The ampersand & means "and" and sits on every standard keyboard at Shift+7 on a US layout. The shape began as a ligature of the Latin word et, which is why it still looks like a joined e and t in some italic fonts. Use it in names, credits and tight spaces. Spell out "and" in running prose.
01 All shortcuts at a glance
| Platform | Shortcut | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard US keyboard | Press Shift+7 directly, it's a printable key, no code needed |
|
| Windows (any app) | Win+. or Win+; emoji/symbol picker, or Character Map (Win+R → charmap) |
|
| Mac | Control+Command+Space to open Character Viewer, search "Ampersand" |
|
| Word / Outlook | Type 0026, then press Alt+X |
|
| Linux (IBus) | Ctrl+Shift+U, then 0026, then Enter |
|
| HTML / CSS | & · \0026 (CSS) |
02 Step by step, per platform
A real, followable procedure for every platform, not a thin restatement of the shortcut.
Any device (US keyboard)
- Press Shift+7, it's printed on the keycap.
- On other layouts (AZERTY, QWERTZ) the key may be in a different position or need a modifier, use the picker methods below if you can't find it.
Windows
- Open Character Map: Win+R, type charmap, press Enter.
- Search or scroll for Ampersand (U+0026).
- Select it, click Copy, then paste where you need it.
Mac
- Press Control+Command+Space to open the Character Viewer.
- Type "Ampersand" in the search field.
- Double-click the result to insert it.
Microsoft Word
- Type 0026.
- Press Alt+X immediately after, it converts the hex code to &.
03 Troubleshooting & confusables
| Looks like it | But it's actually | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| & | The HTML entity, not a character | Write it this way inside HTML source. It renders on the page as a single &. |
| ＆ (U+FF06) | Fullwidth ampersand, sized for CJK text | Correct inside Chinese, Japanese or Korean text only. |
| ⅋ (U+214B) | Turned ampersand, a rotated variant | A niche logic and linguistics symbol. It is never a substitute for a normal ampersand. |
04 FAQ
What is the Unicode code point for the ampersand?
It is U+0026, decimal 38. The named HTML entity is & and the numeric form is &.
Why do I have to write & in HTML?
A bare & begins an entity reference, so a browser tries to read what follows as the name of a character. Escaping it as & tells the parser you meant a literal ampersand.
Where does the shape come from?
It is a ligature of the Latin word et, meaning "and". Roman scribes joined the two letters into one mark, and the shape survived into modern type. Many italic faces still show the e and the t clearly.
Can I use an ampersand in a URL?
Yes, but it has a job there already: it separates query parameters. If an ampersand is part of a value rather than a separator, encode it as %26 so the server reads it correctly.
Should I write & or "and"?
Keep the ampersand when it is part of an official name, such as a company or a title. Use the word "and" everywhere else in body text. Headlines, tables and credits are the usual exceptions, where space is tight.