Alt Codes List ⌨️
200+ special character codes for Windows. Type any symbol using your number pad, or click to copy!
Common Alt Codes
Most frequently used symbol codes
Currency Alt Codes
Money and currency symbol codes
Math Alt Codes
Mathematical operators and notation
Arrow Alt Codes
Directional arrow codes
Accented Letter Alt Codes
International characters and diacritics
Special Alt Codes
Miscellaneous and decorative codes
Alt codes are keyboard shortcuts that let you type special characters on Windows by holding the Alt key and entering a number on the numeric keypad. This system has been part of Windows since its earliest versions and remains one of the fastest ways to insert symbols, accented letters, currency signs, and mathematical notation without leaving your keyboard.
Our comprehensive Alt codes reference lists over 200 of the most useful character codes organized into six categories: common symbols like hearts and music notes, currency signs from around the world, mathematical operators and notation, directional arrows, accented letters for international text, and special characters for technical and decorative use.
To use an Alt code on Windows, make sure Num Lock is enabled on your keyboard. Then hold down the Alt key, type the number sequence on the numeric keypad (not the number row at the top of the keyboard), and release the Alt key. The character will appear at your cursor position. For example, holding Alt and typing 3 on the numpad produces the heart symbol ♥.
Alt codes are invaluable for writers who work with multiple languages, mathematicians and scientists who need special notation, and anyone who frequently types symbols. While modern Windows versions offer the Win+. emoji picker and character map, Alt codes remain faster for commonly used characters once you memorize the numbers.
Every symbol on this page shows its Alt code number in the name field. You can either memorize the codes to type them directly, or simply click any symbol to copy it to your clipboard for immediate pasting. Both methods give you the same Unicode character that works across all applications and platforms.
How to Use Alt Codes
Enable Num Lock
Make sure the Num Lock key on your keyboard is turned on. Alt codes only work with the numeric keypad, not the number row.
Hold Alt + type the number
Hold down the Alt key and type the code number on the numeric keypad. For example, Alt+3 for ♥ or Alt+0169 for ©.
Release Alt
Release the Alt key and the special character will appear at your cursor position. Or simply click any symbol on this page to copy it.
Alt Codes FAQ
Alt codes are keyboard shortcuts for Windows that let you type special characters by holding the Alt key and typing a number on the numeric keypad. Each number corresponds to a specific character in the Windows character set. For example, Alt+1 produces ☺ and Alt+3 produces ♥.
The most common reason is that Num Lock is not enabled, or you are typing on the number row instead of the numeric keypad. Alt codes require the dedicated numpad on the right side of full-size keyboards. Laptop users without a numpad can use the Fn key combination or the on-screen keyboard.
No, Alt codes are a Windows-only feature. On Mac, you can use Option key shortcuts instead. For example, Option+2 for € or Option+Shift+2 for ™. Alternatively, you can use the Character Viewer (Control+Command+Space) on Mac to find and insert special characters.
Regular Alt codes (Alt+1 through Alt+255) use the original IBM PC character set (Code Page 437). Alt+0 codes (Alt+0128 through Alt+0255) use the Windows-1252 character set, which includes additional characters like curly quotes, the euro sign €, and more accented letters. When the same number produces different characters, the Alt+0 version typically gives the more modern character.
Alt codes work in most Windows applications including Microsoft Office, Notepad, web browsers, and messaging apps. Some applications may intercept certain Alt key combinations for their own shortcuts, but the majority of Alt codes work universally across Windows software.
Many laptops have a hidden numpad activated by the Fn key (usually mapped to keys like J, K, L, U, I, O). Check your laptop manual for the specific key combination. Alternatively, you can enable the on-screen keyboard (search for 'on-screen keyboard' in Windows) which has a numpad, or simply copy symbols from this page.
The most commonly used Alt codes are: Alt+3 for ♥ (heart), Alt+1 for ☺ (smiley), Alt+13 for ♪ (music note), Alt+0169 for © (copyright), Alt+0174 for ® (registered), Alt+0153 for ™ (trademark), Alt+0128 for € (euro), and Alt+0176 for ° (degree).
Not exactly. Alt codes map to Windows character sets (Code Page 437 or Windows-1252), while Unicode is a universal standard with over 140,000 characters. Many Alt code characters have Unicode equivalents, and the characters you copy from this page are Unicode characters that work on any modern platform, not just Windows.