How to Type the Bitcoin Symbol (₿) on Any Device

Short answer: tap the copy button below to grab ₿ instantly — it works in every app. To type it in Word, enter 20BF then press Alt + X. For every other device, use the quick-reference table.

The official bitcoin sign ₿ was added to the Unicode Standard in 2017 as U+20BF, in the Currency Symbols block. It sits above the basic Alt-code range, and some older fonts don’t include the glyph yet — if you see an empty box, jump to Why ₿ shows as a box.

Quick reference

Platform	How to type ₿
Copy / paste	Tap the copy button above — works in every app
Windows (Word)	Type 20BF, then press Alt + X
Windows (any app)	Character Map → search “bitcoin”, or copy/paste
Mac	Character Viewer: Ctrl + Cmd + Space, search “bitcoin”
iPhone / iPad	Copy/paste, or set a Text Replacement shortcut
Android	Copy/paste, or add ₿ to Gboard’s personal dictionary
Chromebook	Ctrl + Shift + U, type 20bf, press Enter
Linux	Ctrl + Shift + U, type 20bf, press Enter or Space
HTML	₿ or ₿
CSS	\20BF
Unicode	U+20BF

Windows

In Word (and other Microsoft apps): type 20BF, then press Alt + X. Word converts the code into ₿ on the spot.

There’s no simple Alt + 0NNN numeric-keypad code for ₿ — the symbol sits above that range — so in most other Windows programs the easiest routes are copy/paste or the Character Map.

Character Map (any Windows app): open charmap.exe, tick Advanced view, search “bitcoin”, then select and copy the glyph. This works in Notepad, browsers, and email — anywhere Word’s Alt + X trick doesn’t.

Advanced — hex numpad (optional): if you type ₿ often, enable Windows’ hex input. In the Registry Editor, set HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Input Method\EnableHexNumpad to 1, restart, then hold Alt, press + on the numeric keypad, type 20bf, and release Alt. It’s supported in many apps but not all — if it doesn’t insert, fall back to Word’s Alt + X or copy/paste.

For a deeper fix when codes misbehave, see our guide on Alt codes not working.

Mac

macOS has no built-in Option-key shortcut for ₿. Two reliable routes:

1. Copy/paste the symbol from the button above.
2. Character Viewer: press Ctrl + Cmd + Space, search “bitcoin”, and double-click the result to insert it.

Chromebook

ChromeOS uses the same Unicode shortcut as many Linux apps:

1. Place your cursor where you want the symbol.
2. Press and hold Ctrl + Shift, then tap U.
3. Type 20bf.
4. Press Enter (or the spacebar).

This works in most text fields, but a few web editors ignore it — if the code doesn’t take, copy/paste is the dependable fallback. Full walkthrough: typing symbols on a Chromebook.

Linux

On most Linux desktops (GTK apps with IBus):

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + U.
2. Type 20bf.
3. Press Enter or Space.

Exact behaviour depends on your input method and distro, so results vary. Copy/paste always works if the shortcut doesn’t.

iPhone & Android

₿ isn’t on the standard mobile keyboard, so the quickest method is copy/paste. If you use it regularly, set up a shortcut so it types itself:

• iPhone/iPad: Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement → add ₿ as the phrase and something like btcsym as the shortcut. Typing btcsym now inserts ₿.
• Android (Gboard): Gboard settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary → pick your language → add ₿ with a shortcut word.

HTML, CSS & code

• HTML: ₿ (decimal) or ₿ (hex). There’s no named entity like &bitcoin;.
• CSS content property: "\20BF".
• LaTeX: the character works directly in XeLaTeX/LuaLaTeX with a Unicode-aware font; the bitcoin package also provides a \bitcoin command for use in any engine.

Bitcoin in Excel & Google Sheets

There’s no built-in currency preset for ₿, but you don’t have to give up calculating. Use a custom number format so the value stays a real number and still shows the symbol:

• Excel: select the cells → Ctrl + 1 → Number → Custom → enter "₿"#,##0.00000000
• Google Sheets: Format → Number → Custom number format → enter "₿"#,##0.00000000

The eight decimals match bitcoin’s smallest unit (the satoshi). The cell still behaves as a number for sums and formulas — you’re only changing how it displays. If you’d rather not format at all, label a column “BTC” and keep the numbers plain.

₿ vs ฿ — bitcoin is not the Thai baht

These two look alike and are often mixed up:

Symbol	Name	Unicode
₿	Bitcoin sign	U+20BF
฿	Thai baht	U+0E3F

Before bitcoin had an official sign, people borrowed the Thai baht ฿ because it resembled a “B” with a stroke. They’re different characters with different code points, so always use ₿ (U+20BF) for cryptocurrency — mixing them up can confuse readers and break search and copy/paste.

₿ vs BTC

• ₿ is the currency sign — a typographic symbol, like $ or €.
• BTC is the currency code / ticker used on exchanges and in accounting.

Both are correct: use ₿ for display and prose, and BTC where a code is expected (tables, price feeds, tickers). <h2 id=”box”>Why ₿ sometimes shows as a box</h2>

Because the sign is relatively new, some older fonts don’t include the glyph and render an empty box (▯) — this is font-dependent, not just OS-dependent.

Fixes:

• Update your operating system and fonts. Current systems (Windows 10 and later, macOS, iOS, Android, mainstream Linux) all ship the glyph.
• Switch to a font that includes it — Segoe UI Symbol on Windows, or Noto Sans on Android/ChromeOS/Linux.
• Copy the symbol from a page that already displays it correctly.
• As a last resort, write BTC.

Examples

• ₿0.05
• “price: ₿1 = …”
• ₿ accepted here

Troubleshooting

• It shows a box ▯. Your font predates the symbol. Update your OS/font, switch fonts, use BTC, or copy from a page that renders it.
• No Alt code works. ₿ has no Alt + 0NNN code. Use Word’s 20BF → Alt + X, Character Map, or copy/paste.
• The Ctrl + Shift + U shortcut does nothing. Some web editors block it — copy/paste instead.
• It typed the wrong character. Check you used 20BF (bitcoin), not 0E3F (Thai baht).

Other cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin is the only major cryptocurrency with an official Unicode currency sign. Ethereum, Solana, XRP, Dogecoin and the rest use letter tickers (ETH, SOL, XRP, DOGE) rather than a dedicated encoded glyph — any “symbols” you see for them are community designs, not part of the Unicode Standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Recap

Word: 20BF → Alt + X, or copy. Chromebook/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + U → 20bf. Web: ₿. In Excel, use a custom format to keep numbers calculable. If it shows as a box, the font is too old — and don’t confuse ₿ (bitcoin) with ฿ (Thai baht).

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Written by Igor R. Tested on Windows 11, macOS, and Microsoft 365. Last updated June 2026. The bitcoin sign is U+20BF in the Unicode Standard.

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