Empty set symbol (∅)
U+2205 · EMPTY SET · Unicode 1.1 (1993)
How to type ∅
Windows
No Alt code
∅ is not in the Windows code pages 1252 or 437, so it has no Alt code. Use one of the methods below or copy it from this page.
Word and Outlook: Alt + X
2205 Alt+X
Type 2205 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
Character Viewer
Ctrl+⌘ Cmd+Space
Press Ctrl+⌘+Space (or the Globe key + E), search for “empty set 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 ;emptyset.
- Now type ;emptyset 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 ;emptyset.
- Type ;emptyset in any app and tap ∅ in the suggestions.
Linux
Unicode input
Ctrl+Shift+U 2205 Enter
Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 2205 and press Enter or Space. Works in GTK apps and with IBus (GNOME, Ubuntu, Fedora).
What ∅ means and how it is used
Empty set symbol (∅) is the Unicode character U+2205, officially called EMPTY SET. It is in the Mathematical Operators block and has been part of Unicode since version 1.1 (1993).
People also call it or search for it as: empty, mathematics, operator, set.
On this site it is part of the math (148 symbols), next to π ∞ √ ± ×.
Codes for HTML, CSS and JavaScript
Tap Copy next to the code you need.
| HTML entity | ∅ | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML decimal | ∅ | |
| HTML hex | ∅ | |
| CSS | content: "\2205"; | |
| JavaScript | \u2205 | |
| URL | %E2%88%85 | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 88 85 | |
| Unicode | U+2205 |
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…
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 | Empty set symbol |
| Português | Símbolo de conjunto vazio |
| Español | Símbolo de conjunto vacío |
| Italiano | Simbolo insieme vuoto |
| Français | Symbole ensemble vide |
| Deutsch | Leere-Menge-Zeichen |
| Türkçe | Boş küme sembolü |
| Bahasa Indonesia | Simbol himpunan kosong |
| Polski | Symbol zbioru pustego |
| Русский | Знак пустого множества |
| 日本語 | 空集合記号 |
| 한국어 | 공집합 기호 |
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 2205 and press Alt+X.
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 ;emptyset.
What is the HTML code for the empty set symbol?
Use the entity ∅ or the numeric code ∅ (hex ∅). In CSS write \2205, in JavaScript \u2205.
Will ∅ show on every phone?
Very likely yes: ∅ dates from Unicode 1.1 (1993), so every current system has a font for it.