How to Insert Special Characters in Google Docs

To insert a special character in Google Docs, open Insert > Special characters, then search for the symbol by name (for example “arrow” or “check”) or draw it with your mouse, and click it to insert. For symbols you use often, set up an automatic substitution under Tools > Preferences.

Google Docs has no Alt+X trick and no Symbol dialog like Word, but its Special characters tool is surprisingly capable, and your computer’s own keyboard methods work inside Docs too. Here are all the options.

Method 1: Insert > Special characters

1. Click where you want the character.
2. Open the Insert menu and choose Special characters.
3. Find the character in one of three ways:
   • Search: type a word into the search box, such as “degree,” “euro,” “arrow” or “check mark.” Results appear as you type.
   • Draw: sketch the symbol in the drawing box on the right with your mouse or trackpad. Docs suggests matching characters. This is ideal when you know what a symbol looks like but not what it is called.
   • Browse: use the drop-down menus to pick a category, for example Symbol, then Arrows or Math.
4. Click a character to insert it. The dialog stays open, so you can add several, then close it with the X.

Hover over any character in the dialog to see its Unicode name and code point. The same tool is available in Google Slides and Google Drawings.

Method 2: Automatic substitutions

Docs can replace a short sequence with a symbol as you type, similar to Word’s AutoCorrect.

1. Open Tools > Preferences and choose the Substitutions tab.
2. Make sure Automatic substitution is checked. Docs comes with a default list that includes entries such as (c) → ©. Scroll through it to see what is already set up in your account.
3. To add your own, type a trigger in the left box, such as :check, and paste the character into the right box, such as ✓.
4. Click OK. From now on, typing the trigger followed by a space inserts the symbol.

Pick triggers you will never type by accident. A leading colon or semicolon works well: :deg for °, :tm for ™, :arrow for →. Substitutions are saved to your Google account, so they follow you to any computer where you sign in to Docs. If a substitution fires when you did not want it, press Ctrl + Z (or Command + Z on a Mac) to undo it.

Method 3: Your computer’s keyboard shortcuts

Google Docs runs in the browser, so the operating system’s own input methods work inside it:

• Windows emoji and symbol panel: press Windows + . and open the Ω Symbols tab.
• Windows Alt codes: hold Alt and type the code on the numeric keypad with Num Lock on.
• Mac Option shortcuts: for example Option + Shift + 8 for °.
• Mac Character Viewer: Control + Command + Space.

Look up any other character in the Alt code and shortcut finder.

Method 4: Equations

For math, choose Insert > Equation. An equation toolbar appears with menus of Greek letters, operators, relations and arrows. Inside an equation box you can also type a backslash command followed by a space, such as alpha for α, pi for π, infty for ∞ or rightarrow for →. Equations are formatted as math objects, so for a single symbol in a normal sentence, Special characters is usually the better choice.

Method 5: Copy and paste

Search the character on SymbolHero, click copy, and paste into your document. If the pasted text brings along unwanted formatting, use Paste without formatting (Ctrl + Shift + V on Windows and ChromeOS, Command + Shift + V on a Mac). Browse by category starting from all symbol categories.

Google Docs on a phone or tablet

The Google Docs mobile app does not offer the Special characters tool. Use your phone keyboard instead: press and hold a letter or symbol key to see variants, switch to the number and symbol layers, or paste a character copied from a website. Substitutions you created on the desktop are not available in the mobile app, but iPhone Text Replacement and Gboard’s personal dictionary shortcuts work in it.

Special characters in Google Sheets

Google Sheets does not have the Special characters menu. Paste the character into a cell, or use a formula: UNICHAR takes a character’s decimal code point and returns the character.

The decimal value for any character is shown in the Unicode converter. You can combine formulas with text, for example =A2&UNICHAR(176) to add a degree sign after a number.

Troubleshooting

• Search finds nothing. Try a simpler or different word: “tick” versus “check,” “money” versus “currency,” or draw the symbol instead.
• The character appears as a box. The document font lacks it. Select the character and change it to a font with wider coverage, such as Arial or Noto Sans.
• A substitution does not trigger. Check that Automatic substitution is on, and type a space or punctuation after the trigger.
• Alt codes do nothing. You need a numeric keypad with Num Lock on. On a laptop, use the emoji panel or Special characters instead.
• The symbol looks different in a downloaded .docx or PDF. The export uses a different font. Choose a common font for symbol-heavy text before exporting.

Related symbols

• Check Mark (✓), Checked Box (☑) and Empty Checkbox (☐) for task lists
• Right Arrow (→) and other arrows
• Black Star (★) and White Star (☆)
• Degree Symbol (°) and other math symbols

Frequently asked questions

Where are special characters in Google Docs?

In the Insert menu: Insert > Special characters. It is available in the desktop browser version, not in the mobile app.

Is there a keyboard shortcut for special characters in Google Docs?

Docs has no default shortcut that opens the dialog. Use automatic substitutions for characters you type often, or your operating system’s shortcuts.

How do I type a check mark in Google Docs?

Open Insert > Special characters and search “check,” or create a substitution such as :check → ✓.

Can I use Alt codes in Google Docs?

Yes, on Windows with a numeric keypad. Alt codes are handled by Windows, so they work in the browser just like in other programs.