How to type ║ on Windows
The fastest method on a full-size keyboard is the Alt code Alt+186.
- Make sure Num Lock is on.
- Hold down the Alt key.
- Type 186 on the numeric keypad (the number row will not work).
- Release Alt. The box drawings double vertical symbol ║ appears.
No numeric keypad?
Press Win+. to open the emoji panel, choose the Symbols tab (Ω) and search for "box drawings double vertical". Or open Character Map from the Start menu, find ║, click Select, then Copy.
How to type ║ on a Mac
There is no direct keyboard shortcut for ║ on a Mac.
For any symbol, the Character Viewer works: press Control+⌘+Space, type "box drawings double vertical" in the search box and double-click the result. It will be remembered under Frequently Used.
How to type ║ on iPhone and iPad
The iOS keyboard does not include ║, so the reliable way is to copy it from this page, then press and hold in any text field and tap Paste.
If you use it often, create a shortcut: open Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement, paste ║ in the Phrase field and type a short code such as ;box in the Shortcut field. Typing that code will then insert ║ anywhere.
How to type ║ on Android
Copy the symbol from this page, then long-press in a text field and choose Paste. Gboard also keeps a clipboard history: tap the clipboard icon on the toolbar to paste it again later.
For a permanent shortcut, open Gboard settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary, add ║ as the word and a short code as the shortcut.
How to type ║ in Microsoft Word
- Type the Unicode hex code 2551 where you want the symbol.
- Press Alt+X. Word converts the code into ║.
This works on Windows in Word, Outlook and OneNote and needs no numeric keypad. You can also go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, set the font to a Unicode font and type 2551 in the Character code box. In Excel, the formula =UNICHAR(9553) returns the symbol.
How to type ║ in Google Docs
Open Insert → Special characters, then either search for "box drawings double vertical" or draw the symbol in the sketch box. Click the result to insert it. In Google Sheets, use =CHAR(9553).
║ in HTML, CSS and code
| Format | Code |
|---|---|
| HTML entity | ║ |
| HTML decimal | ║ |
| HTML hex | ║ |
CSS content | "\2551" |
| JavaScript | "\u2551" |
| Python | "\u2551" |
| URL encoded | %E2%95%91 |
Because ║ is a standard Unicode character (U+2551), you can also paste it directly into any UTF-8 file. The escaped forms above are only needed when the file encoding is uncertain or the symbol must be entered on a keyboard without it.
Where the box drawings double vertical symbol is used
Used in ASCII/Unicode art, terminal user interfaces, and retro-style diagrams to build double-line borders, like "║ Menu ║" or table sides in a CLI app. It is often confused with the single line box character │ or the plain pipe |.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ║ and │? +
║ is a double vertical line while │ is a single vertical line; both belong to the box drawing character set but create different border weights.
Can I use ║ instead of the pipe symbol |? +
They look similar but are different characters; ║ is meant for box drawing layouts, while | is the standard keyboard pipe used in code and text.
What is the Alt code for the box drawings double vertical symbol? +
The Alt code for ║ is Alt+186. Hold Alt, type 186 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt.
How do I type ║ on a Mac? +
There is no dedicated Mac shortcut for ║. Open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space, search for "box drawings double vertical", and double-click it. Or copy it from this page.
How do I type the box drawings double vertical symbol on iPhone or Android? +
Phone keyboards do not include ║ by default. Copy it from this page and paste it, or add it as a text replacement shortcut in Settings so you can type it with a short abbreviation.
What is the HTML code for ║? +
Use ║ in HTML. The numeric form ║ works too. In CSS use content: "\2551" and in JavaScript use "\u2551".