How to Use Character Map in Windows
Find & Copy Any Symbol
Character Map is Windows’ built-in tool for finding and inserting any Unicode symbol — from © to ✓ to α to 🔥. This guide shows every way to open it, how to use it efficiently, and three faster alternatives you probably don’t know about.
What Is Windows Character Map?
Character Map (charmap.exe) is a utility built into every version of Windows since Windows 3.1. It displays a grid of every character available in any font installed on your computer, lets you browse by Unicode subset, and copies characters to your clipboard for pasting anywhere.
It’s not glamorous — the interface hasn’t changed significantly in decades — but it works, it’s always there, and it contains every Unicode character your installed fonts support. For symbols that aren’t on your keyboard and don’t have Alt codes, Character Map is often the only built-in Windows option.
How to Open Character Map — 5 Ways
- 1Press ⊞ Win + R to open the Run dialog
- 2Type
charmapand press Enter - 3Character Map opens immediately
- 1Press ⊞ Win to open Start or click the Search bar in the taskbar
- 2Type “Character Map”
- 3Click the result to open it
- 1Press ⊞ Win + E to open File Explorer
- 2Click the address bar at the top
- 3Type
charmapand press Enter
How to Use Character Map — Step by Step
- 1Choose your font — the Font dropdown at the top controls which characters appear. For most symbols, keep it on Arial or Segoe UI — these include comprehensive Unicode coverage. For decorative characters, try Wingdings or Webdings.
- 2Enable Advanced View — tick the “Advanced view” checkbox at the bottom. This unlocks the Unicode subset filter and search field.
- 3Filter by Unicode subset — use the “Unicode Subset” dropdown to jump to a category. Options include: Latin-1 Supplement, General Punctuation, Mathematical Operators, Currency Symbols, Letterlike Symbols, and more.
- 4Find your character — click any character to see it enlarged in the bottom-left preview. The Alt code and Unicode value appear in the bottom status bar. Double-click to add it to the “Characters to copy” box.
- 5Copy and paste — click Copy to copy the character(s) to your clipboard, then paste into any application with Ctrl+V.
- ✦General Punctuation → em dash —, en dash –, ellipsis …, bullet •, quotation marks ” “
- ✦Mathematical Operators → ≠ ≤ ≥ ∞ √ ∑ ∏ ∈ ∉ ∩ ∪ ∂ ∫
- ✦Currency Symbols → € £ ¥ ₹ ₩ ₽ ¢ ₿
- ✦Letterlike Symbols → © ™ ® ℗ ℃ ℉ ℅ ℞
- ✦Greek → α β γ δ ε π σ θ λ μ Ω and all 24 Greek letters
- ✦Arrows → → ← ↑ ↓ ↔ ⇒ ⇐ ⇔ and hundreds more
- ✦Dingbats → ✓ ✗ ★ ♥ ♦ ✦ ❤ and decorative symbols
- ✦Latin Extended → accented letters: é à ñ ü ç ø and all European characters
The Faster Alternative — Windows Emoji Panel
For most people in 2026, the Emoji Panel (added in Windows 10 version 1903) is more useful than Character Map for everyday symbol needs. It has search by name, a modern interface, and opens in under a second.
- 1Click into any text field where you want to insert a symbol
- 2Press ⊞ Win + . (period key)
- 3The Emoji Panel opens — click the Symbols tab (the omega Ω icon)
- 4Or type in the search bar — “degree,” “copyright,” “arrow,” “check” — and results appear instantly
- 5Click any symbol to insert it directly at your cursor
Most Useful Alt Codes — Quick Reference
Alt codes let you type special characters without opening any app — hold Alt, type the number on the numpad (not the row of numbers at the top), and release Alt. Character Map shows the Alt code for every character in the bottom status bar when you click on it.
| Symbol | Name | Alt code | Unicode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| © | Copyright | Alt + 0169 | U+00A9 | |
| ® | Registered | Alt + 0174 | U+00AE | |
| ™ | Trademark | Alt + 0153 | U+2122 | |
| ° | Degree | Alt + 0176 | U+00B0 | |
| € | Euro | Alt + 0128 | U+20AC | |
| £ | Pound | Alt + 0163 | U+00A3 | |
| ± | Plus-minus | Alt + 0177 | U+00B1 | |
| ² | Superscript 2 | Alt + 0178 | U+00B2 | |
| ³ | Superscript 3 | Alt + 0179 | U+00B3 | |
| ¼ | One quarter | Alt + 0188 | U+00BC | |
| ½ | One half | Alt + 0189 | U+00BD | |
| ¾ | Three quarters | Alt + 0190 | U+00BE | |
| — | Em dash | Alt + 0151 | U+2014 | |
| – | En dash | Alt + 0150 | U+2013 | |
| • | Bullet | Alt + 0149 | U+2022 | |
| ✓ | Check mark | Alt + 10003 | U+2713 | |
| ♥ | Heart | Alt + 3 | U+2665 | |
| ★ | Black star | Alt + 9733 | U+2605 | |
| ∞ | Infinity | Alt + 8734 | U+221E | |
| π | Pi | Alt + 960 | U+03C0 |
Inserting Symbols in Microsoft Word — The Better Way
Microsoft Word has its own symbol insertion system that’s often faster than Character Map for document work.
Method 1 — Insert → Symbol
In Word, click Insert tab → Symbol → More Symbols. This opens a panel similar to Character Map but integrated into Word, with the ability to assign keyboard shortcuts to any symbol directly.
Method 2 — Unicode code + Alt X
Type the Unicode code point directly, then press Alt + X to convert it to the character. Examples: type 00B0 → press Alt+X → ° appears. Type 2713 → press Alt+X → ✓ appears. Type 221E → press Alt+X → ∞. This works in Word and some other Microsoft Office apps.
Method 3 — AutoCorrect in Word
File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options → add a custom entry. For example: replace “(c)” with © or “(tm)” with ™. Many symbols have built-in AutoCorrect entries already — Word automatically converts (c) to © in most configurations.
FAQ
What is Character Map in Windows? Character Map (charmap.exe) is a built-in Windows utility that displays all the characters available in any installed font, lets you browse by Unicode category, and copies characters to your clipboard. It has been part of Windows since version 3.1 and works on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
How do I open Character Map quickly? The fastest way is Win+R → type charmap → Enter. For even faster access, pin Character Map to your taskbar by searching for it in Windows Search, right-clicking the result, and selecting “Pin to taskbar.”
What is the difference between Character Map and the Windows Emoji Panel? Character Map (charmap.exe) is older and more comprehensive — it shows every character in any installed font and includes Alt codes and Unicode references. The Emoji Panel (Win + .) is newer, faster, and has name search — but covers a smaller selection of symbols. Use Character Map for obscure symbols and Alt code lookup; use the Emoji Panel for everyday emoji and common symbols.
Why aren’t Alt codes working on my keyboard? Three likely causes: (1) Num Lock is off — press Num Lock and try again. (2) You’re using the number row at the top instead of the numpad on the right — Alt codes require the numpad. (3) Your laptop doesn’t have a numpad — most laptop keyboards don’t have a dedicated numpad, so Alt codes won’t work. Use the Emoji Panel (Win + .) or copy from a symbol reference instead.
Can I search for symbols by name in Character Map? Only in Advanced View — tick the “Advanced view” checkbox at the bottom of Character Map, then use the “Search for” field. However, the search is limited and slow. The Windows Emoji Panel (Win + .) has much better name search — type “copyright,” “degree,” “arrow,” or any symbol name and results appear instantly.