Short answer: On Windows, hold Alt and type 0189 for ½, 0188 for ¼, 0190 for ¾ on the numeric keypad. In Word, typing 1/2 auto-converts to ½. For less common fractions, type the Unicode hex (2153 for ⅓) and press Alt + X, or copy them below.
Tap to copy a fraction
A fraction symbol like ½ is a single, properly aligned character — cleaner than typing 1/2 as three separate ones. They’re everywhere in recipes, measurements, prices and time (“quarter past”). Unicode has a fixed set of these “vulgar fractions” (½ ¼ ¾ ⅓ ⅔ ⅛ ⅜ ⅝ ⅞ and a few more), and for anything outside that set you build your own. Here’s how to type them on every platform, plus how to make the ones that don’t exist. This is part of the Math symbols hub.
Quick reference — common fractions
| Symbol | Name | Windows | Word (Alt+X) | HTML | Unicode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ½ | One half | Alt + 0189 | 00BD | ½ | U+00BD |
| ¼ | One quarter | Alt + 0188 | 00BC | ¼ | U+00BC |
| ¾ | Three quarters | Alt + 0190 | 00BE | ¾ | U+00BE |
| ⅓ | One third | Alt + 8531 | 2153 | ⅓ | U+2153 |
| ⅔ | Two thirds | Alt + 8532 | 2154 | ⅔ | U+2154 |
| ⅛ | One eighth | Alt + 8539 | 215B | ⅛ | U+215B |
| ⅜ | Three eighths | Alt + 8540 | 215C | ⅜ | U+215C |
| ⅝ | Five eighths | Alt + 8541 | 215D | ⅝ | U+215D |
| ⅞ | Seven eighths | Alt + 8542 | 215E | ⅞ | U+215E |
Windows
Turn on Num Lock, hold Alt, and type the code on the numeric keypad (not the top-row numbers). The three most common fractions have short, reliable codes: Alt + 0189 ½, Alt + 0188 ¼, Alt + 0190 ¾. These belong to the Windows-1252 set and work almost everywhere, including Word, Outlook and most text fields.
The other precomposed fractions use their Unicode decimal value — Alt + 8531 for ⅓, Alt + 8539 for ⅛, and so on — which work in Unicode-aware apps. No numeric keypad? Press Win + . and search the fraction name, or use Word’s Alt + X method below. If a code returns the wrong character, you’re on the number row — see why Alt codes don’t work.
Mac
macOS has no dedicated Option shortcut for fractions. Open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space, search fraction or the name (one half), and double-click to insert. For fractions you use often — say ½ in recipes — save a text replacement in System Settings → Keyboard → Text Replacements (map 1/2 to ½).
iPhone and Android
The default keyboards don’t include fraction characters. On many phones, pressing and holding a number key on the number/symbols layout shows a small fraction (holding 1 may offer ½ or ⅓ on some keyboards), but coverage is inconsistent. The dependable routes are to copy them from the tool above, or save the ones you use as text replacements (iPhone: Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement; Android: Personal dictionary).
Word and Outlook
Two convenient tricks:
- AutoFormat: typing 1/2, 1/4 or 3/4 auto-converts to ½ ¼ ¾. This is on by default but only covers those three. Toggle it at File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options → AutoFormat As You Type → “Fractions (1/2) with fraction character.”
- Alt + X: type the Unicode hex and press Alt + X — 2153 → ⅓, 215B → ⅛, 215E → ⅞.
For a fraction Word won’t auto-convert (say ⅞), add your own AutoCorrect entry: in AutoCorrect Options, put 7/8 in Replace and paste ⅞ in With. From then on it converts as you type.
Excel and Google Sheets
Spreadsheets have a well-known trap: typing 1/2 in a cell turns it into a date (2 January). To avoid it:
- To store a value, enter it as 0 1/2 (zero, space, fraction) and Excel reads 0.5, or pre-format the cell via Format Cells → Fraction.
- To show the symbol ½ as text, use =UNICHAR(189) (or 188/190 for ¼/¾), or paste the character in. Note the Excel Fraction number format and the ½ character are different things — one is a display format on a number, the other is a glyph.
More spreadsheet symbol tips: symbols in Google Sheets.
Chromebook
Press Ctrl + Shift + U, release, type the hex (00bd for ½, 2153 for ⅓), then Enter. Or open the emoji/symbol picker with Launcher + Shift + Space and search the fraction name.
Linux
In most GTK/IBus apps, press Ctrl + Shift + U, type the hex (00bd, 2153, 215b…), then Enter or Space. If that’s not enabled, open the Characters / gucharmap app and search fraction. Some layouts also expose ½ ¼ ¾ via AltGr combinations, but this varies by keyboard, so the Unicode-entry method is the portable one.
HTML, CSS and code
The common fractions have named entities: ½ (½), ¼ (¼), ¾ (¾), plus ⅓ ⅔ ⅕ ⅛ ⅜ ⅝ ⅞ and more. Every fraction also has a numeric entity — ½ for ½, ⅓ for ⅓. To build a fraction in HTML, use the fraction slash: 5⁄16 renders as 5⁄16. In CSS, escape the code point, e.g. content:"\00BD"; in JavaScript, "\u00BD".
Fractions that don’t exist — building your own
Here’s the part most guides skip: Unicode only has a limited set of precomposed fractions. ½ ¼ ¾ ⅓ ⅔ ⅕–⅘ ⅙ ⅚ ⅛ ⅜ ⅝ ⅞ ⅐ ⅑ ⅒ exist — but 5/16, 11/16 and 7/13 do not. There’s no Alt code that will conjure them, which is why those searches lead nowhere. To make one:
- Fraction slash: type the numerator, the fraction slash ⁄ (U+2044), then the denominator — 5⁄16. In a good font the slash nudges the numbers into a diagonal fraction. It’s different from the ordinary slash /.
- Superscript / subscript: format the numerator as superscript and the denominator as subscript — see the squared symbol for how superscripts work.
- Equation editor: in Word press Alt + = and use the fraction template for a fully stacked fraction; best for documents where precision matters.
One accessibility note: screen readers announce the precomposed fractions correctly (“one half”), so prefer ½ over a constructed version when you can.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Alt + 8531 does nothing | Num Lock off, top-row numbers, or a non-Unicode app. Use the keypad, or Word’s 2153 + Alt + X. |
| 1/2 became a date in Excel | Enter it as 0 1/2, or pre-format the cell as Fraction. For the symbol, use =UNICHAR(189). |
| No Alt code works for 5/16 | It doesn’t exist as a single character. Build it with the fraction slash (5⁄16) or the equation editor. |
| 1/8 won’t auto-convert in Word | AutoFormat only does 1/2, 1/4, 3/4. Add a custom AutoCorrect entry, or use 215B + Alt + X. |
| Fraction shows as a box ▯ | The font lacks that glyph (less common fractions vary by font). Switch to Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman. More: symbol showing as a box. |
| Fraction looks like plain 1/2 | You used the ordinary slash. For a diagonal fraction use the fraction slash ⁄ (U+2044). |
Frequently asked questions
How do you type ½, ¼ and ¾ on Windows?
Turn on Num Lock, hold Alt, and type 0189 for ½, 0188 for ¼ or 0190 for ¾ on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. These three are the most reliable because they belong to the Windows-1252 character set and work in almost every app.
How do you type fractions like ⅓ or ⅛?
These use their Unicode value. On Windows hold Alt and type 8531 for ⅓ or 8539 for ⅛ on the numeric keypad. In Word, type the hex code (2153 for ⅓, 215B for ⅛) and press Alt + X. You can also copy them.
How do you type a fraction on a Mac?
There’s no dedicated Option shortcut. Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search “fraction” or the name like “one half”, and double-click it. For frequent use, add a text replacement in System Settings.
Why won’t my fraction Alt code work for 5/16?
Because 5/16 doesn’t exist as a single precomposed Unicode character — only a limited set like ½, ¼, ⅓ and ⅛ do. To make others, build them with the fraction slash (type 5, then ⁄ U+2044, then 16) or use Word’s equation editor.
How do you type fractions in Excel without them turning into dates?
Typing 1/2 in a cell makes Excel read it as a date. Enter it as 0 1/2 (zero, space, fraction) to store the value 0.5, or pre-format the cell as Fraction. To show the ½ symbol as text, use =UNICHAR(189) or paste the character.
What are the Unicode code points and HTML entities for common fractions?
½ is U+00BD (½), ¼ is U+00BC (¼), ¾ is U+00BE (¾), ⅓ is U+2153 (⅓) and ⅛ is U+215B (⅛).
Recap
- ½ ¼ ¾ → Windows Alt + 0189 / 0188 / 0190; Word auto-converts 1/2, 1/4, 3/4.
- ⅓ ⅛ etc. → Unicode Alt (8531…) or Word hex + Alt + X (2153…).
- Excel → enter 0 1/2 to avoid the date, or =UNICHAR(189) for the symbol.
- Custom fractions (5/16) → build with the fraction slash ⁄ or the equation editor.
Written by Igor R.. Tested on Windows 11, macOS, iOS, Android, ChromeOS, Linux, Word and Google Docs. Last updated July 2026. Symbol code points follow the Unicode Standard.