word, Excel, browser, email, etc.).

C) Mac

Character Viewer (recommended)

Press Control + Command + Space to open Character Viewer.
Search for element of (or try set).
Click ∈ to insert it.
Optional: add it to Favorites so it’s easier next time.

D) Excel + PowerPoint

Insert Symbol (same reliable method)

Go to Insert.
Choose Symbol → More Symbols.
Set Font to Segoe UI Symbol.
Type 2208 in Character code.
Click Insert.

Also works:

Copy/paste: ∈

E) Google Docs + Google Sheets

Best overall: copy/paste ∈

Google Docs (safe method):

Go to Insert → Special characters.
Search element of.
Click ∈ to insert it.

Google Sheets:

Just copy/paste ∈ into a cell (works in normal text cells).

F) iPhone + Android (quick)

Most reliable: copy/paste ∈ into your app.
Optional: if your keyboard has a symbol search, you can try searching for “element” (availability depends on the keyboard/app).

Meaning + Examples (Simple)

Here’s what ∈ means in plain English: “is in the set.”

Examples:

3 ∈ {1, 2, 3}
Meaning: “3 is in the set {1, 2, 3}.”
a ∈ A
Meaning: “a belongs to set A.”
10 ∈ {2, 4, 6, 8, 10}
Meaning: “10 is in that set.”

Common Confusion (Keep It Simple)

∈ means “is an element of” (belongs to a set)
∉ means “is NOT an element of”
∋ means “contains as member” (the set contains the item)

Most people searching this page want ∈.

Troubleshooting (If It’s Not Working)

Alt code not working

Make sure you’re in Microsoft Word (Alt + 8712 is Word-only here).
Make sure you used the numeric keypad (not the top number row).
Turn /topics: Num Lock ON.
If you’re on a laptop, you may not have a real numpad (some laptops use a hidden one).

The symbol shows as a box or blank square

Change the font to something that supports symbols (try Segoe UI Symbol).
Or use copy/paste (often the quickest fix).

Can’t find it in the Symbol dialog

In the Symbol dialog, set Font to Segoe UI Symbol.
Type 2208 into Character code to jump straight to ∈.

FAQ

What does ∈ mean?

It means “is an element of” or “belongs to a set.”

How do I type ∈ in Word?

Fastest: in Word on Windows, hold Alt and type 8712 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt.

What is the Alt code for ∈ in Word?

8712 (Word-only, numeric keypad required).

Why doesn’t Alt+8712 work in Chrome or Google Docs?

Because this method is Word-only here. For Chrome/Docs, use copy/paste, Character Map (Windows), or Character Viewer (Mac).

How do I insert ∈ in Excel?

Use Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, choose Segoe UI Symbol, then type 2208 in Character code and insert. Or just copy/paste.

What’s the difference between ∈ and ∉?

∈ means “is in the set.”
∉ means “is NOT in the set.”

Quick Recap

Fastest: copy/paste → ∈
Word (Windows): Alt + 8712 (numeric keypad, Word-only)
Reliable in Word/Excel/PowerPoint: Insert → Symbol → More Symbols → Segoe UI Symbol → 2208
Mac: Control + Command + Space (Character Viewer), search “element of”
Google Docs: Insert → Special characters, search “element of”