Short answer: On a Mac, press Option + Y. On Windows, press Alt + 0165 on the numeric keypad (Num Lock on). On a phone, press and hold the $ key on the symbols keyboard and slide to ¥. Or copy it with the button below.
The same sign, ¥, is used for both the Japanese yen and the Chinese yuan (renminbi) — context tells them apart. Here’s how to type it everywhere.
Quick reference
| Platform | How to type ¥ |
|---|---|
| Mac | Option + Y (US layout) |
| Windows | Alt + 0165 (numeric keypad, Num Lock on) |
| Windows (OEM code) | Alt + 157 (numeric keypad, English‑US locale) |
| Word | Type 00A5, then Alt + X |
| iPhone / Android | Long‑press $ on the symbols keyboard → ¥ |
| Chromebook | Ctrl + Shift + U, type 00a5, then Enter |
| Linux | Ctrl + Shift + U 00a5 (IBus), or Compose → y → = |
| Google Docs | Insert → Special characters → search “yen” |
| Excel / Sheets | Format cells → Currency → Japanese Yen |
| HTML | ¥ or ¥ |
| CSS | content: "\00A5"; |
| LaTeX | \textyen (textcomp package) |
| Unicode | U+00A5 (¥) · U+FFE5 (￥ fullwidth) |
Mac
Press Option + Y. This works on the standard US and ABC layouts (and on the Australian and Canadian‑English layouts, which share it).
On a non‑US layout — British, Irish, or a national layout — Option + Y may produce a different character, because ¥ isn’t mapped there. The reliable route is the Character Viewer: press Control + Command + Space, search “yen,” and double‑click ¥. That works in any app regardless of layout.
Windows
You have two reliable options:
- Alt code: Hold Alt and type 0165 on the numeric keypad with Num Lock on.
- In Word: Type 00A5, then press Alt + X — Word converts the code into ¥.
A shorter OEM code, Alt + 157, also produces ¥ in most applications without the leading zero. It comes from the original code page (CP437), so it depends on your system locale being English (United States); where locale differs, use Alt + 0165 instead, which is the more portable of the two.
No numeric keypad? Laptop keyboards without a dedicated numpad can’t use Alt codes reliably. Use the copy button above, or Word’s Alt + X method.
iPhone and Android
On both iPhone and Android, open the symbols keyboard (tap 123, then #+= if needed), press and hold the $ key, and slide to ¥ in the popup. It sits alongside the other currency signs (€, £, ¢, ₩). The exact popup contents vary by keyboard app — Gboard, SwiftKey, and the stock iOS keyboard all include ¥, though the ordering differs slightly.
Chromebook and Linux
Chromebook — ChromeOS supports Unicode input in most text fields: press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 00a5, then press Enter (Space also works). One catch: this shortcut doesn’t fire inside Google Docs — there, use Insert → Special characters and search “yen,” or paste from the copy button above.
Linux:
- IBus (GNOME, most distros): Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 00a5, then Enter.
- Compose key: If you’ve enabled a Compose key, the yen sequence is Compose → y → =.
Word, Google Docs, and HTML
- Word: Any method above, or Insert → Symbol → More Symbols and enter the character code 00A5. You can also add ¥ to AutoCorrect (map
(yen)→ ¥) so it types automatically. - Google Docs: Insert → Special characters, then search “yen” and click ¥.
- HTML: use the entity
¥or the numeric reference¥(hex:¥). - CSS (pseudo‑element content):
content: "\00A5"; - LaTeX:
\textyen— provided by the textcomp package (loaded by default in recent LaTeX kernels).
Yen or yuan?
The character is shared. ¥ marks the Japanese yen (JPY) and is also widely used for the Chinese yuan (formally the renminbi, CNY/RMB). There’s no separate Unicode character for the yuan — context determines which currency is meant. In invoices or listings where it must be unambiguous, people prefix the country code: JP¥ for yen, CN¥ for yuan.
In Google Sheets and Excel
To keep amounts as numbers you can total and calculate with, don’t type the symbol as text. Instead, format the cells as Currency and choose Japanese Yen (¥). The ¥ then displays automatically while the underlying value stays numeric.
Standard ¥ vs fullwidth ￥
Japanese and other CJK text often uses the fullwidth yen ￥ (U+FFE5), which is visually wider so it aligns with fullwidth characters. The standard ¥ (U+00A5) is the right choice for most Western and international contexts. Use fullwidth ￥ only when you’re matching CJK typography.
Examples
- ¥1,000
- ¥980
- “The price is ¥5,500.”
The ¥ goes before the amount, with no space — the standard convention for both yen and yuan.
Troubleshooting
- Alt + 0165 does nothing. A physical numeric keypad with Num Lock on is required. On a laptop without one, copy ¥ above or use Word’s Alt + X (type 00A5, then Alt + X).
- ¥ shows as a box (□) or question mark. The font you’re using doesn’t include the yen glyph. Switch to a common system font (Arial, Segoe UI, Times New Roman) or a CJK font like Noto Sans CJK, and it will render.
- I typed ¥ but it turned into a backslash
\. On Japanese keyboard layouts, the yen key and the backslash share the same physical key (the Option key normally toggles between them), and some apps get this wrong. Force the character with the Unicode/Alt‑code method above to get ¥ (U+00A5). - Wrong width. If ¥ looks too wide, you’ve entered the fullwidth ￥ (U+FFE5) — retype using U+00A5.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I type the yen symbol on Windows?
Hold Alt and type 0165 on the numeric keypad with Num Lock on. In Microsoft Word, you can also type 00A5 and then press Alt + X.
How do I type the yen symbol on a Mac?
Press Option + Y to type ¥ on the US and ABC layouts. On a British or other non‑US layout, use the Character Viewer instead: Control + Command + Space, then search “yen.”
Is the yen and yuan symbol the same?
Yes. The symbol ¥ is used for both the Japanese yen (JPY) and the Chinese yuan (CNY/RMB). The surrounding context determines which currency is being referenced.
How do I type ¥ on my phone?
Open the symbols keyboard, press and hold the $ key, then slide to ¥ in the popup — it’s next to €, £ and ¢.
How do I add the yen symbol in Excel or Google Sheets?
Format the cells as Currency and select Japanese Yen (¥). This keeps the values numeric and usable in calculations, rather than treating them as text.
What is the difference between ¥ and the fullwidth ￥?
¥ (U+00A5) is the standard yen symbol used in most Western and international contexts.
￥ (U+FFE5) is the fullwidth version used primarily in Japanese, Chinese, and other CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) text environments. It is visually wider and designed to align with fullwidth characters.
What is the Alt code for the yen symbol?
Alt + 0165 on the numeric keypad. The shorter OEM code Alt + 157 also works in most apps when your system locale is English (US).
Are the yen and yuan symbols the same?
Yes. ¥ is used for both the Japanese yen (JPY) and the Chinese yuan (CNY/RMB). The surrounding context tells you which currency is meant.
Recap
Mac Option + Y · Windows Alt + 0165 · phone hold the $ key · on the web ¥. For anything finicky — a non‑US layout or a laptop with no numpad — copy the symbol above or use the Character Viewer.
Written by Igor R. Tested on Windows 11, macOS, and iOS; Chromebook and Linux methods verified against current OS documentation. Last updated June 2026. The yen sign is U+00A5 in the Unicode Standard.
Need another symbol? Look up any character’s Alt code, Mac shortcut, and HTML entity in the Alt Code Finder.