Pi symbol (π)
U+03C0 · GREEK SMALL LETTER PI · Unicode 1.1 (1993)
How to type π
Windows
Alt code (numeric keypad)
Alt+227
Turn on Num Lock, hold the Alt key, type 227 on the numeric keypad and let go of Alt: π 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
03C0 Alt+X
Type 03C0 and press Alt+X right after it: Word turns the code into π. 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 π.
No numeric keypad on your laptop? See the other ways in our Alt codes guide.
Mac
Keyboard shortcut (U.S. layout)
⌥ Option+P
Press ⌥ Option+P to type π. 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 “pi symbol” and click π to insert it.
iPhone
Make a shortcut (Text Replacement)
Turn a short word into π once and type it in any app:
- Copy π from this page.
- Open Settings › General › Keyboard › Text Replacement and tap +.
- Paste π as the Phrase and type a Shortcut, for example ;pi.
- Now type ;pi anywhere: the keyboard suggests π.
Android
Symbol page in Gboard
?123 → =\<
Tap ?123, then =\<: π has its own key there.
Checked on the English (US) keyboard. Other keyboard languages may place it elsewhere.
Make a shortcut (Gboard personal dictionary)
Teach your keyboard a short word that turns into π:
- Copy π from this page.
- Open Gboard settings › Dictionary › Personal dictionary, choose your language and tap +.
- Paste π as the word and type a shortcut, for example ;pi.
- Type ;pi in any app and tap π in the suggestions.
Linux
Unicode input
Ctrl+Shift+U 03c0 Enter
Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 03c0 and press Enter or Space. Works in GTK apps and with IBus (GNOME, Ubuntu, Fedora).
What π means and how it is used
Pi π is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, about 3.14159, and the most famous use of a Greek letter in maths. 14 March (3/14) is celebrated as Pi Day. On a Mac press Option+P; on Windows Alt+227 with a numeric keypad. The capital Π means a product of many factors.
The official Unicode name of π is GREEK SMALL LETTER PI, code point U+03C0. You will find it in the Greek and Coptic block; it was added in Unicode 1.1 (1993).
It sits in the math symbols with 148 symbols, among them ∞ √ ± × ÷.
Codes for HTML, CSS and JavaScript
Tap Copy next to the code you need.
| HTML entity | π | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML decimal | π | |
| HTML hex | π | |
| CSS | content: "\03C0"; | |
| JavaScript | \u03C0 | |
| URL | %CF%80 | |
| UTF-8 bytes | CF 80 | |
| Unicode | U+03C0 |
Will it show on my friend's phone?
π has been in Unicode since version 1.1 (1993). Practically every phone, computer and app shows it.
Checking your device…
Don't confuse π with
These look alike but are different characters. Search, sorting and screen readers treat them differently, so copy the one you mean.
- πPi symbolU+03C0 · GREEK SMALL LETTER PI
- Greek pi symbolU+03D6 · GREEK PI SYMBOL · Greek and Coptic
- ПU+043F · Cyrillic
- ᴨU+1D28 · Phonetic Extensions
- ℼU+213C · Letterlike Symbols
- ⲠU+2CA1 · Coptic
- U+16EC1 · Beria Erfe
Names in other languages
What π 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 | Pi symbol |
| Português | Símbolo de pi |
| Español | Símbolo de pi |
| Italiano | Simbolo pi greco |
| Français | Symbole pi |
| Deutsch | Pi-Zeichen |
| Türkçe | Pi sembolü |
| Bahasa Indonesia | Simbol pi |
| Polski | Symbol pi |
| Русский | Символ пи |
| 日本語 | パイ記号 (円周率) |
| 한국어 | 파이 기호 |
Related symbols
All Math →Questions people ask
How do I type π on a laptop without a numeric keypad?
On Windows press Win + full stop (.) and pick π in the Symbols tab, or in Word type 03C0 and press Alt+X. On a Mac press ⌥ Option+P.
What is the difference between π and ϖ?
π is the pi symbol (U+03C0). ϖ is a different character: greek pi symbol (U+03D6, Greek and Coptic 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 π on an iPhone?
The iPhone keyboard has no key for π. Copy it here, then add it in Settings › General › Keyboard › Text Replacement with a shortcut like ;pi.
What is the HTML code for the pi symbol?
Use the entity π or the numeric code π (hex π). In CSS write \03C0, in JavaScript \u03C0.
Will π show on every phone?
π has been in Unicode since version 1.1 (1993). Practically every phone, computer and app shows it.