How to type ` on Windows
The grave accent symbol has no short Alt code. The quickest option is to copy it from the top of this page and paste it with Ctrl+V.
No numeric keypad?
Press Win+. to open the emoji panel, choose the Symbols tab (Ω) and search for "grave accent". 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 "grave accent" 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 ;grave 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 0060 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 0060 in the Character code box. In Excel, the formula =UNICHAR(96) returns the symbol.
How to type ` in Google Docs
Open Insert → Special characters, then either search for "grave accent" or draw the symbol in the sketch box. Click the result to insert it. In Google Sheets, use =CHAR(96).
` in HTML, CSS and code
| Format | Code |
|---|---|
| HTML entity | ` |
| HTML decimal | ` |
| HTML hex | ` |
CSS content | "\0060" |
| JavaScript | "\u0060" |
| Python | "\u0060" |
| URL encoded | %60 |
Because ` is a standard Unicode character (U+0060), 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 grave accent symbol is used
It's widely used in programming as a backtick to mark code, such as `console.log()` in Markdown or template literals like `Hello ${name}`. It's often confused with the apostrophe ('), which slants the opposite way and serves a different grammatical purpose.
Frequently asked questions
Is a grave accent the same as an apostrophe? +
No. The grave accent slants left and is used in code or as a diacritic, while the apostrophe slants right and shows possession or contraction in writing.
Why is the grave accent called a backtick? +
It's called a backtick because it looks like a backward-leaning tick mark, distinguishing it from the forward-leaning apostrophe or single quote.
What is the Alt code for the grave accent symbol? +
The grave accent symbol has no short Alt code. Copy it from this page, or in Word type 0060 and press Alt + X.
How do I type ` on a Mac? +
There is no dedicated Mac shortcut for `. Open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space, search for "grave accent", and double-click it. Or copy it from this page.
How do I type the grave accent 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: "\0060" and in JavaScript use "\u0060".