Quick answer: To type the bullet character •, press Option + 8 on a Mac or Alt + 0149 on Windows (numeric keypad, Num Lock on) — or copy one from the box below. To build a bulleted list, use the app’s shortcut: type * (asterisk + space) in Word, or press Ctrl + Shift + 8 in Google Docs.
First, know which one you actually need
These are two different things, and picking the right one saves you time:
- The • character — a single symbol you paste anywhere, even where there’s no list formatting: social bios, menus, plain text (Home • About • Contact), or one cell in a spreadsheet.
- A bulleted list — the built-in list formatting that auto-indents and adds the bullets for you inside a document.
Quick reference
| You want | How to do it |
|---|---|
| The • character (Mac) | Option + 8 |
| The • character (Windows) | Alt + 0149 (numeric keypad), or type 2022 then Alt + X in Word |
| The • character (Chromebook) | Ctrl + Shift + U, type 2022, then Space/Enter — or the emoji picker (Launcher + Shift + Space), or copy |
| The • character (Linux) | Ctrl + Shift + U, type 2022, then Space/Enter |
| The • character (iPhone/Android) | Copy above, or add a Text Replacement (bull → •) |
| Bulleted list — Word | Type * , or Ctrl + Shift + L |
| Bulleted list — Google Docs | Ctrl + Shift + 8 (Mac Cmd + Shift + 8) |
| Bulleted list — PowerPoint | Bullets button (on by default in text placeholders) |
| Bullet in an Excel/Sheets cell | Insert • manually (no list feature) |
| HTML | • / •, or a real <ul><li> list |
How to type the bullet character (•)
On a Mac
Press Option + 8. This works in almost any app — Pages, Notes, Mail, Slack, browsers.
On Windows
- Alt code: Hold Alt and type 0149 on the numeric keypad with Num Lock on.
- In Word: Type 2022, then press Alt + X to convert it to •.
- No numeric keypad? Open the emoji/symbol panel with Win + . (period) and browse the symbols (Ω) tab — or just copy • from the box above. In Word, 2022 then Alt + X is the most reliable no-numpad method.
On a Chromebook
ChromeOS supports Unicode entry: press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 2022, then press Space or Enter. This works in most text fields, but some web apps intercept the shortcut. When it’s fiddly, use the built-in emoji & symbols picker (Launcher/Search + Shift + Space, or right-click a text field → Emoji & symbols), or in Google Docs use Insert → Special characters. Copy/paste from this page always works. (More: type any symbol on a Chromebook.)
On Linux
In most GTK apps, press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 2022, then Enter (or Space). You can also use the Character Map app or a Compose key. Copy/paste works everywhere.
On iPhone
The bullet isn’t reliably on the standard symbols keyboard across iOS versions, so the dependable options are copy • from this page, or set up a Text Replacement (Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement) so a shortcut like bull expands to •.
On Android
On Gboard, open the symbols keyboard (?123) and check the symbols pages; if you don’t see •, copy it from this page. For frequent use, add a personal dictionary shortcut (bull → •) so it’s always a couple of taps away.
Anywhere (copy/paste)
Copy • from the box at the top and paste. This is the fastest method when a shortcut isn’t handy — perfect for inline bullets in a bio: Home • About • Contact.
How to make a bulleted list
In Word
- Type
*(asterisk then space) and Word converts it to a bullet automatically. - Or click the Bullets button on the ribbon, or press Ctrl + Shift + L to apply the bullet style.
- Press Tab / Shift + Tab to indent or outdent for sub-bullets.
In Google Docs
- Press Ctrl + Shift + 8 (Mac Cmd + Shift + 8), or use Format → Bullets & numbering → Bulleted list.
- Press Tab to create nested sub-bullets and Shift + Tab to move back out.
In PowerPoint
Text inside a content placeholder is already bulleted — use the Bullets button to toggle it off/on, and Tab to create sub-bullets.
In Outlook / email
The Bullets button appears on the formatting toolbar when you’re composing a rich-text (HTML) email — same behavior as Word.
Bullets in Excel and Google Sheets
Neither app has a true list feature, so you add the bullet character yourself.
Excel:
- Type Alt + 0149 (or paste •), then a space and your text.
- For several bullets in one cell, press Alt + Enter to start each new line, then add a • at the start.
- Or keep it simple: one bullet per row.
Google Sheets:
- Paste • (Alt-code entry isn’t available in Sheets), then your text.
- For multiple bullets in one cell, add a line break with Ctrl + Enter (Mac ⌘ + Return) and start each line with •.
Other bullet styles (for bios and menus)
For inline dividers you can swap in a different mark — copy any of these and paste as plain text:
- • bullet (Alt + 0149, U+2022)
- ◦ hollow / white bullet (U+25E6)
- ▪ square (U+25AA)
- ‣ triangle (U+2023)
- · middle dot / interpunct (Alt + 0183, U+00B7)
Quick tip: For a compact Home · About · Contact menu, the smaller middle dot (·) often looks cleaner than a full bullet. If your divider looks too big or too low, you probably want the middle dot instead of •.
Bullets on the web (HTML)
- For a real list, use
<ul><li>…</li></ul>— it’s better for accessibility and SEO than a line of pasted bullets. - For a single inline bullet, use the entity
•(or•).
Troubleshooting
*didn’t turn into a bullet in Word. Enable it under File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect → AutoFormat As You Type → Automatic bulleted lists.- Alt + 0149 does nothing. You need the numeric keypad with Num Lock on. On a laptop without one, copy • from this page or use Word’s 2022 + Alt + X.
- My bullets won’t show in Excel/Sheets. Neither has list formatting — insert the • character manually as shown above.
- The bullet shows as a box (□). That’s a font missing the glyph. Copy • from this page and it’ll paste correctly.
- My menu dividers look too big. Swap the bullet (•) for the smaller middle dot (·).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I type a bullet point (•)?
Press Option + 8 on a Mac, or Alt + 0149 on the Windows numeric keypad. You can also copy the bullet symbol (•) and paste it anywhere.
What is the Alt code for a bullet point?
Hold Alt and type 0149 on the numeric keypad with Num Lock turned on.
How do I make a bulleted list in Word?
Type an asterisk (*) followed by a space and Word will automatically convert it into a bullet point. You can also click the Bullets button on the ribbon or press Ctrl + Shift + L.
How do I add bullet points in Google Docs?
Press Ctrl + Shift + 8 on Windows or Cmd + Shift + 8 on a Mac. You can also use Format → Bullets and numbering.
How do I put a bullet point in an Excel cell?
Type Alt + 0149 and then your text. For multiple bullet points in the same cell, press Alt + Enter to start a new line and add another bullet at the beginning of the line.
How do I type a bullet point on a phone?
The bullet symbol is often available on the symbols keyboard. If you can’t find it, copy the bullet (•) from a symbol tool or website and paste it into your text.
Recap
For the • character: Option + 8 (Mac) or Alt + 0149 (Windows), or copy it. For a list, use the app shortcut — * in Word, Ctrl + Shift + 8 in Google Docs.
Written by Igor R. Tested on Windows 11, macOS, and in Microsoft 365. Last updated July 2026. The bullet is U+2022 in the Unicode Standard.
Related Punctuation symbols: Em dash (—) · Long dash on iPhone & Android · Straight vs curly quotes · Section § & paragraph ¶ · Up to the Punctuation hub · Look up any character in the Symbol Identifier.