How to Type Special Characters

Last updated: 2026-06-25

What is a special character

A special character is a symbol that is not printed directly on a standard keyboard. Arrows (→), stars (★), hearts (♥), shapes (●), brackets (「」), math symbols (±, ≠), currency symbols ($, €) and circled characters (①) are all special characters. They are all defined in the international Unicode standard, so when an operating system and app support Unicode they display with the same shape everywhere. However, if a font cannot draw a particular character it may show as a box (□) - this is not a failed input but a display-font problem.

Special characters are often used to decorate nicknames, emphasize items in documents, write equations and units, or tidy up social posts. Below we cover the input methods by operating system and situation.

Method 1. Windows emoji & symbol panel (Win + .)

On Windows 10 and later, press Win + . (period) or Win + ; (semicolon) anywhere to open the emoji and symbol panel. Move to the symbol (Ω) tab at the top to pick punctuation, currency, geometric shapes, math symbols, Latin characters and more by category. You can also type an English name (for example arrow, star, heart) into the search box. This works even on laptops without a number pad.

Method 2. Mac Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space)

On Mac, press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer (emoji and symbols). Browse or search arrows, brackets, currency, math symbols and shapes by category, then double-click to insert at the cursor. Add symbols you use often to Favorites to find them faster next time. You can also type some symbols directly with Option combinations (for example Option+G → ©, Option+2 → ™).

Method 3. Windows Alt codes (numeric keypad)

On Windows you can type many symbols by holding Alt and typing a numeric code on the numeric keypad, then releasing Alt. For example, Alt + 0169 produces ©, and Alt + 0153 produces ™. Alt codes require an actual number pad, so on a laptop without one, use the emoji panel or copy from Font Tools instead.

Method 4. Unicode code point input

Every special character has a unique Unicode number (code point). For example, the arrow → is U+2192 and the star ★ is U+2605. In some Windows programs (such as Word), type the code (2192) and press Alt + X to turn it into the character. In HTML documents you can show → with a character reference like → (decimal) or → (hex). You need to know the code, so it takes more effort, but it is useful when you want to insert an exact character.

Method 5. Copy from Font Tools (the simplest)

If the input methods are confusing, you have no number pad, or you want several symbols at once, the special characters library is fastest. Open arrows, stars, hearts and shapes with the category buttons, or type an English keyword such as "star", "heart" or "arrow" into the search box to find a symbol, then click to copy it instantly to your clipboard. Paste the copied symbol anywhere - messengers, social media, documents, nickname fields - with Ctrl + V (or Cmd + V on Mac). For pretty fonts, use the font converter; for emotions, use the kaomoji library.

Cautions when using special characters

• Display compatibility — even if it looks fine on your screen, it may show as a box if the recipient's device or app font does not support that character. For important documents, prefer common symbols.
• Search & accessibility — putting many special characters in a nickname or title can keep it out of search results, or cause screen readers to read it oddly.
• Service limits — some games and platforms block or automatically strip special character input.

In short, learn a shortcut or Alt code for the one or two symbols you use most, and when there are many or you do not know the name, search and click-to-copy on Font Tools - that combination is the most efficient.

Last updated: 2026-06-25