The euro sign € is Alt+0128 on Windows and Option+Shift+2 on a US Mac. On most European layouts it is AltGr+E or AltGr+4. The design is a stylised Greek epsilon with two crossbars, chosen by the European Commission in 1996.
01 All shortcuts at a glance
| Platform | Shortcut | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows (Alt code) | Hold Alt, type 0128 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 "Euro Sign" |
|
| Word / Outlook | Type 20AC, then press Alt+X |
|
| Linux (IBus) | Ctrl+Shift+U, then 20ac, then Enter |
|
| HTML / CSS | € · \20ac (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 0128 on the numeric keypad.
- Release Alt, € appears.
Mac
- Press Control+Command+Space to open the Character Viewer.
- Type "Euro Sign" in the search field.
- Double-click the result to insert it.
Microsoft Word
- Type 20AC.
- 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+00A3) | Pound sign, with one crossbar | For pounds sterling. The euro has two parallel bars and a rounder bowl. |
| ¤ (U+00A4) | Generic currency sign | A placeholder for an unspecified currency. Some old layouts put it where € belongs. |
| EUR | The ISO 4217 currency code | Required in banking and international documents, where the symbol is ambiguous. |
05 FAQ
What is the Unicode code point for the euro sign?
It is U+20AC, decimal 8364. Alt+0128 works on Windows because the euro was added to the Windows-1252 code page.
Does the symbol go before or after the amount?
It varies by country. Ireland and the Netherlands put it first, as in €10. France, Germany and Spain put it after, as in 10 €. Both are correct in their own convention.
How do I type it on a European keyboard?
AltGr+E on most layouts, or AltGr+4 on UK and Irish keyboards. If AltGr is missing, Ctrl+Alt with the same key does the same thing.
Why does my euro sign appear as a box?
Very old fonts and pre-1998 code pages predate the character. Modern systems all include it, so a box usually means a legacy font is being forced.
What does the design mean?
It is based on the Greek letter epsilon, referring to the cradle of European civilisation and to the first letter of Europe. The two parallel lines were meant to signal stability.