How to Type the Euro Sign (€) on Windows, Mac and Phones

To type the euro sign (€) on Windows, hold Alt and type 0128 on the numeric keypad, or press AltGr + 4 on a UK keyboard. On a US Mac, press Option + Shift + 2. On phones, press and hold the $ key. Or copy it here:

The euro sign is Unicode character U+20AC EURO SIGN. It was added to Unicode in 1998, ahead of the currency’s launch, which is why it lives in the Currency Symbols block rather than alongside older signs like £ and ¥. The right method depends on your keyboard layout, so find yours below.

Euro sign codes at a glance

How to type the euro sign on Windows

US keyboard: use the Alt code

The US layout has no euro key, so the Alt code is the fastest keyboard method:

1. Turn on Num Lock.
2. Hold Alt.
3. Type 0128 on the numeric keypad.
4. Release Alt.

The leading zero matters. Alt + 0128 uses the Windows-1252 character set, where position 128 is the euro sign. Without the zero, Windows uses the old DOS code page 437, where 128 is Ç, so Alt + 128 gives you the wrong character. The euro has no code page 437 equivalent because it did not exist when that table was designed.

UK and European keyboards: use AltGr

On a UK keyboard layout, press AltGr + 4 (the right-hand Alt key plus 4). On German, French and many other European layouts, the euro is AltGr + E, and the key usually shows a small € printed on it. If your keyboard has no AltGr key, Ctrl + Alt does the same job in Windows, so Ctrl + Alt + 4 works on the UK layout.

These shortcuts depend on the layout Windows is using, not the physical keys. If the result is wrong, check the language indicator on the taskbar.

Any keyboard: emoji and symbol panel

Press Windows + . (or Windows + ;), open the Symbols tab (Ω), and choose the Currency symbols group. This works on laptops without a numeric keypad. Character Map (search “Character Map” in Start) is another option: tick Advanced view and search “euro”.

How to type the euro sign on a Mac

• US layout: Option + Shift + 2.
• British layout: Option + 2. (On this layout, Shift + 3 is £ and Option + 3 is #.)
• Any layout: press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search “euro”, and double-click €.

Mac Option shortcuts are defined by the input source, so a German or French Mac layout places € elsewhere. The menu bar input menu shows which layout is active, and the Keyboard Viewer (available from that menu) shows what each key produces while you hold Option.

How to insert € in Word, Excel and Google Docs

Microsoft Word

Type 20AC and press Alt + X. If the code directly follows a number, as in 2520AC, select just 20AC first, otherwise Word reads the extra digits as part of the code. You can also go to Insert > Symbol > More Symbols and pick € from the Currency Symbols subset.

Microsoft Excel

For prices, it is better to use a currency number format than to type € into the cell. Select the cells, open Format Cells > Number > Currency, and choose a euro format. The values stay numeric, so sums and charts keep working. When you need the character in text, =UNICHAR(8364) returns €.

Google Docs and Sheets

In Docs, use Insert > Special characters and search “euro”. In Sheets, pick Format > Number > Custom currency and search for the euro, or use =UNICHAR(8364) in a formula.

How to type € on iPhone and Android

• iPhone and iPad: tap 123, then press and hold the $ key. A row of currency signs appears; slide to € and let go. If your iPhone region uses the euro, € may already be on the main number keyboard.
• Android (Gboard and most others): open the symbols keyboard and press and hold the currency key. € is usually in the pop-up, and it is also listed on the second symbols page.

Euro sign in HTML and code

HTML supports the named entity € as well as the numeric references € (decimal) and € (hex). In CSS use "20AC"; in JavaScript use "u20AC". In UTF-8 it takes three bytes, E2 82 AC. If an older system shows a different character where € should be, it is usually reading Windows-1252 byte 0x80 or UTF-8 bytes with the wrong encoding. The Unicode converter shows all of these values side by side.

Where to put the euro sign

Placement is a convention, not part of the character. The EU’s official style guide for English texts puts the sign before the amount with no space (€20), and many English-language publications do the same. In many euro-area languages the sign follows the amount with a space and a decimal comma, as in 20,50 €. When writing for a particular country, follow that country’s convention. For formal or financial documents, the ISO code EUR (EUR 20.50) avoids ambiguity.

Why the euro shortcut is not working

• You typed Alt + 128 without the zero. That gives Ç. Use Alt + 0128.
• You used the top-row numbers or Num Lock is off. Alt codes need the numeric keypad with Num Lock on.
• AltGr + 4 gives nothing on a US layout. That shortcut belongs to the UK layout. On the US layout, use the Alt code or the symbol panel, or add the UK layout in Windows language settings.
• The € shows as a box or a question mark. Very old fonts and legacy systems may lack the euro glyph or use the wrong encoding. Modern fonts include it; make sure the file or database is saved as UTF-8.
• On a Mac you get ™ or another symbol. Option + 2 gives ™ on the US layout; you need Shift as well.

Related currency symbols

• £ Pound sign
• ¥ Yen sign
• ¢ Cent sign
• $ Dollar sign
• ₹ Indian rupee sign and ₿ Bitcoin sign

See every currency character in the currency symbols category, or look up shortcuts for other signs in the Alt code finder.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Alt code for the euro sign?

Alt + 0128, typed on the numeric keypad. There is no three-digit version; Alt + 128 produces Ç.

How do I type € on a UK keyboard?

Press AltGr + 4 on Windows, or Option + 2 on a Mac with the British layout.

What is the Unicode for the euro sign?

U+20AC (decimal 8364), named EURO SIGN.

Does the euro sign go before or after the number?

In English, it usually goes before with no space (€50). Many euro-area languages place it after the amount with a space (50 €).