Lowercase alpha α is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. Type 03B1 then Alt+X in Word, or switch to a Greek keyboard where it sits on the A key. It names the first item in a series, the significance level in statistics, and angular acceleration in physics.
01 All shortcuts at a glance
| Platform | Shortcut | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows (any app) | Win+. or Win+; emoji/symbol picker, or Character Map (Win+R → charmap) |
|
| Mac | Control+Command+Space to open Character Viewer, search "Greek Small Letter Alpha" |
|
| Word / Outlook | Type 03B1, then press Alt+X |
|
| Linux (IBus) | Ctrl+Shift+U, then 03b1, then Enter |
|
| HTML / CSS | α · \03b1 (CSS) |
02 Step by step, per platform
A real, followable procedure for every platform, not a thin restatement of the shortcut.
Windows
- Open Character Map: Win+R, type charmap, press Enter.
- Search or scroll for Greek Small Letter Alpha (U+03B1).
- Select it, click Copy, then paste where you need it.
Mac
- Press Control+Command+Space to open the Character Viewer.
- Type "Greek Small Letter Alpha" in the search field.
- Double-click the result to insert it.
Microsoft Word
- Type 03B1.
- Press Alt+X immediately after, it converts the hex code to α.
03 Characters in this set
04 Troubleshooting & confusables
| Looks like it | But it's actually | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| a (U+0061) | The Latin letter a | Alpha has a distinct looped shape. A Latin a will not display in a Greek font run. |
| ∝ (U+221D) | Proportional to, a maths relation | It is open on the right where alpha closes. A common misreading in equations. |
| Α (U+0391) | Greek capital alpha | The capital is identical to a Latin A in most fonts but is a separate character. |
05 FAQ
What is the Unicode code point for alpha?
Lowercase alpha is U+03B1 and the capital is U+0391. There is no Windows Alt code, since Greek falls outside the Windows-1252 code page.
What does α mean in statistics?
It is the significance level, the probability of rejecting a true null hypothesis. Setting α to 0.05 means accepting a one in twenty chance of a false positive.
How do I type Greek letters quickly in Word?
Type the four-digit code point and press Alt+X, so 03B1 becomes α. You can also use the Symbol dialog, which has a dedicated Greek subset.
What does alpha mean in finance?
It is the return an investment earns above its benchmark after adjusting for risk. Beta measures the exposure to the market, and alpha is what is left over.
Is α the same as the proportional sign?
No, though they are frequently confused in handwriting. The proportional sign ∝ at U+221D is open on the right, while alpha closes into a loop.