Short answer: On a Mac press Option + 5. On Windows with a numeric keypad press Alt + 236. In Word, type 221E then Alt + X. Or tap ∞ below to copy it.
Tap to copy
Need other math symbols? The full symbol keyboard has every operator, set and Greek letter with the same tap-to-copy.
Quick reference
| Method | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Mac | Option + 5 |
| Windows (numpad) | Alt + 236 |
| Windows (Word) | 221E then Alt + X |
| HTML | ∞ or ∞ |
| CSS | content: "\221E" |
| Excel | =UNICHAR(8734) |
| LaTeX | \infty |
| Unicode | U+221E INFINITY |
Mac — the easy one
Press Option + 5. That’s it — it works system-wide, in every app, on the standard US layout. No setup, no Character Viewer.
This is unusual. Most symbols on this site have no Mac shortcut at all, so ∞ is one of the few worth committing to memory alongside Option + 8 for • and Option + G for ©.
On other layouts the key may differ. If Option + 5 gives you something else, open Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space) and search infinity.
Windows — two methods, both work
Alt + 236 (numeric keypad, Num Lock on). This is a genuine legacy Alt code: 236 maps to ∞ in Code Page 437, the original IBM PC character set that Windows still honours for Alt codes typed without a leading zero.
Note the leading zero matters. Alt + 0236 gives ì, because the zero switches Windows to the Windows-1252 set, where 236 is an entirely different character. Drop the zero. The printable Alt code chart has the full range.
Hex + Alt + X in Word, Outlook and PowerPoint: type 221E, then press Alt + X. Press it again immediately to flip back if you got the wrong character.
No numeric keypad? Most laptops don’t have one. Use Windows key + period to open the emoji panel, click the Ω symbol tab, and pick ∞ from the maths category — or see what to do when Alt codes don’t work.
Chromebook and Linux
- Press Ctrl + Shift + U — an underlined
uappears. - Type
221e. - Press Enter or Space.
On ChromeOS, if a field ignores the shortcut, right-click → Emoji and search infinity. On Linux this is IBus behaviour, standard on GNOME and Ubuntu-family desktops.
iPhone and Android
Neither stock keyboard carries ∞, and the emoji keyboard only has ♾️ — which is a different character (see below).
Copy ∞ from this page, then save a shortcut:
- iPhone: Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement → +, paste ∞ in Phrase, type your trigger in Shortcut.
- Android (Gboard): Settings → Languages & input → Gboard → Dictionary → Personal dictionary → +.
Word, Google Docs and Excel
Word has three routes. The hex method above is fastest. Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, subset Mathematical Operators, also works. Or in an equation (Alt + =), type \infty followed by a space and Word’s maths autocorrect converts it.
Google Docs: Insert → Special characters, then search infinity or draw the sideways-eight in the sketch box. Docs equations accept \infty too.
Excel and Google Sheets need =UNICHAR(8734). The older CHAR() function only reaches character 255, so CHAR(236) returns ì, not ∞ — the same leading-zero trap in spreadsheet form. Same pattern as the degree symbol in Excel.
HTML, CSS and LaTeX
∞ is one of the minority of symbols with a named HTML entity:
html
<p>The limit approaches ∞</p>
<p>The limit approaches ∞</p>Both render identically. In CSS use the hex escape:
css
.limit::after { content: "\221E"; }In LaTeX it’s \infty, in maths mode: $x \to \infty$. More in LaTeX math symbols.
∞ is not ♾ — and ♾ isn’t what you think
Paste the “infinity” you find in an emoji picker and you get ♾, not ∞. They’re different characters with different purposes:
| Symbol | Code point | Actual Unicode name |
|---|---|---|
| ∞ | U+221E | INFINITY |
| ♾ | U+267E | PERMANENT PAPER SIGN |
That’s not a typo. ♾ was encoded to mark acid-free archival paper in library and publishing standards. It only became the “infinity” emoji later, because it happened to look like one. Its official name still describes permanent paper.
Practical rule: use ∞ in any text, maths, document or web page. It’s the mathematical character, it renders monochrome everywhere, and screen readers announce it as “infinity”. Use ♾ only when you specifically want the colour emoji, and expect it to render as a coloured tile on phones.
The rarer infinity variants
Three related characters exist, all in the Miscellaneous Mathematical Symbols-B block. You’ll rarely need them, but they’re here because they’re hard to find elsewhere:
| Symbol | Code point | Name |
|---|---|---|
| ⧜ | U+29DC | Incomplete infinity |
| ⧝ | U+29DD | Tie over infinity |
| ⧞ | U+29DE | Infinity negated with vertical bar |
Font coverage is thin — check they render before using them in anything public.
Where ∞ gets used
- Maths and limits —
lim x→∞, alongside the operators in calculus symbols. - Set theory — cardinality and unbounded intervals,
[0, ∞). See set theory symbols. - Spreadsheets and dashboards — “unlimited” in a pricing or quota column.
- Design and tattoos — the lemniscate as a standalone graphic.
- Social bios — often paired with hearts and stars from heart and star symbols.
A note on the maths: ∞ is not a number. In [0, ∞) the bracket is deliberately round, because infinity isn’t included as an endpoint. Writing [0, ∞] is a genuine error in most contexts.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Alt + 236 gives ì | You typed 0236. The leading zero switches to Windows-1252. Drop the zero. |
| Alt + 236 does nothing | Num Lock is off, or you used the top number row. Alt codes need the numeric keypad. |
| Laptop has no numpad | Use 221E + Alt + X in Word, or Windows key + period → Ω tab. |
| Option + 5 gives something else | You’re not on a US layout. Use Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space), search infinity. |
| ∞ shows as an empty box ▯ | Font has no glyph. Switch to Segoe UI Symbol, Apple Symbols or Noto Sans Symbols 2. See symbols showing as boxes. |
| Symbol arrived as a coloured emoji | You copied ♾ (U+267E), not ∞ (U+221E). Recopy from the widget above. |
CHAR(236) in Excel gives ì | CHAR() stops at 255. Use =UNICHAR(8734). |
| Alt + X converted the wrong characters | It grabs the hex digits before the cursor. Put a space before 221E, or select just the code. |
Recap
| If you’re on… | Do this |
|---|---|
| Mac | Option + 5 |
| Windows with a numpad | Alt + 236 |
| Windows, no numpad | 221E + Alt + X, or Windows key + period |
| Chromebook or Linux | Ctrl + Shift + U, 221e, Enter |
| Excel or Sheets | =UNICHAR(8734) |
| A web page | ∞ |
| Phone | Copy from here, save as a text replacement |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Alt code for the infinity symbol?
Hold Alt and type 236 on the numeric keypad with Num Lock on. Do not add a leading zero — Alt + 0236 produces ì instead, because the zero switches Windows to a different character set.
How do I type the infinity symbol on a Mac?
Press Option + 5. It works system-wide on the standard US layout with no setup. On other layouts, open Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space and search for infinity.
What is the difference between ∞ and ♾?
∞ is U+221E INFINITY, the mathematical character. ♾ is U+267E, whose official Unicode name is PERMANENT PAPER SIGN — it was encoded to mark acid-free archival paper and only later became the infinity emoji. Use ∞ in text, maths and documents.
How do I type the infinity symbol in Word?
Type 221E and press Alt + X, which converts the code into ∞. You can also use Insert then Symbol with the subset set to Mathematical Operators, or type \infty inside an equation.
What is the HTML code for the infinity symbol?
Use ∞ or the numeric reference ∞. Both render as ∞. In CSS, use the escape content: "\221E".
Why does CHAR(236) not give ∞ in Excel?
The CHAR function only reaches character 255, so CHAR(236) returns ì. Use =UNICHAR(8734) instead, which accepts the full Unicode range.
Written by Igor R. Tested on Windows 11, macOS, ChromeOS, Linux (IBus), iOS and Android. Last updated August 2026. Symbol code points follow the Unicode Standard.