How to type symbols on a Mac
The Option key turns your Mac keyboard into a symbol keyboard. Here is every shortcut of the U.S. layout, read from the layout data of macOS itself.
Option key shortcuts (U.S. layout)
Hold Option (⌥), and Shift (⇧) where shown, then press the key. For example ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+8 types the degree sign °. Other layouts (British, German, French…) put symbols on other keys.
| Symbol | Keys |
|---|---|
| Latin small letter a with ring above | ⌥ Option+A |
| Latin capital letter a with ring above | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+A |
| Eszett (sharp S) | ⌥ Option+S |
| Latin capital letter i with acute | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+S |
| Partial derivative symbol | ⌥ Option+D |
| Latin capital letter i with circumflex | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+D |
| Latin small letter f with hook | ⌥ Option+F |
| Latin capital letter i with diaeresis | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+F |
| Dot above | ⌥ Option+H |
| Latin capital letter o with acute | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+H |
| Copyright symbol | ⌥ Option+G |
| Double acute accent | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+G |
| Omega symbol | ⌥ Option+Z |
| Cedilla | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+Z |
| Approximately symbol | ⌥ Option+X |
| Ogonek | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+X |
| C cedilla | ⌥ Option+C |
| Latin capital letter c with cedilla | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+C |
| Square root symbol | ⌥ Option+V |
| Lozenge | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+V |
| Integral symbol | ⌥ Option+B |
| Dotless i | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+B |
| Oe ligature | ⌥ Option+Q |
| Latin capital ligature oe | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+Q |
| Summation symbol (sigma) | ⌥ Option+W |
| Low double quotation mark | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+W |
| Acute accent | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+E |
| Registered trademark symbol | ⌥ Option+R |
| Per mille sign | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+R |
| Japanese yen symbol | ⌥ Option+Y |
| Latin capital letter a with acute | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+Y |
| Dagger symbol | ⌥ Option+T |
| Caron | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+T |
| Upside down exclamation mark | ⌥ Option+1 |
| Fraction slash | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+1 |
| TM symbol | ⌥ Option+2 |
| Euro symbol | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+2 |
| Pound sterling symbol | ⌥ Option+3 |
| Single left-pointing angle quotation mark | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+3 |
| Cent symbol | ⌥ Option+4 |
| Single right-pointing angle quotation mark | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+4 |
| Section symbol | ⌥ Option+6 |
| FL | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+6 |
| Infinity symbol | ⌥ Option+5 |
| FI | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+5 |
| Does not equal symbol | ⌥ Option+= |
| Plus or minus symbol | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+= |
| Feminine ordinal indicator | ⌥ Option+9 |
| Middle dot | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+9 |
| Paragraph symbol (pilcrow) | ⌥ Option+7 |
| Double dagger symbol | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+7 |
| En dash | ⌥ Option+- |
| Em dash | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+- |
| Bullet point symbol | ⌥ Option+8 |
| Degree symbol | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+8 |
| Masculine ordinal indicator | ⌥ Option+0 |
| Low right apostrophe | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+0 |
| Left apostrophe | ⌥ Option+] |
| Right apostrophe | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+] |
| Latin small letter o with stroke | ⌥ Option+O |
| O with stroke | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+O |
| Diaeresis | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+U |
| Left double quotation mark | ⌥ Option+[ |
| Right quotation mark | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+[ |
| Modifier letter circumflex accent | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+I |
| Pi symbol | ⌥ Option+P |
| Product symbol (capital pi) | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+P |
| Not sign (negation) | ⌥ Option+L |
| Latin capital letter o with grave | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+L |
| Increment | ⌥ Option+J |
| Latin capital letter o with circumflex | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+J |
| Ash (ae ligature) | ⌥ Option+' |
| Latin capital letter ae | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+' |
| Ring above (small ring) | ⌥ Option+K |
| Ellipsis symbol | ⌥ Option+; |
| Latin capital letter u with acute | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+; |
| Left guillemet (angle quote) | ⌥ Option+\ |
| Right guillemet | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+\ |
| Less than or equal to symbol | ⌥ Option+, |
| Macron | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+, |
| Divide symbol | ⌥ Option+/ |
| Upside down question mark | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+/ |
| Small tilde | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+N |
| Micro symbol | ⌥ Option+M |
| Latin capital letter a with circumflex | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+M |
| Greater than or equal to symbol | ⌥ Option+. |
| Breve | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+. |
| Grave accent | ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+` |
Source: macOS U.S.. Status: macOS 15.3.1 layout data via UCKeyTranslate, 2026-10-22 (Keyboard Viewer check pending).
Accents with dead keys
Some Option shortcuts are dead keys (⌥ Option+E, ⌥ Option+I, ⌥ Option+N, ⌥ Option+U, ⌥ Option+`): they add an accent to the next letter. Press ⌥E then E for é, ⌥N then N for ñ, ⌥U then U for ü.
The Character Viewer
For symbols that have no shortcut, the Character Viewer has every character your Mac can show.
- Click where you want the symbol.
- Press Ctrl+⌘+Space, or the Globe key + E, or choose Edit › Emoji & Symbols.
- Type a name in the search field, for example "arrow".
- Click the symbol to insert it. Click the expand button for the full window with categories and favourites.
Your own shortcuts
Text replacements turn a short word into a symbol in every app, and they sync to your iPhone through iCloud.
- Open System Settings › Keyboard › Text Replacements.
- Click +, type the shortcut (for example ;deg) and paste the symbol as the replacement.
- Type the shortcut followed by a space anywhere.
Questions people ask
How do I type the degree symbol on a Mac?
Press ⌥ Option+⇧ Shift+8 on the U.S. layout. ⌥K gives the small ring ˚, which is a different character.
How do I type € on a Mac?
Press ⌥⇧2 on the U.S. layout. On most European layouts € is on ⌥E or ⌥5 instead.
Do Windows Alt codes work on a Mac?
No. Macs use the Option key and the Character Viewer instead.
How do I see which symbols my keyboard has?
Turn on "Show Input menu in menu bar" in System Settings › Keyboard, then choose Show Keyboard Viewer and hold Option.