Windows Alt Codes & Mac Shortcuts: 350+ Special Symbols
Find Windows alt codes and Mac keyboard shortcuts for any symbol. Click to copy the symbol.
What are Alt Codes?
Alt codes are a keyboard shortcut system used on Windows computers to type special characters and symbols that aren't available on a standard keyboard. By holding down the Alt key and typing a specific numeric code using the numeric keypad, you can insert hundreds of special characters including copyright symbols, trademark signs, accented letters, mathematical symbols, currency symbols, and many more.
How to Use Alt Codes
Alt codes work by leveraging the ASCII and extended ASCII character sets. When you type Alt + a number, Windows interprets this as a request to insert the character corresponding to that code point. For example, Alt + 0169 produces the copyright symbol, while Alt + 0153 produces the trademark symbol. These codes are essential for writers, designers, programmers, and anyone who needs to type special characters quickly.
There are two types of alt codes: standard alt codes (Alt + number without leading zero) and Windows alt codes (Alt + 0xxx with a leading zero). Windows alt codes typically access the extended character set and are more commonly used for special symbols. Our comprehensive alt codes finder above includes 350+ symbols with their Windows alt codes, Mac keyboard shortcuts, and HTML entities.
Alternative Methods When Alt Codes Don't Work
Not all symbols have reliable alt codes, especially newer Unicode characters. Here are alternative methods:
Alt Codes on Laptops Without Numeric Keypad
Many laptops don't have a dedicated numeric keypad, which can make using alt codes challenging. To use alt codes on a laptop, you typically need to enable the hidden numeric keypad by pressing Fn + NumLock. Then use the keys with numbers printed on them (usually U, I, O, J, K, L, M) as your numeric keypad while holding Alt. Some laptops use different key combinations, so check your laptop's manual if the standard method doesn't work.
Understanding Alt Code Number Systems
Alt codes with a leading zero (like Alt + 0169) access the Windows-1252 character set, while alt codes without a leading zero access the IBM PC character set (Code Page 437). The Windows set includes more useful symbols for modern documents. When in doubt, try the code with the leading zero first. For Unicode characters beyond the basic set, you can use the Alt + X method in Microsoft Office applications by typing the four-digit hex code followed by Alt+X.
Learn More About Character Encoding
For a deeper understanding of how alt codes and character encoding work, check out these authoritative resources:
- Alt Code - Wikipedia - Comprehensive overview of alt codes, their history, and usage
- ASCII - Wikipedia - Learn about the American Standard Code for Information Interchange
- Windows-1252 - Wikipedia - The character encoding used by Windows alt codes with leading zeros
- Code Page 437 - Wikipedia - The original IBM PC character set for alt codes without leading zeros
- Unicode Character Charts - Official Unicode Consortium charts for all Unicode characters
- Unicode Character Search - Search and lookup any Unicode character by name or code
Most Searched Alt Codes
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Alt Codes FAQ
Why aren't alt codes working on my laptop?
Many laptops don't have a dedicated numeric keypad. To use alt codes on a laptop, you typically need to enable the hidden numeric keypad by pressing Fn + NumLock. Then use the keys with numbers printed on them (usually U, I, O, J, K, L, M) as your numeric keypad while holding Alt. Alternatively, you can use our tool to simply click and copy symbols.
What's the difference between Alt codes and Alt X codes?
Alt codes use the numeric keypad and work by holding Alt while typing numbers. Alt X codes work in Microsoft Word and some other applications - you type the Unicode hex code, then press Alt + X to convert it to the symbol. For example, typing 00A9 followed by Alt + X produces ©. Alt X codes give access to thousands more characters but only work in certain programs.
How do I type special characters on Mac?
Mac uses Option key combinations instead of Alt codes. For example, Option + G produces the copyright symbol, Option + 2 produces the trademark symbol, and Option + R produces the registered symbol. You can also hold down a letter key to see accent variations, or use the Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space) to browse all available symbols.
Can I use alt codes in any program?
Alt codes work in most Windows applications including Word, Excel, Notepad, email clients, and web browsers. However, some programs may interpret alt codes differently or block them. If an alt code doesn't work in a specific program, try copying and pasting the symbol from our tool instead.
What are the most useful alt codes to memorize?
The most commonly used alt codes worth memorizing are: © (Alt + 0169), ™ (Alt + 0153), ® (Alt + 0174), ° (Alt + 0176) for degree, € (Alt + 0128) for Euro, £ (Alt + 0163) for Pound, and common accented letters like é (Alt + 0233) and ñ (Alt + 164). You can use our tool to quickly find and copy any symbol you need.
Why do some alt codes have a leading zero?
Alt codes with a leading zero (like Alt + 0169) access the Windows-1252 character set, while alt codes without a leading zero access the IBM PC character set (Code Page 437). The Windows set includes more useful symbols for modern documents. When in doubt, try the code with the leading zero first.
Complete Alt Codes Reference
Our alt codes finder includes over 350 special characters organized into categories: Currency symbols (€, £, ¥, ₿, ₹), Mathematical symbols (±, ÷, ×, √, ∞, π, Σ), Arrows (→, ←, ↑, ↓, ↔, ⇒), Greek letters (α, β, γ, δ, θ, Ω), Fractions (½, ¼, ¾, ⅓, ⅔), Accented letters (é, ñ, ü, ç, ø), Legal symbols (©, ™, ®, §, ¶), and Miscellaneous symbols (♥, ★, ☑, ♪, ☺).
Each symbol in our database includes the Windows alt code, Unicode hex code (for Alt+X), Mac keyboard shortcut (when available), and HTML entity code. Simply click any symbol card to copy it to your clipboard instantly. Use the search bar to find symbols by name or keyword, or filter by category to browse related symbols.
Alt Codes by Category
Legal & Business Symbols
Essential symbols for business documents including copyright ©, trademark ™, registered ®, section §, and paragraph ¶ marks.
Mathematical Operators
Math symbols for equations and scientific notation: plus-minus ±, division ÷, multiplication ×, square root √, infinity ∞, and more.
Currency Symbols
International currency symbols including Euro €, British Pound £, Japanese Yen ¥, Bitcoin ₿, Indian Rupee ₹, and many more.
Greek Letters
Complete Greek alphabet for mathematics, science, and academic writing: alpha α, beta β, gamma γ, delta δ, sigma Σ, omega Ω.