How to Type a Check Mark (✓) on Windows, Mac, Word and Phones

There is no plain Alt code for the check mark symbol because it does not exist in the Windows-1252 or CP437 code pages that standard Alt codes use. You need Word’s Unicode shortcut, the Wingdings font trick, a symbol picker, or copy and paste.

Quick Answer

Why There’s No Simple Alt Code

Alt codes with a leading zero (like Alt+0233 for é) pull from the Windows-1252 character set, and codes without a leading zero pull from CP437. Neither set includes a check mark. The check mark lives at Unicode code point U+2713, which is above 255, so it only works through methods built to handle full Unicode: Word’s Alt+X shortcut, a Character Map, or copy and paste.

Windows: Three Reliable Methods

Method 1: Word and Outlook Unicode shortcut

1. Click where you want the check mark.
2. Type 2713.
3. Press Alt+X immediately. The number converts to ✓.

This works in Microsoft Word and Outlook but not in Notepad, Chrome, or most other apps. In Word and WordPad you can also hold Alt and type 10003 on the numeric keypad; this does not work in other apps.

Method 2: Wingdings Alt code

The Wingdings font maps a check mark to character 252. In Word, Excel, or any app that supports font changes:

1. Select the Wingdings font.
2. Hold Alt and type 0252 on the numeric keypad.
3. You get a check mark glyph, but only while the text stays in Wingdings. Switching the font back to normal text breaks it.

This method requires a physical numeric keypad. On laptops without one, enable the keypad with Fn+NumLock or use the on-screen keyboard instead.

Method 3: Windows Character Map or emoji panel

1. Press Win+. (period) or Win+; to open the emoji panel.
2. Click the symbols icon (Ω) and browse the symbols tab for the check mark.
3. Click to insert.

Alternatively, open Character Map (search for it in the Start menu), find the check mark in a font like Segoe UI Symbol, and copy it.

Mac: Character Viewer and Copy-Paste

macOS has no Option-key shortcut for a plain check mark. Use the Character Viewer:

1. Press Control+Command+Space.
2. Type “check” in the search box.
3. Double-click the ✓ symbol to insert it.

You can also just copy ✓ from this page and paste it with Command+V.

iPhone and iPad

There is no check mark key on the standard keyboard. Your options:

1. Add the Emoji keyboard (Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard > Emoji), then search “check” to find ✅ or ✔️.
2. For the plain ✓ symbol, copy it from Notes, Safari, or this page and paste it where needed.
3. Create a text replacement (Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement) that turns a shortcut like “ckmk” into ✓ for fast reuse.

Android

1. Open the emoji keyboard (usually a smiley icon on the keyboard bar) and search “check” for ✅ or ✔️.
2. For the plain ✓ character, copy and paste it from a browser, a notes app, or this page.

Microsoft Word: Insert Symbol Method

If you don’t want to memorize codes:

1. Go to Insert > Symbol > More Symbols.
2. Set the font to (normal text) and the subset to Dingbats, or switch the font to Wingdings.
3. Scroll to find the check mark, select it, and click Insert.
4. Word remembers recently used symbols at the top of the dialog for next time.

Google Docs

1. Go to Insert > Special characters.
2. Type “check” in the search box.
3. Click the check mark variant you want (plain ✓, heavy ✔, or boxed ☑).

Excel and Google Sheets

Spreadsheets offer a few distinct approaches:

• Formula method: =CHAR(252) with the cell font set to Wingdings produces a check mark. In Google Sheets, use =UNICHAR(10003) to get ✓ directly, no font change needed.
• Symbol dialog: In Excel, use Insert > Symbol, choose Wingdings, and find character 252.
• Checkbox vs. symbol: If you want an interactive checkbox people can click, that’s different from a static check mark character. In Excel, use Developer > Insert > Checkbox (Form Control). In Google Sheets, use Insert > Checkbox. These insert a functional TRUE/FALSE control, not a text symbol.

HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

For web pages, use the HTML entity or Unicode escape:

In JavaScript strings, insert it directly as "\u2713".

Troubleshooting

Alt+X does nothing. This shortcut only works in Microsoft Word and Outlook. It does not work in Notepad, browsers, Excel, or most other apps. Use copy and paste instead.

Alt+0252 types a random letter instead of a check mark. You either don’t have the font set to Wingdings, or your keyboard lacks a numeric keypad. Laptop keyboards often need Fn+NumLock enabled, or you should use the virtual numeric keypad via the on-screen keyboard.

The check mark shows as a box or question mark. The font you’re using doesn’t include that glyph. Switch to a font that includes U+2713, such as Segoe UI Symbol.

Pasted symbol looks different in Word. Word sometimes auto-formats pasted Unicode symbols into a different font. Select the symbol and manually set the font back to match your document if this happens.

Frequently asked questions