Approximately symbol (≈)
U+2248 · ALMOST EQUAL TO · Unicode 1.1 (1993)
How to type ≈
Windows
Alt code (numeric keypad)
Alt+247
Turn on Num Lock, hold the Alt key, type 247 on the numeric keypad and let go of Alt: ≈ appears.
Uses the old DOS code page 437, which US-English Windows uses for Alt codes without a leading 0; on Windows set to other languages the result can differ.
Word and Outlook: Alt + X
2248 Alt+X
Type 2248 and press Alt+X right after it: Word turns the code into ≈. Press Alt+X again to turn it back into the code.
Emoji and symbols panel (Windows 10 and 11)
Win+.
Press Win + full stop (.) to open the panel, go to the Symbols tab (Ω) and pick ≈.
No numeric keypad on your laptop? See the other ways in our Alt codes guide.
Mac
Keyboard shortcut (U.S. layout)
⌥ Option+X
Press ⌥ Option+X to type ≈. This is on the standard U.S. and U.S. English Mac layouts.
Character Viewer
Ctrl+⌘ Cmd+Space
Press Ctrl+⌘+Space (or the Globe key + E), search for “approximately symbol” and click ≈ to insert it.
iPhone
Make a shortcut (Text Replacement)
Turn a short word into ≈ once and type it in any app:
- Copy ≈ from this page.
- Open Settings › General › Keyboard › Text Replacement and tap +.
- Paste ≈ as the Phrase and type a Shortcut, for example ;approx.
- Now type ;approx anywhere: the keyboard suggests ≈.
Android
Make a shortcut (Gboard personal dictionary)
Teach your keyboard a short word that turns into ≈:
- Copy ≈ from this page.
- Open Gboard settings › Dictionary › Personal dictionary, choose your language and tap +.
- Paste ≈ as the word and type a shortcut, for example ;approx.
- Type ;approx in any app and tap ≈ in the suggestions.
Linux
Unicode input
Ctrl+Shift+U 2248 Enter
Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 2248 and press Enter or Space. Works in GTK apps and with IBus (GNOME, Ubuntu, Fedora).
What ≈ means and how it is used
≈ means approximately equal: π ≈ 3.14. Related signs differ: ≃ is asymptotically equal, ≅ congruent, and ~ is used loosely for 'about'. In Japan ≒ (nearly equal) is the common school form. On a Mac press Option+X; on Windows Alt+247 with a numeric keypad.
In Unicode, ≈ is code point U+2248 with the official name ALMOST EQUAL TO. It belongs to the Mathematical Operators block and arrived with Unicode 1.1 in 1993.
Other words for it: almost, approximate, approximation, equal.
You will find it in our math symbols, 148 symbols in all, together with π ∞ √ ± ×.
Codes for HTML, CSS and JavaScript
Tap Copy next to the code you need.
| HTML entity | ≈ | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML decimal | ≈ | |
| HTML hex | ≈ | |
| CSS | content: "\2248"; | |
| JavaScript | \u2248 | |
| URL | %E2%89%88 | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 89 88 | |
| Unicode | U+2248 |
Will it show on my friend's phone?
Very likely yes: ≈ dates from Unicode 1.1 (1993), so every current system has a font for it.
Checking your device…
Don't confuse ≈ with
These look alike but are different characters. Search, sorting and screen readers treat them differently, so copy the one you mean.
- ≈Approximately symbolU+2248 · ALMOST EQUAL TO
- 𑇞U+111DE · Sharada
Names in other languages
What ≈ is called in the 12 languages of this site (Unicode CLDR and our editors). Tap a name to open that language's page.
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Approximately symbol |
| Português | Símbolo de aproximadamente |
| Español | Símbolo de aproximadamente |
| Italiano | Simbolo circa |
| Français | Symbole environ |
| Deutsch | Ungefähr-Zeichen |
| Türkçe | Yaklaşık eşittir işareti |
| Bahasa Indonesia | Simbol kira-kira (hampir sama dengan) |
| Polski | Znak w przybliżeniu (około) |
| Русский | Знак приблизительно |
| 日本語 | ほぼ等しい記号 |
| 한국어 | 약 기호 (근삿값) |
Related symbols
All Math →Questions people ask
How do I type ≈ on a laptop without a numeric keypad?
On Windows press Win + full stop (.) and pick ≈ in the Symbols tab, or in Word type 2248 and press Alt+X. On a Mac press ⌥ Option+X.
What is the difference between ≈ and 𑇞?
≈ is the approximately symbol (U+2248). 𑇞 is a different character: 𑇞 (U+111DE, Sharada block). They can look alike, but computers treat them as different letters, so a search for one will not find the other.
How do I type ≈ on an iPhone?
The iPhone keyboard has no key for ≈. Copy it here, then add it in Settings › General › Keyboard › Text Replacement with a shortcut like ;approx.
What is the HTML code for the approximately symbol?
Use the entity ≈ or the numeric code ≈ (hex ≈). In CSS write \2248, in JavaScript \u2248.
Will ≈ show on every phone?
Very likely yes: ≈ dates from Unicode 1.1 (1993), so every current system has a font for it.