How To Type Summation Symbol On Keyboard (Word/Excel)

In today’s article, you’ll learn about all of the simple methods for typing the Summation symbol (Uppercase: Σ, lowercase: σ) in MS Word/Excel or anywhere on Windows and Mac.

You can also copy and paste the Summation symbol for free by clicking the button below.

However, if you just want to learn how to type this symbol on your keyboard using shortcuts for both Windows and Mac, keep reading.

Table of Contents

Summation symbol [Σ] Quick Guide

To type the Summation symbol on a Mac, use the [Option] + [w] keyboard shortcut. For Windows users, hold down the Alt key and enter 228 using the numeric keypad, then let go of the Alt key.

These keyboard shortcuts work in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as on any Windows or Mac PC.

The table below offers a lot of Summation symbol information and shortcuts.

Symbol Name	Summation
Uppercase Summation	Σ
Lowercase Summation	σ
Summation Alt Code (Uppercase)	228
Summation Alt Code (Lowercase)	229
Shortcut for Windows	[Alt] + [228]
Shortcut for Word	03A3, Alt+X
Shortcut for Mac	[Option] + [w]

The quick guide above contains some useful information about the Summation symbol. However, there are other ways to type this symbol in Word/Excel/PowerPoint or anywhere else on your Windows or Mac PC.

Summation symbol [Σ] Alt Code

Details Symbols	Summation	Alt Code
Uppercase	Σ	Alt+228
Lowercase	σ	Alt+229

The Summation symbol alt code is 228 for uppercase and 229 for lowercase.

If you’re wondering how to type this symbol on the keyboard, you’ve come to the right place. Simply follow the steps below:

Place the insertion pointer where you need to type the Summation symbol.
Press and hold the Alt key on your keyboard.
Whilst pressing down the Alt key, press the Summation sign alt code (228) using the numeric keypad. Use 228 for Summation symbol uppercase.
Release the Alt key after typing the Alt code to insert the Σ symbol into your Word document.

Using the Alt Code method, this is how you can type this symbol in Windows.

The alt code method is only applicable to Windows. The following section will demonstrate how to type it on a Mac using a keyboard shortcut.

How to type Summation Sign on Mac

The keyboard shortcut to type the Summation symbol on Mac is [Option] + [w].

Obey the following instructions to type this symbol on Mac using the keyboard shortcut stated above:

First of all, place the insertion pointer where you need to type this symbol.
Then press the [Option] and the [w] key simultaneously.

With these keystrokes, you can type the Summation symbol anywhere on your Mac computer.

How to insert the Summation symbol in Word/Excel

Using the insert symbol dialog box, you can insert any symbol, including the Summation symbol, into any of the Office apps including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

The insert symbol dialog box is a symbol library from which you can insert any symbol into your Word document with a few mouse clicks.

In this section, I’ll walk you through the process of adding the Summation sign or any other symbol that isn’t on the keyboard.

Without any further ado, let’s get started.

Launch your Word or Excel or PowerPoint document.
Click to place the insertion pointer where you wish to insert the symbol.
Go to the Insert tab.

In the Symbols category, click on the Symbol drop-down and select More Symbols.

The Symbol dialog box will appear. In the Subset drop-down list, select Greek and Coptic to display symbols in this category which includes the Summation symbol.
Now select the symbol you want and hit the Insert button to get it into your document. Alternatively, double click on it to insert it into your document.

Close the dialog.

The symbol will then be inserted exactly where the insertion pointer was placed.

These are the steps for inserting the Summation symbol, or any other symbol, into your Word/Excel document.

Copy and Paste Summation Sign

The copy and paste method is one of the simplest ways to get any symbol on any PC.

All you have to do is copy the symbol from somewhere, such as a web page or the character map for Windows users, and paste it where you need it by pressing Ctrl+V.

To copy and paste the Summation symbol, select it and press Ctrl+C to copy, then switch to where you want to paste it and press Ctrl+V. You can also use the copy and paste button located at the top of this post.

For Windows users, follow the steps below to copy and paste this symbol using the character map dialog.

Click on the Start button and search for Character Map. Click to open the Character map app in the search results.

The Character Map dialog will appear. Click on the Advanced view checkbox to expand the dialog box for more options.

Check the Advanced view checkbox to expand the dialog

On the advanced view, type Sigma in the Search box at the bottom of the dialog.
You should now see different variations of the Summation symbol on the character map dialog. Double click on the symbol of your choice to select it. Alternatively, click on the Select button.
After you select the symbol, it’ll appear in the Characters to copy: field, now hit on the Copy button to copy.

Now switch to where ever you wish to insert the symbol and press Ctrl+V to paste.

This is how you may use the Character Map dialog to copy and paste any symbol on Windows PC.

Conclusion

As demonstrated in this article, there are several ways to type or insert the Summation sign on your PC or Mac.

On Windows, my preferred method is to use the Alt code method; it’s a lot easier if you know the alt code for the symbol you want to type. Using the keyboard shortcut is also efficient for Mac users.

Thank you for reading!