How to type ♀ on Windows
The fastest method on a full-size keyboard is the Alt code Alt+12.
- Make sure Num Lock is on.
- Hold down the Alt key.
- Type 12 on the numeric keypad (the number row will not work).
- Release Alt. The female symbol ♀ appears.
No numeric keypad?
Press Win+. to open the emoji panel, choose the Symbols tab (Ω) and search for "female". 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 "female" 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 ;female 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 2640 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 2640 in the Character code box. In Excel, the formula =UNICHAR(9792) returns the symbol.
How to type ♀ in Google Docs
Open Insert → Special characters, then either search for "female" or draw the symbol in the sketch box. Click the result to insert it. In Google Sheets, use =CHAR(9792).
♀ in HTML, CSS and code
| Format | Code |
|---|---|
| HTML entity | ♀ |
| HTML decimal | ♀ |
| HTML hex | ♀ |
CSS content | "\2640" |
| JavaScript | "\u2640" |
| Python | "\u2640" |
| URL encoded | %E2%99%80 |
Because ♀ is a standard Unicode character (U+2640), 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 female symbol is used
It appears on restroom signs, in biology and genetics to mark female organisms (e.g. 'Parent ♀ x Parent ♂'), and in astrology for Venus. It can be confused with the similar-looking astrological Venus glyph, since both share the same shape.
Frequently asked questions
What does the female symbol mean? +
It represents the female sex or gender, originally derived from the astrological symbol for the planet Venus.
Why is Venus linked to the female symbol? +
Ancient astrologers associated Venus with femininity, so its glyph, a circle over a cross, became the standard symbol for female.
What is the Alt code for the female symbol? +
The Alt code for ♀ is Alt+12. Hold Alt, type 12 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 "female", and double-click it. Or copy it from this page.
How do I type the female 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: "\2640" and in JavaScript use "\u2640".