The cent sign ¢ is Alt+0162 on Windows and Option+4 on a Mac. It marks one hundredth of a dollar and of several other currencies. Modern style prefers writing $0.75 rather than 75¢, so the symbol turns up mostly in price tags, older printing and coin catalogues.
01 All shortcuts at a glance
| Platform | Shortcut | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows (Alt code) | Hold Alt, type 0162 on the numpad |
|
| Windows (any app) | Win+. or Win+; emoji/symbol picker, or Character Map (Win+R → charmap) |
|
| Mac | Control+Command+Space to open Character Viewer, search "Cent Sign" |
|
| Word / Outlook | Type 00A2, then press Alt+X |
|
| Linux (IBus) | Ctrl+Shift+U, then 00a2, then Enter |
|
| HTML / CSS | ¢ · \00a2 (CSS) |
02 Step by step, per platform
A real, followable procedure for every platform, not a thin restatement of the shortcut.
Windows
- Make sure Num Lock is on.
- Hold Alt and type 0162 on the numeric keypad.
- Release Alt, ¢ appears.
Mac
- Press Control+Command+Space to open the Character Viewer.
- Type "Cent Sign" in the search field.
- Double-click the result to insert it.
Microsoft Word
- Type 00A2.
- Press Alt+X immediately after, it converts the hex code to ¢.
03 Characters in this set
04 Troubleshooting & confusables
| Looks like it | But it's actually | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ₡ (U+20A1) | Colon sign, the currency of Costa Rica | It has two strokes through the C. It is a separate currency, not a styled cent. |
| ₵ (U+20B5) | Cedi sign, the currency of Ghana | Also a struck-through C. Use it only for Ghanaian amounts. |
| c or ct | A plain letter abbreviation | Common for euro cents, where the symbol ¢ is not standard practice. |
05 FAQ
What is the Unicode code point for the cent sign?
It is U+00A2, decimal 162. It sits in the Latin-1 Supplement block, so Alt+0162 works on Windows.
Does the cent sign go before or after the number?
After it, as in 75¢. This is the opposite of the dollar sign, which goes in front. Never mix the two in one amount, since $0.75¢ is not a valid figure.
Why is there no cent key on the keyboard?
Early typewriters had one, but the ASCII character set left it out in 1963 and keyboards followed. It came back in Latin-1 and is now available on every system through a shortcut.
Do euro amounts use the cent sign?
No. European convention writes €0,75 or 75 ct rather than using ¢. The symbol is mainly an American and Canadian habit.
How do I type it on a phone?
Press and hold the dollar key on the symbols layer. A row of currency symbols appears, including the cent sign, and you slide to pick it.