The integral sign ∫ is an elongated S, chosen by Leibniz in 1675 for the Latin summa. It represents the accumulated total of a quantity over an interval. Type 222B then Alt+X in Word. Double and contour integrals have their own characters.
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 "Integral" |
|
| Word / Outlook | Type 222B, then press Alt+X |
|
| Linux (IBus) | Ctrl+Shift+U, then 222b, then Enter |
|
| HTML / CSS | ∫ · \222b (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 Integral (U+222B).
- Select it, click Copy, then paste where you need it.
Mac
- Press Control+Command+Space to open the Character Viewer.
- Type "Integral" in the search field.
- Double-click the result to insert it.
Microsoft Word
- Type 222B.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| ʃ (U+0283) | Latin small letter esh, a phonetic symbol | The sh sound in the phonetic alphabet. It is shorter and belongs to a different block. |
| ∬ (U+222C) | Double integral | For integrating over two dimensions. A single character, not two signs. |
| ∮ (U+222E) | Contour integral | For integrating around a closed path, marked by the circle through the sign. |
05 FAQ
What is the Unicode code point for the integral sign?
It is U+222B, decimal 8747. There is no Windows Alt code for it.
Why is it shaped like an S?
Leibniz took it from the long s used for summa, the Latin for sum, because an integral is the limit of a sum. He first used it in a manuscript of 1675.
How do I write limits on the integral?
As a subscript and superscript on the sign itself. In an equation editor, type the integral then use the subscript and superscript fields, since plain text cannot stack them properly.
What does the dx at the end mean?
It names the variable being integrated over and closes the expression. Omitting it is a common shorthand but is formally incomplete.
What is the symbol with a circle through it?
The contour integral at U+222E, used for integration around a closed loop. It is central to complex analysis and to several results in physics.