How to Type Special Characters on Android
Every Symbol & Shortcut
The complete guide to typing special characters on Android — degree signs, currency symbols, accented letters, arrows, copyright symbols, and more. Covers Gboard (Google keyboard) and Samsung keyboard, with every hold-key shortcut and the fastest methods for each symbol.
Android vs iPhone: How Special Characters Work Differently
Android and iPhone both support special characters through hold-key popups, symbol keyboards, and copy-paste — but the specific methods differ. Android’s experience also varies depending on which keyboard app you’re using. The two most common are Gboard (Google’s keyboard, default on most Android phones) and Samsung Keyboard (default on Samsung Galaxy devices).
This guide covers both. The hold-key shortcuts work on both keyboards — the differences are mainly in where to find the dedicated symbol panels and how to set up shortcuts.
Method 1 — Hold Any Key for Hidden Characters
The most powerful and underused feature on any Android keyboard. Press and hold almost any key for about half a second — a popup appears with related special characters. Slide to the one you want without lifting your finger, then release.
| Hold this key | Characters that appear |
|---|---|
| a |
à
á
â
ä
å
ã
æ
tap any to copy
|
| e |
è
é
ê
ë
ē
|
| i |
ì
í
î
ï
|
| o |
ò
ó
ô
ö
ø
õ
œ
|
| u |
ù
ú
û
ü
|
| n |
ñ
ń
Spanish ñ is here
|
| c |
ç
ć
French ç is here
|
| s |
ß
š
German ß is here
|
| 0 |
°
Degree symbol — hold zero
|
| $ |
€
£
¥
₹
₩
All major currencies
|
| – |
–
—
•
En dash, em dash, bullet
|
| ? |
¿
Inverted ? for Spanish
|
| ! |
¡
Inverted ! for Spanish
|
| “ |
“
“
«
»
Curly & guillemet quotes
|
Method 2 — The Symbol Keyboard (?123 → =\<)
Both Gboard and Samsung Keyboard have a dedicated symbols layer beyond the standard ?123 numbers panel. Tap ?123 to get to numbers and common punctuation, then tap =\< (Gboard) or 1/2 (Samsung) to reach the deeper symbols panel containing ©, ™, ®, §, ¶ and many more.
Method 3 — Search in Gboard’s Emoji Panel
Gboard has a search function in the emoji panel that searches across emoji and Unicode symbols. This is the fastest way to find any symbol by name on Android.
- Tap the emoji icon (smiley face) on your keyboard
- Tap the search icon (magnifying glass) at the top of the emoji panel
- Type the symbol name — “degree”, “copyright”, “arrow”, “check”, etc.
- Results show matching emoji and Unicode symbols
- Tap the symbol to insert it immediately
This method works for finding: ° degree, © copyright, → arrows, ✓ checkmarks, ♥ hearts, ★ stars, ∞ infinity, and hundreds of other symbols by name. No need to scroll through pages.
Method 4 — Personal Dictionary Shortcuts (Best for Frequent Symbols)
Android’s personal dictionary lets you create text shortcuts that expand to any character. Set it up once — it works in every app that uses the system keyboard, permanently, including after phone restarts.
- Open Settings → System (or General Management on Samsung) → Language & Input
- Tap Personal Dictionary (may also be under your keyboard’s settings)
- Tap + to add a new entry
- In the Phrase field, type the symbol: °
- In the Shortcut field, type your trigger: deg
- Save — now typing “deg” + space expands to °
Recommended shortcuts to add right now
| Type this | Expands to | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| deg | ° | Temperatures, angles, coordinates |
| cpyr | © | Copyright notices |
| tm | ™ | Trademark symbol |
| eur | € | Euro amounts |
| arr | → | Bios, directions, lists |
| inf | ∞ | Infinity symbol |
| str | ★ | Star symbol, ratings |
| hrt | ♥ | Heart symbol |
Specific Symbols — Exactly How to Get Each One on Android
Degree symbol ° on Android
Switch to the numbers keyboard → hold the 0 (zero) key for about half a second → degree symbol ° appears in the popup → slide to it and release. Works on both Gboard and Samsung keyboard. Or search “degree” in Gboard’s emoji search panel.
Copyright symbol © on Android
Tap ?123 → tap =\< (Gboard) or 1/2 (Samsung) → find © in the symbols panel. Or type “copyright” in Gboard’s emoji search. Or set up a text shortcut: “cpyr” → ©.
Euro sign € on Android
Hold the $ (dollar) key → a popup appears with €, £, ¥, ₹, ₩ and other currencies → slide to €. This is the fastest method for any currency symbol on Android.
Accented letters (é, ñ, ü) on Android
Stay on the letters keyboard → hold the base letter → accented versions appear → slide to the one you need. Hold e for é, è, ê. Hold n for ñ. Hold u for ü. This works exactly the same on both Gboard and Samsung keyboard.
Em dash — on Android
Hold the – (hyphen) key on the numbers keyboard → the em dash — and en dash – appear in the popup alongside the bullet •. Or type “em dash” in Gboard’s emoji search.
FAQ
How do I find special characters on my Android keyboard? Three methods: (1) Hold any key for about 0.5 seconds to see related special characters in a popup. (2) Tap ?123 then =\< to reach the full symbols panel. (3) Open the emoji panel and use the search to type the symbol name. All three methods work on Gboard and Samsung keyboard.
Where is the degree symbol on Android? Hold the 0 (zero) key on the numbers keyboard — the degree symbol ° appears in the popup. Slide to it without lifting your finger and release. This is the fastest method on any Android keyboard.
How do I type the euro sign on an Android phone? Hold the dollar sign $ key — a popup appears with major currency symbols including €, £, ¥, ₹, and ₩. Slide to € and release. Available on both Gboard and Samsung keyboard.
Why can’t I find the copyright symbol on my Android keyboard? The copyright symbol © is not on the main keyboard layers. Go to numbers keyboard (?123) then switch to the extended symbols layer (=\< on Gboard or 1/2 on Samsung) where © appears directly. Alternatively, copy it from this page — that’s always the fastest approach for one-off symbols.
Do Android keyboard shortcuts sync across devices? On Google accounts: personal dictionary entries sync across Android devices signed into the same Google account, including tablets and Android phones. Samsung keyboard shortcuts sync across Samsung devices signed into the same Samsung account. They do not cross-sync between Google and Samsung systems.