Keyboard Symbols List: Names, Meanings, Shortcuts, Alt Codes & Copy-Paste Symbols

A keyboard symbols list makes it easier to identify, type, and copy special characters such as @, #, $, %, &, ~, |, \, and ^. These symbols appear in everyday writing, email addresses, passwords, programming, mathematics, websites, usernames, and documents.

Some symbols are printed directly on keyboard keys, while others require Shift, Alt codes, Unicode input, a character viewer, or copy and paste. Their names can also be confusing. For example, ~ is called a tilde, | is a vertical bar or pipe, and ` is a backtick or grave accent.

This complete keyboard symbols list explains the names, meanings, common uses, shortcuts, Windows Alt codes, Unicode methods, and copy-and-paste options for common keyboard characters.

Quick Keyboard Symbols List

If you only need the most common keyboard symbols, use this quick reference:

! @ # $ % ^ & * ( )

_ – + = [ ] { }

\ | ; : ‘ ” , . / ?

` ~ < >

Here are their names:

What Are Keyboard Symbols?

Keyboard symbols are characters that can be entered through a physical or virtual keyboard. They include punctuation marks, mathematical operators, currency signs, brackets, programming characters, and other special characters.

Not every symbol has to be printed on a keyboard. Windows, macOS, Microsoft Word, mobile keyboards, and character utilities provide additional ways to enter symbols that are not visible on the keys.

Common categories include:

• Punctuation symbols
• Mathematical symbols
• Currency symbols
• Programming symbols
• Brackets
• Technical symbols
• Typographical symbols
• Special characters
• Accent characters
• Arrows and decorative characters

The exact symbols and shortcuts depend on the keyboard layout and operating system.

Complete Keyboard Symbols Names List

Tilde ~

The ~ symbol is called a tilde.

Common uses include:

• Approximation
• Mathematical notation
• Programming
• File paths in some systems
• Search and command-line operations

Example:

~100

Backtick `

The ` character is called a backtick, grave accent, or grave.

It is commonly used in programming and command-line environments.

Example:

`code`

It should not be confused with the apostrophe ‘.

Exclamation Mark !

The ! symbol is an exclamation mark.

It is used for:

• Strong emphasis
• Exclamations
• Programming
• Logical NOT in some programming languages

Example:

Stop!

At Sign @

The @ symbol is called the at sign.

Common uses include:

• Email addresses
• Social media mentions
• Programming
• Usernames

Example:

name@example.com

Hash #

The # character is commonly called:

• Hash
• Number sign
• Pound sign
• Octothorpe

It is widely used in hashtags and programming.

Example:

#Travel

Dollar Sign $

The $ symbol is called the dollar sign.

It commonly represents money but also has programming uses.

Example:

$100

Percent Sign %

The % character is the percent sign.

Example:

50%

It means a proportion out of 100 and is also used as an operator in some programming languages.

Caret ^

The ^ character is called a caret.

It can represent:

• Exponents in plain-text mathematics
• Insertion
• Programming operations
• Regular expressions

Example:

2^3

Ampersand &

The & symbol is called an ampersand.

It represents “and” and is common in business names, HTML, URLs, and programming.

Example:

Sales & Marketing

Asterisk *

The * symbol is called an asterisk.

It can mean:

• Multiplication
• Footnote
• Wildcard
• Special programming operator

Example:

5 * 4

Parentheses ( )

Parentheses are used to group information or mathematical expressions.

(10 + 5) × 2

The individual symbols are called the left parenthesis ( and right parenthesis ).

Underscore _

The _ symbol is called an underscore.

It is frequently used in:

• Usernames
• File names
• Programming
• Database fields

Example:

first_name

Hyphen –

The – character is usually called a hyphen when joining words.

It can also represent a minus sign in plain text.

Example:

well-known

A true mathematical minus sign is −, which is different from the keyboard hyphen-minus -.

Plus Sign +

The + symbol represents addition and is also used in programming, telephone numbers, and search expressions.

Example:

5 + 5 = 10

Equals Sign =

The = symbol is called the equals sign.

It indicates equality in mathematics and has assignment-related uses in many programming languages.

Example:

10 = 10

Square Brackets [ ]

Square brackets are commonly used in:

• Mathematics
• Programming
• Editing
• Citations
• Technical writing

Example:

[important information]

Curly Braces { }

Curly braces are also called braces.

They are especially common in programming and mathematics.

Example:

{1, 2, 3}

Backslash \

The \ symbol is called a backslash.

It is commonly used in:

• Windows file paths
• Programming
• Escape sequences
• Regular expressions

Example:

C:\Users\Name

Vertical Bar |

The | symbol is called a vertical bar, vertical line, or pipe.

It has many technical and programming uses.

Example:

A | B

Colon :

The : symbol is a colon.

It is used in:

• Lists
• Explanations
• Time
• Ratios
• Programming

Example:

10:30

Semicolon ;

The ; symbol is a semicolon.

It is used in writing and many programming languages.

Example:

First item; second item

Apostrophe ‘

The ‘ symbol is commonly called an apostrophe when used in contractions or possessives.

Example:

don’t

John’s

It can also function as a single quotation mark.

Quotation Mark “

The ” character is called a double quotation mark.

Example:

“Hello”

Comma ,

The comma separates items, phrases, and clauses.

Example:

apples, oranges, and bananas

Period .

The . character is called a period in American English and a full stop in British English.

It is also called a dot in many technical contexts.

Examples:

example.com

3.14

Slash /

The / character is called a slash or forward slash.

It is commonly used in:

• URLs
• Dates
• Fractions
• File paths on some systems
• Programming

Question Mark ?

The ? symbol is a question mark.

Example:

Where are you?

Less-Than <

The < symbol is called the less-than sign.

Example:

5 < 10

Greater-Than >

The > symbol is called the greater-than sign.

Example:

10 > 5

Symbols on the Number Row

On a standard US QWERTY keyboard, the number keys also produce symbols when used with Shift.

For example:

Shift + 1 = !

Shift + 2 = @

Shift + 3 = #

Shift + 4 = $

Shift + 5 = %

Shift + 6 = ^

Shift + 7 = &

Shift + 8 = *

Shift + 9 = (

Shift + 0 = )

These combinations apply to a common US keyboard layout. Other layouts can arrange symbols differently.

Common Punctuation Symbols

Mathematical Keyboard Symbols

Some mathematical symbols are available directly from a keyboard, while others require a symbol tool or Unicode input.

Copy these:

+ − × ÷ = ≠ < > ≤ ≥ ± √ ∞ ≈ °

Currency Symbols

Common currency symbols include:

$ € £ ¥ ₹ ₩ ₽ ₺ ₴ ₫ ¢

A currency symbol can sometimes represent more than one currency, so a currency code or country name may be needed for clarity.

Programming Keyboard Symbols

Keyboard symbols are especially important in programming.

Common programming characters include:

! @ # $ % ^ & *

( ) [ ] { }

< > / \ | ~ `

: ; ‘ ” _ + = –

Their meanings change according to the programming language.

For example:

• = can assign a value.
• == commonly tests equality.
• ! can mean logical NOT.
• && can represent logical AND.
• || can represent logical OR.
• {} commonly group blocks of code.
• [] are frequently used for arrays or lists.
• // commonly begins a comment in several languages.
• # begins comments in some languages.
• ` is used for special syntax in several programming environments.

Never assume that a symbol has one universal programming meaning.

Windows Alt Codes for Keyboard Symbols

Windows provides several ways to enter characters that are not printed on a keyboard. Microsoft documents Alt-code input using the numeric keypad and also provides a Windows symbol panel.

Here are useful examples:

For traditional Windows Alt-code entry, Microsoft notes that the numbers must be entered using the numeric keypad, not the number row at the top of the keyboard. On systems that require it, Num Lock should be enabled.

How to Type Symbols on Windows Without a Number Pad

Laptop users often have a problem with Alt codes because many laptops do not have a dedicated numeric keypad.

If your keyboard has no numeric keypad, you can use Windows’ built-in symbol interface instead.

Press:

Windows key + . (period)

Then select the Symbols section. Microsoft says this panel can be used to browse punctuation, symbols, accented characters, and other characters.

You can also use Character Map to browse characters available in installed fonts and copy them into another application.

An external numeric keypad is another option for computers that lack an integrated number pad.

ASCII vs. Unicode: What Is the Difference?

ASCII and Unicode are character-encoding systems, but they are not the same thing.

ASCII

ASCII is an older character standard focused on a relatively small set of basic characters.

It includes familiar characters such as:

A-Z

a-z

0-9

! @ # $ % & *

Unicode

Unicode is a much larger standard designed to represent characters from many writing systems and symbol sets.

It includes characters such as:

© ® ™

€ £ ¥ ₹

√ ∞ ≠

← → ↑ ↓

♥ ★

This is why Unicode is useful when a character is not available as a normal keyboard key.

Microsoft notes that Windows and Microsoft Office provide different methods for inserting ASCII and Unicode characters. In Microsoft Word, Unicode hexadecimal codes can be converted with Alt + X.

Unicode Symbol Examples

Here are some useful Unicode characters to copy:

© ® ™ § ¶

± × ÷ √ ∞ ≠ ≈

← → ↑ ↓ ↔

★ ☆ ♥ ♡

✓ ✔ ✕ ✖

In applications that support Unicode input, a character can sometimes be entered by its Unicode code rather than searching through a symbol menu.

For Microsoft Word, for example, typing a Unicode hexadecimal code followed by Alt + X converts the code into the corresponding character when supported.

Copy-and-Paste Keyboard Symbols

If you do not remember a shortcut, copying the character is often the easiest method.

Common Symbols

! @ # $ % ^ & * ( )

_ – + = [ ] { }

\ | ; : ‘ ” , . / ?

` ~ < >

Arrows

← → ↑ ↓

↔ ↕

↖ ↗ ↘ ↙

➜ ➝ ➞

Check Marks

✓ ✔ ☑

Crosses

✕ ✖ ✗ ✘ ☒

Stars

★ ☆ ✦ ✧ ✩ ✪ ✰

Hearts

♥ ♡ ❤ 🖤 💙 💚 💛 💜 🤍 🤎

Music Symbols

♪ ♫ ♬ ♩

Decorative Symbols

• ◦ ○ ●

※ § ¶

† ‡

These characters can be copied into documents, social media posts, usernames, messages, websites, and other applications that support them.

How to Type Symbols on Mac

Mac keyboards use the Option key for many additional characters.

Examples on common US layouts include:

Option + 2 → ™

Option + 3 → £

Option + 4 → ¢

Option + 5 → ∞

The exact shortcut can change with the selected keyboard layout.

Mac users can also open the system’s character and emoji viewer to search for symbols that are not directly printed on the keyboard.

How to Type Symbols on a Phone

On Android and iPhone keyboards, tap the 123, ?123, or symbols key to switch from letters to numbers and punctuation.

You will usually find characters such as:

! ? @ # $ % & * + = –

Some mobile keyboards also allow you to press and hold a key to reveal additional characters.

For example, holding a letter can display accented versions, while holding certain punctuation keys can provide additional variants.

Keyboard Symbols for Email and Social Media

Some symbols are particularly common online.

Email Symbol

The @ symbol separates the mailbox name from the domain.

user@example.com

Hashtag

The # symbol is used for hashtags.

#Technology

#Travel

#Food

Mention

The @ symbol is often used to mention another account.

@username

Underscore

The _ symbol frequently appears in usernames and file names.

my_username

Keyboard Symbols for Passwords

Many websites allow special characters in passwords.

Common examples include:

! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + =

Using a symbol can contribute to password complexity, but a secure password should not rely on one special character alone. A long, unique password or passphrase is generally more important than simply adding symbols.

Do not reuse the same password across important accounts.

Hyphen, Minus, En Dash, and Em Dash

These characters look similar but are different:

–  Hyphen-minus

−  Minus sign

–  En dash

—  Em dash

Hyphen

Used in compound words:

well-known

Minus

Used in mathematics:

10 − 5

En Dash

Often used for ranges:

2025–2026

Em Dash

Used as punctuation:

The answer is simple — start here.

This distinction is especially useful when writing professionally.

Commonly Confused Keyboard Symbols

Slash vs. Backslash

/  Forward slash

\  Backslash

They have different technical uses.

Backtick vs. Apostrophe

`  Backtick

‘  Apostrophe

They may look similar at a glance but are different characters.

Hyphen vs. Minus

–  Hyphen-minus

−  Minus sign

The keyboard’s standard – key does not always produce the typographically correct mathematical minus.

Asterisk vs. Star

*  Asterisk

★  Black star

The asterisk is a keyboard character; the star is a separate Unicode character.

Keyboard Layouts Can Change Symbol Shortcuts

A symbol shortcut that works on one keyboard may not work on another.

Common layouts include:

• US QWERTY
• UK QWERTY
• AZERTY
• QWERTZ
• Other regional and multilingual layouts

For example, the location of punctuation and special characters can differ between US and UK keyboard layouts.

If a shortcut does not produce the expected symbol, check the active keyboard language and layout in your operating system.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are all the symbols on a keyboard called?

Common keyboard symbols include the tilde, backtick, exclamation mark, at sign, hash, dollar sign, percent sign, caret, ampersand, asterisk, parentheses, underscore, plus sign, equals sign, brackets, braces, pipe, backslash, colon, semicolon, quotation marks, comma, period, slash, and question mark.

What are the 20 most common keyboard symbols?

Some of the most frequently used are:

! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) – _ + = / \ ? : ;

Their exact frequency depends on what you use your keyboard for.

What does the ~ symbol mean?

The ~ is called a tilde. Its meaning depends on context and can indicate approximation, mathematical relationships, programming operations, or special command-line functions.

What is the | symbol called?

The | symbol is commonly called a vertical bar or pipe. It is especially common in programming and command-line environments.

What is the ^ symbol called?

The ^ symbol is called a caret. It is used in mathematics, programming, regular expressions, and text editing.

What is the difference between / and \?

/ is a forward slash, while \ is a backslash. They are separate characters and can have different meanings in URLs, file paths, and programming.

How do I type special symbols on Windows?

You can use keyboard combinations, the Windows symbol panel, Character Map, or Alt codes. Traditional Alt-code entry uses the numeric keypad.

How do I type symbols without a number pad?

On Windows, you can use Windows + . to open the emoji and symbol panel, or use Character Map. This is particularly useful on laptops without a dedicated numeric keypad.

What is the difference between ASCII and Unicode?

ASCII is a smaller character standard containing basic characters, while Unicode supports a much larger range of characters and symbols across languages and writing systems.

How can I copy keyboard symbols?

Select the character, press Ctrl + C on Windows or Command + C on Mac, then paste it with Ctrl + V or Command + V.

Final Thoughts

This keyboard symbols list gives you a practical reference for identifying and using common keyboard characters. From everyday symbols such as @, #, $, %, and & to technical characters such as ~, `, |, \, and ^, each symbol has its own name and possible uses.

For quick typing, Shift combinations are useful for symbols printed on standard keys. For characters that are not directly available, Windows provides the symbol panel, Character Map, Alt codes, and Unicode methods. Microsoft specifically notes that traditional Alt-code entry requires the numeric keypad rather than the number row.

Keep the copy-and-paste section handy when you need a symbol quickly, and remember that keyboard shortcuts can change depending on your operating system and keyboard layout. Understanding both the symbol name and its function makes it much easier to find the right character when you need it.

Ryan Mitchell

I’m Ryan Mitchell, and I write about modern English, trending slang, and online expressions. I enjoy explaining the meanings, origins, and real-life usage of popular words in a simple way. I believe learning slang is an important step toward understanding today’s English-speaking culture. Through my work, I aim to help readers speak more naturally and stay updated with the latest language trends.