A computer keyboard has more symbols than just letters and numbers. It includes punctuation marks, mathematical symbols, and special typographical characters. Knowing the correct names and shortcuts of these keyboard symbols helps users write, code, and communicate more efficiently. Whether you’re typing on Windows or macOS, each keyboard comes with its own unique layout and modifier keys that make certain symbols accessible.
U.S. Keyboard Symbols
The typical U.S. keyboard layout on a Windows computer features all the standard keys, including letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and special function keys. Windows keyboards also include two unique keys — the Windows key (introduced in 1994 — source) and a Menu key on the bottom row.
A Mac keyboard, on the other hand, includes a Command key (⌘), which was first introduced in 1980 — source. This key allows various shortcuts and functions similar to the Control (Ctrl) key on Windows.
Keyboard Symbols and Their Names
The table below lists all common keyboard symbols found on U.S. keyboards and their names.
| Keyboard Symbol | Name / Description |
|---|---|
| ` | grave, grave accent, backtick, back quote |
| ~ | tilde |
| ! | exclamation, exclamation point, bang |
| @ | at, at sign, at symbol |
| # | pound, pound sign, hash, hashtag, number sign, octothorpe |
| $ | dollar sign, currency sign |
| % | percent, percent sign, parts per 100 |
| ^ | caret, hat, circumflex, exponent |
| & | and, ampersand |
| * | asterisk |
| ( | open bracket, open parenthesis, left parenthesis |
| ) | close bracket, close parenthesis, right parenthesis |
| ( ) | parentheses, brackets, round brackets |
| – | hyphen, minus, minus sign, dash |
| _ | underscore |
| = | equals, equal sign |
| + | addition, plus sign |
| [ ] | brackets, square brackets |
| [ | open bracket |
| ] | close bracket |
| { } | braces, curly brackets |
| { | open brace |
| } | close brace |
| \ | backslash, backward slash, reverse solidus |
| / | slash, forward slash, solidus |
| | | vertical pipe, pipe |
| ; | semicolon |
| : | colon |
| ‘ | apostrophe, prime, single quote |
| “ | quotation mark, double quotes |
| , | comma |
| . | period, decimal, dot |
| < > | angle brackets |
| < | less than |
| > | greater than |
| ? | question mark |
Modifier Keys on a Windows Keyboard
Windows keyboards have several modifier keys that help users perform commands like copy, paste, save, or print. The Windows key, first introduced in 1994, serves as a quick shortcut to open the Start menu and perform various functions.
| Key | Windows Function |
|---|---|
| Alt or Option | Alt |
| Caps Lock | Caps Lock |
| Command | Cmd |
| Control | Ctrl |
| Delete | Backspace |
| Escape | Esc |
| Enter / Return | Enter |
| Function | Fn |
| Shift | Shift |
| Tab | Tab |
| Windows | Windows, Win, Start, Super key |
Modifier Keys on a Mac Keyboard
Mac keyboards have their own set of modifier keys. The Command (⌘) key, first introduced in 1980, enables multiple shortcuts that enhance productivity. The Control (⌃) key performs similar tasks on Windows systems.
| Key | Mac Function |
|---|---|
| Alt or Option | ⌥ |
| Caps Lock | Caps Lock |
| Command | ⌘, Cmd |
| Control | ⌃ |
| Delete | Delete |
| Escape | Esc |
| Enter / Return | ⏎ |
| Function | fn |
| Shift | ⇧ |
| Tab | Tab |
Special Symbols Using Keyboard Shortcuts
Apart from standard symbols, there are special characters used for currency, math, editing, and typography that can be accessed using keyboard shortcuts.
Symbols Using Windows Shortcuts
| SYMBOL | NAME | WINDOW SHORTCUT |
|---|---|---|
| £ | pound, pound sterling | Alt + 0163 |
| $ | dollar or currency | Shift + 4 |
| ¢ | cent | Alt + 0162 |
| € | euro | Alt + Ctrl + E |
| ¥ | Japanese yen, Chinese yuan | Alt + 0165 |
| ∞ | infinity | Alt + 236 |
| § | section, silcrow | Alt + 0167 |
| ¶ | paragraph, pilcrow | Alt + 0182 |
| ™ | trademark | Alt + 0153 |
| © | copyright | Alt + 0169 |
| ® | registered trademark | Alt + 0174 |
| • | bullet | Alt + 0149 |
| º | degree | Alt + 0176 |
| ± | plus or minus | Alt + 177 |
| ≠ | not equal sign, inequality | Alt + 8800 |
| ≈ | approximately | Alt + 247 |
| ∑ | upper case sigma, summation | Alt + 931 |
| π | lower case pi | Alt + 960 |
| ∏ | upper case pi | Alt + 227 |
| √ | square root, radical | Alt + 251 |
| % | percent, parts per 100 | Shift + 5 |
| ‰ | per mille, parts per 1000 | Alt + 0137 |
| ÷ | division | Alt + 247 |
| ≤ | less than or equal to | Alt + 243 |
| ≥ | greater than or equal to | Alt + 8805 |
| † | dagger, cross | Alt + 0134 |
| ‡ | double dagger, double cross | Alt + 0135 |
| … | ellipsis | Alt + 0133 |
| – | en dash | Alt + 0150 |
| — | em dash | Alt + 0151 |
| ∆ | upper case delta, change | Alt + 30 |
| Ω | upper case omega | Alt + 234 |
| µ | lower case mu, mean, micro | Alt + 230 |
Symbols Using Mac Shortcuts
| SYMBOL | NAME | MAC SHORTCUT |
|---|---|---|
| £ | pound, pound sterling | Option + 3 (US), Shift + 3 (UK) |
| $ | dollar or currency | Shift + 4 |
| ¢ | cent | Option + 4 |
| € | euro | Option + Shift + 2 (US), Option + 2 (UK) |
| ¥ | Japanese yen, Chinese yuan | Option + y |
| ∞ | infinity | Option + 5 |
| § | section, silcrow | Option + 6 |
| ¶ | paragraph, pilcrow | Option + 7 |
| ™ | trademark | Option + 2 |
| © | copyright | Option + g |
| ® | registered trademark | Option + r |
| • | bullet | Option + 8 |
| º | degree | Option + Shift + 8 |
| ± | plus or minus | Option + Shift + = |
| ≠ | not equal sign, inequality | Option + = |
| ≈ | approximately | Option + x |
| ∑ | upper case sigma, summation | Option + w |
| π | lower case pi | Option + p |
| ∏ | upper case pi | Option + Shift + p |
| √ | square root, radical | Option + v |
| % | percent, parts per 100 | Shift + 5 |
| ‰ | per mille, parts per 1000 | Option + Shift + r |
| ÷ | division | Option + / |
| ≤ | less than or equal to | Option + , |
| ≥ | greater than or equal to | Option + . |
| † | dagger, cross | Option + t |
| ‡ | double dagger, double cross | Option + Shift + 7 |
| … | ellipsis | Option + ; |
| – | en dash | Option + – |
| — | em dash | Option + Shift + – |
| ∆ | upper case delta, change | Option + j |
| Ω | upper case omega | Option + z |
| µ | lower case mu, mean, micro | Option + m |
IMPOTANCE OF KEYBOARD SYMBOLS
Understanding keyboard symbols and their corresponding names is crucial for anyone who types, codes, or edits professionally. From punctuation marks to mathematical and special symbols, each key serves a specific function. Whether using a Windows PC or a Mac, learning the shortcuts for these symbols enhances productivity and accuracy.
For more shortcuts and visual layouts, check resources such as the Windows key and Command key (⌘) on Wikipedia for further reading.