Square root symbol (√)
U+221A · SQUARE ROOT · Unicode 1.1 (1993)
How to type √
Windows
Alt code (numeric keypad)
Alt+251
Turn on Num Lock, hold the Alt key, type 251 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
221A Alt+X
Type 221A 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+V
Press ⌥ Option+V 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 “square root 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 ;square.
- Now type ;square anywhere: the keyboard suggests √.
Android
Symbol page in Gboard
?123 → =\<
Tap ?123, then =\<: √ 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 √:
- 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 ;square.
- Type ;square in any app and tap √ in the suggestions.
Linux
Unicode input
Ctrl+Shift+U 221a Enter
Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 221a and press Enter or Space. Works in GTK apps and with IBus (GNOME, Ubuntu, Fedora).
What √ means and how it is used
The radical sign √ marks a square root: √9 = 3, √2 ≈ 1.414. For other roots, put a small index before it or use the cube root ∛ and fourth root ∜ characters. On a Mac press Option+V; on Windows Alt+251. People also use √ as a quick check mark because it looks like a tick.
Square root symbol (√) is the Unicode character U+221A, officially called SQUARE ROOT. 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: radical, radix, root, square, surd.
On this site it is part of the math symbols (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: "\221A"; | |
| JavaScript | \u221A | |
| URL | %E2%88%9A | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 88 9A | |
| Unicode | U+221A |
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 | Square root symbol |
| Português | Símbolo de raiz quadrada |
| Español | Símbolo de raíz cuadrada |
| Italiano | Simbolo radice quadrata |
| Français | Symbole racine carrée |
| Deutsch | Wurzelzeichen |
| Türkçe | Karekök sembolü |
| Bahasa Indonesia | Simbol akar |
| Polski | Symbol pierwiastka |
| Русский | Знак корня |
| 日本語 | ルート記号 (根号) |
| 한국어 | 루트 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 221A and press Alt+X. On a Mac press ⌥ Option+V.
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 ;square.
What is the HTML code for the square root symbol?
Use the entity √ or the numeric code √ (hex √). In CSS write \221A, in JavaScript \u221A.
Will √ show on every phone?
Very likely yes: √ dates from Unicode 1.1 (1993), so every current system has a font for it.