Short answer: On Windows, hold Alt and type 0177 on the numeric keypad. On a Mac, press Option + Shift + =. In Word, type 00B1 and press Alt + X. On a phone, press and hold the + key on the symbols keyboard.
Tap to copy plus-minus and math symbols
The plus-minus symbol (±) means a value can go either way — a tolerance, a margin of error, or two roots at once. A reading of 5 ± 0.3 covers everything from 4.7 to 5.3, and √81 = ±9 because the answer is either +9 or −9. It’s not on any keyboard, so here’s the quickest method on each platform. This is part of the Math symbols hub.
Quick reference
| Where | Method |
|---|---|
| Windows (keypad) | Hold Alt, type 0177 (or 241) |
| Mac | Option + Shift + = |
| iPhone / Android | Symbols keyboard → press and hold + |
| Word | 00B1 then Alt + X |
| Google Docs | Insert → Special characters → plus minus |
| Chromebook / Linux | Ctrl + Shift + U, type 00b1, Enter |
| HTML | ± or ± |
| LaTeX | \pm |
Windows
Turn on Num Lock, hold Alt, and type 0177 on the numeric keypad (not the number row). Release Alt and ± appears. This works across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, browsers and Google Docs. The older code Alt + 241 produces the same character.
No numeric keypad (most laptops): use Fn + Num Lock to switch on the embedded keypad, open Character Map and search plus minus, or copy it from the tool above. If an Alt code returns the wrong character, you’re on the top-row numbers — see why Alt codes don’t work.
Mac
Press Option + Shift + = (that’s Option, Shift, and the equals/plus key together). It works in every app — Pages, Numbers, Word, Notes, Safari and Google Docs. If you’d rather pick it visually, open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space and search plus minus.
iPhone and Android
There’s no dedicated ± key, but it’s hidden on the symbols layout:
- iPhone: tap 123, then #+=, then press and hold the + key — ± appears in the pop-up; slide onto it.
- Android (Gboard): tap ?123, then =<, and press and hold + to reveal ±.
For frequent use, save a text replacement (iPhone: Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement; Android: Settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary) mapping a trigger like +- to ±.
Word, Excel and Google Docs
Microsoft Word: type 00B1 and immediately press Alt + X — Word converts it to ±. The Alt + 0177 keypad code works too, and you can add an AutoCorrect entry so a trigger like +- becomes ± as you type. In an equation field (Alt + =), type \pm and press space.
Excel and Google Sheets: ± is display only — it isn’t a calculation operator. You can show it with =CHAR(177) or by pasting it into a cell, but a cell can’t literally hold “plus or minus” as a computed value; for a tolerance you’d store the number and the ± value separately.
Google Docs: go to Insert → Special characters and search plus minus. The Mac and Windows shortcuts above also work directly in a document.
Chromebook / Linux: press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 00b1, then Enter.
HTML / web: use the named entity ± or the numeric entity ±. In CSS, content:"\00B1". The Unicode code point is U+00B1.
± vs ∓ (minus-plus)
The reverse symbol ∓ (minus-plus, U+2213) means minus first, then plus. The two pair up in algebra, where the signs correspond: (x ± y)(x ∓ y) = x² − y². Type ∓ in Word with 2213 then Alt + X, or in LaTeX with \mp. If you only ever need one, it’s almost always ±.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Alt + 0177 does nothing | Num Lock off, or you used the top-row numbers. Use the numeric keypad. |
| Laptop has no numpad | Fn + Num Lock for the embedded keypad, or Character Map, or copy from above. |
| ± won’t calculate in Excel | It’s a display symbol, not an operator. Store the value and tolerance in separate cells. |
| Option + Shift + = gives a different character | Your Mac input source isn’t a Latin layout — switch it to ABC/US/British in the menu bar. |
| ± shows as a box ▯ | The font lacks the glyph. Switch to a common font (Arial, Segoe UI). More: symbol showing as a box. |
Frequently asked questions
How do you type the plus-minus symbol on Windows?
Turn on Num Lock, hold Alt, and type 0177 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. The older code Alt + 241 works too. This works in Word, Excel, browsers and most apps. The number row above the letters won’t work.
How do you type ± on a Mac?
Press Option + Shift + = (Option, Shift and the equals key together). It works in every app. You can also open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space and search “plus minus”.
How do you type ± on a phone?
It’s on the symbols keyboard. On iPhone, tap 123 then #+= and press and hold the + key. On Android’s Gboard, tap ?123 then =< and hold the + key. Then slide onto the ± in the pop-up.
What is the ∓ symbol and how is it different from ±?
∓ (U+2213) is the minus-plus sign — minus first, then plus, the reverse of ±. The two are used together in algebra, for example (x ± y)(x ∓ y) = x² − y². For most everyday use you only need ±.
Can you use ± in Excel or Google Sheets formulas?
No. ± is a display symbol, not a math operator, so a cell can’t compute “plus or minus”. You can show it with =CHAR(177) or by pasting it, but for a real tolerance store the value and the ± amount in separate cells.
What are the Unicode code point and HTML entity for plus-minus?
The plus-minus symbol is U+00B1 (decimal 177). In HTML, use the named entity ± or the numeric entity ±.
Recap
- Windows → Alt + 0177.
- Mac → Option + Shift + =.
- Phone → hold + on the symbols keyboard.
- Word → 00B1 then Alt + X; equations → \pm.
Written by Igor R.. Tested on Windows 11, macOS, iOS, Android, ChromeOS, Word and Google Docs. Last updated July 2026. Symbol code points follow the Unicode Standard.