Short answer: For any symbol you type often, set up a text replacement — a short code that expands into the symbol (map deg → °). It’s free, built into Word, Google Docs, Mac, iPhone and Android, and it’s faster than any code or menu. For symbols you type constantly, put them on a programmable key.
The core method here — making your own shortcuts — is covered in depth in text-replacement symbols; this guide puts it alongside every other speed method so you can pick the right one.
Hunting for a symbol every time is the slow way. The fix is to match the method to how often you use a given symbol — occasional, regular, or constant. Here are six methods, roughly fastest-to-set-up first.
Match the method to how often you type it
- Occasionally (a symbol now and then) → a picker or the copy tools. No setup.
- Regularly (the same few symbols daily) → AutoCorrect / text replacement. Two minutes to set up, saves you forever.
- Constantly (symbol-heavy work) → a text expander app or a programmable key.
1. Built-in AutoCorrect & text replacement (free)
Every major app can swap a short code for a symbol — no download:
- Microsoft Word: File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options. It already turns
(c)into ©,(r)into ®,(tm)into ™, and-->into →. Add your own: put ° in “With,”degin “Replace,” and everydegbecomes °. - Google Docs: Tools → Preferences → Substitutions — add the same kind of code → symbol pairs.
- Mac (system-wide): System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Text Replacements — works in most apps.
- iPhone: Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement.
- Android (Gboard): Settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary.
Pick codes you’ll never type by accident — xdeg, zzeuro — so they don’t fire mid-word.
2. A text expander app (works everywhere)
If you want one set of shortcuts across every app, a dedicated text expander is the power move:
- espanso — free and open-source, runs system-wide on Windows, Mac and Linux; you can even expand
:cowboy:→ 🤠. - AutoHotkey — free and open-source (Windows); map “hotstrings” to any symbol or macro.
- Text Blaze — free, browser-based (Chrome/Edge), great for web apps.
- TextExpander / Typinator / aText — polished paid options with sync.
Set up a small library once (\deg → °, \arr → →, \chk → ✓) and it follows you into email, chat, docs and code.
3. Learn your top five shortcuts
You don’t need to memorize hundreds of codes — just the handful you actually use. Commit five to muscle memory and you’ll rarely reach for anything else: on Windows the Alt codes, on Mac the Option shortcuts, in Word the hex + Alt + X. Keep the Alt code chart nearby until they stick.
4. Emoji & symbol pickers
For quick, no-setup access to a lot of characters:
- Windows: press Win + . (period) for the emoji-and-symbol panel — it has a symbols tab too. More: Windows emoji shortcut.
- Mac: press Control + Command + Space for the Character Viewer / emoji panel. More: Mac emoji shortcut.
Pickers are perfect for symbols you use too rarely to bother making a shortcut for.
5. A programmable keyboard or macro pad
For symbol-heavy work, the fastest input of all is a dedicated key. A programmable (QMK/VIA) keyboard lets you map € or → or ✓ onto a key or layer, and a device like a Stream Deck gives you labelled keys you can see. It’s the constant-use answer — details in best keyboards for symbols.
6. Keep the tools and a cheat sheet handy
Some symbols you’ll only ever need once. For those, don’t memorize anything — keep the Alt Code Finder and the copy-and-paste tool a click away, and print the Alt code chart for offline reference. And if you type a lot of accents, switching to the US-International keyboard layout makes é, ñ and ü a single keystroke — see accents on a US keyboard.
Recap — the speed ladder
- Now and then → picker (Win + . / Ctrl + Cmd + Space) or the copy tool.
- Daily → AutoCorrect / text replacement (
deg→ °). - All day → a text expander app or a programmable key.
- Accents → the US-International layout.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the fastest way to type a symbol you use a lot?
Set up a text replacement — a short code that expands into the symbol. It’s built into Word, Google Docs, Mac, iPhone and Android for free, and once configured, typing something like deg instantly becomes °. For symbols you use constantly, a programmable keyboard key is even faster.
How do you set up AutoCorrect for symbols in Word?
Go to File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options. Word already converts codes like (c) to © and ™ to ™. To add your own, type the symbol in the “With” box and a short code in the “Replace” box, then click Add — now that code expands to the symbol as you type.
What’s the best free text expander?
Espanso is an excellent free, open-source option that works system-wide on Windows, Mac and Linux; AutoHotkey is a powerful free choice on Windows; and Text Blaze is free for browser-based work. If you’d rather not install anything, the built-in Text Replacement on your OS already does the job.
How do you type symbols without memorizing codes?
Use a picker — Win + . on Windows or Control + Command + Space on Mac — to browse and insert symbols by name, or keep a copy-and-paste tool and a printed chart handy. For symbols you use often, a two-minute text-replacement shortcut removes the need to remember anything.
Can you put a symbol on its own key?
Yes. A programmable keyboard with QMK/VIA firmware lets you remap a key or a layer to a symbol like € or →, and an Elgato Stream Deck gives you labelled keys for symbols and emoji. It’s the fastest method for people who type specific symbols all day.
What’s the fastest way to type accents?
Switch to the US-International keyboard layout, which turns é, ñ and ü into single keystrokes, or set up text replacements for the ones you use. On a phone, long-press the base letter for its accented variants.
Written by Igor R.. Tested on Windows 11, macOS, Word and Google Docs. Symbol code points follow the Unicode Standard. Last updated July 2026.