How to type > on Windows
The greater-than sign 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 "greater-than sign". 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 "greater-than sign" 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 ;greater 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 003E 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 003E in the Character code box. In Excel, the formula =UNICHAR(62) returns the symbol.
How to type > in Google Docs
Open Insert → Special characters, then either search for "greater-than sign" or draw the symbol in the sketch box. Click the result to insert it. In Google Sheets, use =CHAR(62).
> in HTML, CSS and code
| Format | Code |
|---|---|
| HTML entity | > |
| HTML decimal | > |
| HTML hex | > |
CSS content | "\003E" |
| JavaScript | "\u003E" |
| Python | "\u003E" |
| URL encoded | %3E |
Because > is a standard Unicode character (U+003E), 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 greater-than sign symbol is used
It appears in math and coding to compare values, such as x > 10, and in text to show direction or hierarchy, like File > Save. It is also used in quoting email replies and can resemble a right angle bracket or arrow.
Frequently asked questions
What does > mean in math? +
It means the value on the left is greater than the value on the right, such as 7 > 2.
What does > mean in coding? +
In most programming languages, > is a comparison operator that checks whether one value is larger than another, returning true or false.
What is the Alt code for the greater-than sign symbol? +
The greater-than sign symbol has no short Alt code. Copy it from this page, or in Word type 003E 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 "greater-than sign", and double-click it. Or copy it from this page.
How do I type the greater-than sign 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: "\003E" and in JavaScript use "\u003E".