Updated September 2026. Tested on Excel for Microsoft 365 (Windows 11) and Excel for Mac. Symbol code points follow the Unicode Standard.
Short answer: use =UNICHAR(10003) for ✓, =UNICHAR(176) for °, =UNICHAR(8734) for ∞ — UNICHAR takes a Unicode number and returns the real character in any font. For a one-off, Insert → Symbol, or copy it below. Excel has no Alt + X.
Tap to copy. The number under each symbol is its UNICHAR code — use it as =UNICHAR(number) in a formula.
Working in Word instead? The methods are completely different there — see how to insert symbols in Word.
Excel is the odd one out among Office apps. The Alt + X trick that makes Word easy doesn’t exist here, and the single most-repeated Excel symbol tip on the internet — =CHAR(252) for a check mark — doesn’t actually produce a check mark at all. This guide covers what works, what only appears to work, and which method to use when. It’s part of the Office & Tech hub.
The methods at a glance
| Method | Reaches | Best for |
|---|---|---|
=UNICHAR(n) | All of Unicode | Formulas, conditional results, anything font-independent |
| Insert → Symbol | All of Unicode | One-off insertion when you don’t know the code |
| Alt + numpad code | 255 characters | Fast typing of ° © £ ± |
=CHAR(n) | 255 characters | Legacy formulas — see the font trap below |
| Custom number format | All of Unicode | Attaching a unit to a number that stays a number |
Method 1: UNICHAR (the one that always works)
=UNICHAR(number) takes a decimal Unicode code point and returns that character — in whatever font the cell is using. No font switching, no legacy code pages, no surprises when someone opens the file elsewhere.
| Symbol | Formula | Unicode |
|---|---|---|
| ✓ | =UNICHAR(10003) | U+2713 |
| ✔ | =UNICHAR(10004) | U+2714 |
| ✗ | =UNICHAR(10007) | U+2717 |
| ☐ | =UNICHAR(9744) | U+2610 |
| ☑ | =UNICHAR(9745) | U+2611 |
| ° | =UNICHAR(176) | U+00B0 |
| ± | =UNICHAR(177) | U+00B1 |
| ≠ | =UNICHAR(8800) | U+2260 |
| ≤ / ≥ | =UNICHAR(8804) / =UNICHAR(8805) | U+2264 / U+2265 |
| ∞ | =UNICHAR(8734) | U+221E |
| ★ | =UNICHAR(9733) | U+2605 |
| ₹ | =UNICHAR(8377) | U+20B9 |
Note the codes are decimal, not hex — the hex code points you see written as U+2713 become 10003 here. If you have a hex code, convert it with =UNICHAR(HEX2DEC("2713")).
The real power is inside logic. =IF(B2>5000,UNICHAR(10003),UNICHAR(10007)) returns a tick or a cross per row, and because these are genuine Unicode characters they stay correct when the sheet is filtered, exported to CSV, or opened on a Mac.
Going the other way: =UNICODE(A1) returns the code point of the first character in a cell — the fastest way to identify a mystery symbol someone pasted into your data.
Method 2: the CHAR font trap (why =CHAR(252) isn’t a check mark)
Nearly every Excel tutorial tells you to type =CHAR(252) and set the cell font to Wingdings for a check mark. It works visually, and it’s a bad idea.
=CHAR(252) does not return a check mark. It returns ü — the letter u with a diaeresis (U+00FC). Setting the font to Wingdings just draws that letter as a tick shape. The character in your cell is still ü. So:
- Change the font, and your ticks become a column of ü.
- Copy the values into an email, a web form, or a database — you get ü.
- Export to CSV, and every tick is ü.
- Anyone sorting or searching the column is searching for ü.
- A screen reader reads it as “u with diaeresis.” (More: how screen readers handle symbols.)
Same story for the other Wingdings codes people quote: =CHAR(251) is really û, =CHAR(253) is ý, =CHAR(254) is þ. This is the spreadsheet twin of the Wingdings arrow problem in Word — formatting dressed up as a character.
CHAR itself isn’t broken; it just addresses the legacy 1–255 code page rather than Unicode, so it’s fine for =CHAR(176) (°), =CHAR(169) (©) or =CHAR(163) (£), where the number really is that character. For anything above 255, or anything you want to survive a font change, use UNICHAR.
Use =UNICHAR(10003) for a check mark. It’s a real ✓ in Calibri, in CSV, in email, everywhere. See check mark symbols for the full family.
Method 3: Alt codes
Hold Alt, type the code on the numeric keypad with Num Lock on, release. In a cell or in the formula bar:
- Alt + 0176 → ° · Alt + 0169 → © · Alt + 0163 → £ · Alt + 0177 → ±
Fast, but capped at 255 characters and dependent on a numeric keypad — so no arrows, no Greek, nothing modern. There is no Alt + X in Excel; that shortcut exists only in Word and Outlook on Windows. If a code returns the wrong character, see why Alt codes don’t work.
Method 4: Insert → Symbol
Insert tab → Symbols group → Symbol. Set Font to (normal text) to browse the full character set rather than a symbol font, use Subset to jump to a Unicode block, and read the Character code box at the bottom — that value is what you’d feed to UNICHAR (after converting hex to decimal).
Leave the Font dropdown alone unless you have a specific reason. The moment you pick Wingdings, you’re back in the trap from Method 2.
Method 5: custom number formats (keep the number a number)
This is the Excel-specific one worth knowing. If you type 25°C into a cell, it becomes text and you can’t calculate with it. A custom format attaches the symbol to the display while the cell stays numeric:
- Select the cells → Ctrl + 1 (Format Cells) → Custom
- In the Type box, enter a format with the symbol in quotes:
0"°C"→ shows 25°C, value stays 250.0" kg"→ shows 12.5 kg0"%"→ shows the raw number with a percent sign, without multiplying by 100 the way the built-in percent format does
Paste the actual symbol into the Type box (copy it from the tool at the top). Sums, averages and charts all keep working, because the underlying value never changed.
Method 6: AutoCorrect for symbols you use daily
File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options. Put a trigger in Replace and the symbol in With — (tick) → ✓, (deg) → °. Excel swaps it as you type. Two limits: it fires only when the trigger is typed as its own entry, and the replacement is a stored character, so paste a real Unicode symbol in, not a Wingdings one. For something that works across every app, see type symbols faster.
Symbols in Excel for Mac
- UNICHAR, CHAR, UNICODE and custom number formats all work identically — formulas are cross-platform, which is another argument for using them over font tricks.
- Alt codes don’t exist on macOS. Use Control + Command + Space for the Character Viewer, search by name, double-click to insert.
- Insert → Symbol on Mac Excel opens the same macOS Character Viewer rather than a Windows-style dialog.
- Common Option shortcuts still apply in cells: Option + Shift + 8 → °, Option + G → ©, Option + V → √. More: Mac keyboard symbols.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
=CHAR(252) shows ü instead of a check mark | Working as designed — CHAR(252) is ü. Wingdings only draws it as a tick. Use =UNICHAR(10003) for a real ✓. |
| My check marks turned into letters | The font changed, or the file was opened somewhere without Wingdings. Replace the column with =UNICHAR(10003) and paste as values. |
| Alt + X does nothing | Excel doesn’t support it — that’s Word and Outlook only. Use UNICHAR or Insert → Symbol. |
| Alt + 0176 does nothing | Num Lock off, or the top number row was used. Alt codes need the numeric keypad. |
| My symbol disappears when I sort or filter | The cell holds a formula referencing a moved cell, or the symbol was part of a number format rather than the value. Number formats display, they don’t store. |
| I can’t do maths on cells with units | The unit made them text. Use a custom number format (0"°C") so the value stays numeric. |
| Symbol shows as ▯ after sharing the file | The recipient’s font lacks the glyph. Stick to widely supported characters, or embed/standardize the font. More: symbol showing as a box. |
Recap
=UNICHAR(n)is the default answer — real Unicode, any font, survives export.=CHAR(n)only reaches 255 characters, and the famousCHAR(252)check mark is actually ü in disguise.- Alt + 0176 / 0169 / 0163 are fine for ° © £ — numpad required, and there’s no Alt + X in Excel.
- Custom number formats (
0"°C") attach units without turning numbers into text. - On a Mac, formulas work the same; use the Character Viewer instead of Alt codes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I insert a symbol in Excel with a formula?
Use UNICHAR with the symbol’s decimal Unicode number: =UNICHAR(10003) gives ✓, =UNICHAR(176) gives °, and =UNICHAR(8734) gives ∞. UNICHAR returns a real Unicode character in any font. If you have a hex code point instead, convert it with =UNICHAR(HEX2DEC(“2713”)).
What is the difference between CHAR and UNICHAR in Excel?
CHAR takes a number from 1 to 255 and returns the matching character from the legacy code page, so it cannot reach arrows, Greek letters or check marks. UNICHAR takes a Unicode code point in decimal and returns any character in the Unicode Standard. Use UNICHAR unless you are maintaining an old formula.
Why doesn’t =CHAR(252) give me a check mark?
Because CHAR(252) is not a check mark — it returns ü, the letter u with a diaeresis. It only looks like a tick when the cell font is set to Wingdings, which draws that letter as a tick shape. Change the font, export to CSV, or copy the value elsewhere and it reverts to ü. Use =UNICHAR(10003) for a genuine check mark.
Does Alt + X work in Excel?
No. Alt + X is available in Word and Outlook on Windows only. In Excel, use the UNICHAR function, an Alt code on the numeric keypad for characters up to 255, or Insert → Symbol.
How do I add a unit like °C to a cell without breaking my formulas?
Use a custom number format instead of typing the unit. Select the cells, press Ctrl + 1, choose Custom, and enter a format such as 0″°C” or 0.0″ kg”. The cell displays the unit but stores only the number, so sums, averages and charts keep working.
How do I insert symbols in Excel on a Mac?
The formulas are identical — UNICHAR, CHAR and custom number formats all work the same. Alt codes do not exist on macOS, so use the Character Viewer at Control + Command + Space, or Option shortcuts such as Option + Shift + 8 for the degree sign.
Written by Igor R.. Tested on Excel for Microsoft 365 (Windows 11) and Excel for Mac. Last updated September 2026. Symbol code points follow the Unicode Standard.