To insert a symbol in Microsoft Word, click where it should go and open Insert > Symbol > More Symbols. Pick the symbol and click Insert. Below are faster ways too: a code plus Alt + X, built-in shortcuts, AutoCorrect and your own shortcut keys.
Method 1: Insert > Symbol
- Click in your document where the symbol should go.
- Go to Insert > Symbol. A small box shows the symbols you used last. Click one to insert it.
- For everything else, click More Symbols.
- Leave Font on “(normal text)”, or pick Segoe UI Symbol, which has most symbols.
- Use the Subset list to jump to a group, like Arrows, Mathematical Operators or Currency Symbols.
- Double-click the symbol, then click Close.
Look at the bottom right of the window. If “from” says Unicode (hex), the box next to it shows the symbol’s code, like 2713 for ✓. You can also type a code into that box to jump straight to a symbol. Write down the codes you use often, because the next method needs them.
Method 2: Type the code and press Alt + X
This is the fastest way once you know the code. Type the Unicode code, then press Alt + X, and Word turns it into the symbol.
| Symbol | Type this | Then |
|---|---|---|
| ✓ Check mark | 2713 | Alt + X |
| ✗ X mark | 2717 | Alt + X |
| → Right arrow | 2192 | Alt + X |
| ° Degree | 00B0 | Alt + X |
| ♥ Heart | 2665 | Alt + X |
| ★ Star | 2605 | Alt + X |
| ½ One half | 00BD | Alt + X |
| π Pi | 03C0 | Alt + X |
Two tips that save time. If the code comes right after a number or a letter A to F, Word reads them together, so type a space first or select just the code. And it works backwards: put the cursor right after any symbol and press Alt + X to see its code. Press it again to switch back.
Every symbol page on our site lists these codes, for example the check mark, degree symbol and arrow pages.
Method 3: Built-in Word shortcuts
Word on Windows has shortcuts for the symbols people use most.
| Symbol | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| © Copyright | Ctrl + Alt + C |
| ® Registered | Ctrl + Alt + R |
| ™ Trademark | Ctrl + Alt + T |
| € Euro | Ctrl + Alt + E |
| … Ellipsis | Ctrl + Alt + . (period) |
| Em dash (long dash) | Ctrl + Alt + minus on the number pad |
| En dash (short dash) | Ctrl + minus on the number pad |
On some keyboards outside the US, Ctrl + Alt works like the AltGr key and may type a different character. If a shortcut gives you something else, use Method 1 or 2.
Method 4: AutoCorrect
Word already swaps some text for symbols as you type: (c) becomes ©, (r) becomes ®, ™ becomes ™, and three periods turn into a single ellipsis character (…). If you do not want the change, press Ctrl + Z right after it happens.
You can add your own. Go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options. Type a short code under Replace, paste the symbol under With, click Add and then OK. Codes like ;check for ✓ or ;deg for ° work well, because the semicolon keeps them from firing inside normal words.
Method 5: Alt codes
On Windows, hold Alt and type a number on the number pad. Alt + 0176 gives °, Alt + 0169 gives © and Alt + 0128 gives €. This works in Word and almost every other Windows program. Our Alt codes guide explains it, and the Alt Code Finder lists all the codes.
Method 6: The equation editor for math
Press Alt + = to start an equation. Type a backslash name and a space, like \pi, \times, \neq or \sum, and Word swaps it for the symbol. Our math symbols page lists more of these names.
Give any symbol its own shortcut
If you use a symbol many times a day, give it a key combination. Open Insert > Symbol > More Symbols, click the symbol, then click Shortcut Key. Press the keys you want, like Alt + Shift + C, click Assign and close. Pick a combination Word does not already use. The box shows “Currently assigned to” if it is taken.
Word on a Mac
In Word for Mac, the menu is Insert > Advanced Symbol. Alt + X does not work on a Mac, but the Option key shortcuts do, like Option + G for © and Option + Shift + 8 for °. Anything else is in the Character Viewer: press Control + Command + Space. Our Mac symbols guide covers all of these.
Skip the Wingdings trick
Many old tips say to type a letter and switch it to the Wingdings or Symbol font, like P in Wingdings 2 for a check mark. It looks right in Word, but the text is still the letter P. Paste it into an email, a website or Google Docs and it turns back into a P. Real Unicode symbols, from any method above, stay correct everywhere.
Frequently asked questions
How do I insert a check mark in Word?
Type 2713 and press Alt + X. Or use Insert > Symbol > More Symbols, pick the Segoe UI Symbol font and search the Dingbats subset for ✓.
How do I insert the degree symbol in Word?
Type 00B0 and press Alt + X, or hold Alt and type 0176 on the number pad.
Why does Alt + X give me a strange character?
Word read too much text as the code. Select only the code, or type a space before it, and press Alt + X again.
Where is the Symbol button in Word for the web?
It is under Insert > Symbol too, but the web version has a smaller set. For anything missing, copy the symbol from our symbol finder and paste it in.
Why does my symbol show as a box?
The font has no drawing for it. Select the box and change the font to Segoe UI Symbol.
Sources: Microsoft Support, Insert a symbol in Word and Insert a symbol using ASCII or Unicode character codes. Written by Muhammad Ilyas, updated October 2026.
More guides: symbols in Google Docs, symbols on a Mac and Alt codes on Windows.