How to type │ on Windows
The fastest method on a full-size keyboard is the Alt code Alt+179.
- Make sure Num Lock is on.
- Hold down the Alt key.
- Type 179 on the numeric keypad (the number row will not work).
- Release Alt. The box drawings light vertical symbol │ appears.
No numeric keypad?
Press Win+. to open the emoji panel, choose the Symbols tab (Ω) and search for "box drawings light 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 light 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 2502 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 2502 in the Character code box. In Excel, the formula =UNICHAR(9474) returns the symbol.
How to type │ in Google Docs
Open Insert → Special characters, then either search for "box drawings light vertical" or draw the symbol in the sketch box. Click the result to insert it. In Google Sheets, use =CHAR(9474).
│ in HTML, CSS and code
| Format | Code |
|---|---|
| HTML entity | │ |
| HTML decimal | │ |
| HTML hex | │ |
CSS content | "\2502" |
| JavaScript | "\u2502" |
| Python | "\u2502" |
| URL encoded | %E2%94%82 |
Because │ is a standard Unicode character (U+2502), 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 light vertical symbol is used
Used in ASCII/Unicode art, terminal UIs, and text tables to form vertical borders, like "│ Name │ Age │". Often paired with ├, ┤, ┬, ┴ for joints. Sometimes confused with the plain pipe character |, which is narrower and used in code rather than box drawing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between │ and the pipe symbol |? +
│ is a dedicated box-drawing character meant for continuous vertical lines in tables and diagrams, while | is a punctuation mark used in code, math, and text formatting.
Where is │ commonly used in practice? +
It appears in command-line interfaces, monospaced text diagrams, and retro terminal-style designs to create clean vertical dividers between columns or sections.
What is the Alt code for the box drawings light vertical symbol? +
The Alt code for │ is Alt+179. Hold Alt, type 179 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 light vertical", and double-click it. Or copy it from this page.
How do I type the box drawings light 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: "\2502" and in JavaScript use "\u2502".