01 Alt codes at a glance
| Character | Windows Alt code | Universal (any codepoint) | Mac | HTML |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asterisk | none | Alt+X after typing 002A (Word) · Ctrl+Shift+U then 002a (Linux) |
Character page → | |
| Black Star | none | Alt+X after typing 2605 (Word) · Ctrl+Shift+U then 2605 (Linux) |
Character page → |
0 of 2 characters here have a legacy Windows Alt+NNNN code, that code only exists for the Latin-1 Supplement range and Windows-1252's fixed special-character block, not for Unicode generally. Every character has the universal hex-based method though: type the hex codepoint, then press Alt+X in Word to convert it.
02 Type it yourself
Type or paste here to confirm a character renders in your own font before you use it.
03 FAQ
How do Windows Alt codes work?
Hold the Alt key and type the number on the numeric keypad (with Num Lock on), then release Alt. The character appears. Legacy Alt+NNNN codes only exist for the Latin-1 Supplement range and the Windows-1252 special-character block, so most Unicode characters do not have one.
What if a character has no Alt code?
Use the universal method instead: type the hex code point shown in the table, then press Alt+X in Microsoft Word to convert it into the character. On Linux, press Ctrl+Shift+U followed by the hex code point.
Is there an Alt code method on a Mac?
Macs do not use the Windows Alt+NNNN system. Instead, hold Option (or Option+Shift) for the built-in accent and symbol shortcuts, or press Control+Command+Space to open the Character Viewer. Each character page lists its exact Mac shortcut.
Can I just copy and paste these characters instead?
Yes, tap any key in the table above to copy the character to your clipboard, then paste it wherever you need it. That works on every device with no codes to memorise.