The care of sign ℅ is a single character standing for "c/o" on an address line. It marks mail sent to someone at another person's address. Type 2105 then Alt+X in Word, or copy it. Most postal services now prefer the plain letters c/o.
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 "Care Of" |
|
| Word / Outlook | Type 2105, then press Alt+X |
|
| Linux (IBus) | Ctrl+Shift+U, then 2105, then Enter |
|
| HTML / CSS | ℅ · \2105 (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 Care Of (U+2105).
- Select it, click Copy, then paste where you need it.
Mac
- Press Control+Command+Space to open the Character Viewer.
- Type "Care Of" in the search field.
- Double-click the result to insert it.
Microsoft Word
- Type 2105.
- Press Alt+X immediately after, it converts the hex code to ℅.
03 Troubleshooting & confusables
| Looks like it | But it's actually | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| c/o | Three plain characters | The form nearly every postal service and address validator expects. |
| % (U+0025) | Percent sign | A similar slash-and-circle shape. Entirely unrelated in meaning. |
| ℀ (U+2100) | Account of | A bookkeeping abbreviation, not an addressing one. |
04 FAQ
What is the Unicode code point for the care of sign?
It is U+2105, decimal 8453. There is no Windows Alt code for it.
Should I use ℅ or c/o on an envelope?
Use c/o. Address parsers, label printers and postal software are built around the plain letters, and the single character can fail validation or be dropped.
What does care of mean?
It directs mail to a recipient at an address that is not their own, such as a guest at a hotel or an employee at a company. The named householder receives it on their behalf.
Where does it go in an address?
On the line below the recipient's name and above the street address, as in Jane Doe, then c/o John Smith, then the street.
Why does the character exist?
It was inherited from typewriter and telex character sets that packed common abbreviations into single positions. Unicode encoded it for compatibility rather than because it is recommended.