Alt Codes List
Every common Windows Alt code with the character it produces and what it is called — searchable, and clickable to copy if you have no numeric keypad.
How to use it
- Hold Alt and type the number on the numeric keypad — not the row of numbers above the letters.
- Codes with a leading zero use the Windows-1252 set, and the zero matters.
- On a laptop with no keypad, click the character here to copy it instead.
Examples
| Alt + 0169 | © |
| Alt + 248 | ° |
| Alt + 0128 | € |
Alt codes are a Windows-specific trick for typing characters that have no key of their own — accented letters, currency signs, fractions, legal symbols — by holding Alt and typing a number on the numeric keypad. The system dates back to MS-DOS and the original IBM PC code pages, which is why it still behaves oddly by modern standards: the same digits with and without a leading zero can produce two entirely different characters.
This page lists the common codes searchable by character, name or use, and every character is also clickable to copy directly — the fallback for laptops with no numeric keypad, where Alt codes generally do not work at all.
Frequently used codes
| Code | Character | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Alt + 0169 | © | Copyright sign |
| Alt + 0174 | ® | Registered trademark |
| Alt + 0153 | ™ | Trademark |
| Alt + 0176 | ° | Degree sign |
| Alt + 0128 | € | Euro sign |
| Alt + 0163 | £ | Pound sign |
| Alt + 0189 | ½ | One half |
| Alt + 0177 | ± | Plus-minus sign |
| Alt + 0233 | é | e with acute accent |
| Alt + 0241 | ñ | n with tilde |
Why the leading zero matters
Alt+169 and Alt+0169 are different characters. Without the leading zero, Windows interprets the code against the older OEM/IBM code page (typically CP437 or CP850, depending on region). With the leading zero, it uses the Windows-1252 (ANSI) code page — the set that actually contains the copyright sign at position 169. That mismatch is the single most common reason an Alt code "does not work": the number was right, but the code page it was interpreted against was not the one intended.
Requirements for Alt codes to work at all
- A physical numeric keypad — the number row above the letters does not trigger Alt codes.
- Num Lock switched on.
- The digits typed while Alt is held down continuously, released only after the last digit.
- A text field, not every application respects the codes — some intercept Alt as a menu shortcut instead.
No keypad? Use Alt codes on a laptop
Most laptops hide a numeric keypad inside the main keyboard, toggled with Fn+NumLock, with the numbers overlaid on letters like J, K, L. It is fiddly enough that clicking the character directly on this page — which copies it straight to the clipboard — is usually faster for a one-off symbol.
Questions people ask
Why does nothing happen when I try an Alt code?
Almost always because the numbers came from the top row rather than the numeric keypad, or Num Lock is off. On a laptop without a keypad, Alt codes generally do not work at all.
What is the difference between Alt+169 and Alt+0169?
They use different character sets. Without the leading zero you get the old IBM code page; with it you get Windows-1252. Alt+0169 gives the copyright sign, Alt+169 does not.
How do I type special characters on a Mac?
Mac does not use Alt codes. Use Option key combinations, or open the Character Viewer with Control-Command-Space.
Does this page work offline?
Yes, after the first visit. The whole reference is part of the page and the service worker caches it.
Last updated 22 August 2026