To type the plus-minus symbol (±), hold Alt and type 0177 (or 241) on the numeric keypad in Windows, or press Option + Shift + = on a Mac. Or copy it here:
±DetailsThe plus-minus sign is Unicode U+00B1 PLUS-MINUS SIGN, decimal 177. It shows a range or tolerance around a value (10 ± 0.5 mm) and the two solutions of an equation (x = ±3).
Plus-minus symbol codes at a glance
| Method | What to type |
|---|---|
| Windows Alt code | Alt + 0177 or Alt + 241 (numeric keypad) |
| Mac (US layout) | Option + Shift + = |
| Word (any text) | 00B1 then Alt + X |
| Word or Google Docs equation | pm then Space |
| Excel / Google Sheets | =UNICHAR(177) |
| HTML | ±, ± or ± |
How to type ± on Windows
Alt code
- Turn on Num Lock.
- Hold Alt.
- Type 0177 on the numeric keypad.
- Release Alt.
Alt + 241 gives the same result. The four-digit code with the leading zero comes from the Windows-1252 table, where ± is 177 (the same number as its Unicode value), and the three-digit code comes from the older DOS code page 437, where ± is 241. Both need the numeric keypad; the number row across the top of the keyboard does not work. The Alt code finder has the codes for other math symbols too.
Without a numeric keypad
Press Windows + . or Windows + ;, open the Symbols tab (Ω), and find ± in the Math symbols or Latin symbols group. Character Map works as well: search Start for “Character Map”, tick Advanced view, and search “plus-minus”.
How to type ± on a Mac
Press Option + Shift + = (the equals key, which also carries +). Without Shift, Option + = types ≠, the not-equal sign, which is a handy one to know as well.
On other keyboard layouts, open the Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space) and search “plus-minus”.
Plus-minus in Word, Google Docs and Excel
Microsoft Word
In ordinary text, type 00B1 and press Alt + X. If it follows a number, as in 500B1, select only 00B1 first, or Word will read the extra digit as part of the code. You can also use Insert > Symbol, where ± is often in the quick grid.
Inside an equation (Insert > Equation, or Alt + = in Word for Windows), type pm followed by a space and Word converts it to ±. mp gives the minus-plus sign ∓.
Google Docs
Use Insert > Special characters and search “plus minus”. In an equation (Insert > Equation), typing pm and a space also inserts ±.
Excel and Google Sheets
=UNICHAR(177) returns ±. To present a measurement with its tolerance, combine cells: =A2&" "&UNICHAR(177)&" "&B2 turns 10 and 0.5 into “10 ± 0.5”. The result is text, so keep the original numbers in their own columns for calculations.
Plus-minus on iPhone and Android
The default iPhone keyboard does not show ±. Set up a text replacement (Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement) with ± as the phrase and a shortcut such as pmm. Some Android keyboards include ± on an extra symbols page; if yours does not, use a text shortcut or copy it from this page.
Plus-minus in HTML and LaTeX
In HTML, use ±, ± or ±. In CSS the escape is " 0B1", and in JavaScript "u00B1". In LaTeX, pm is the plus-minus and mp the minus-plus, both used in math mode. The Unicode converter shows every representation of the character.
How to use the plus-minus sign
- Tolerances and uncertainty: 25.0 ± 0.1 mm means a value between 24.9 and 25.1 mm. In science the uncertainty is usually given with the same unit and precision as the value.
- Two solutions: x² = 9 gives x = ±3. The quadratic formula is written x = (−b ± √(b² − 4ac)) / 2a.
- Approximate values: informally, “±20 people” means about 20. In formal writing, prefer “about” or “approximately”.
Put a space on each side of ± when it sits between two numbers (10 ± 2), and no space when it is attached to a single number (±3). In plain-text contexts where ± is not available, people write “+/-“, but the real symbol is clearer and takes less space.
Plus-minus vs. similar symbols
| Character | Name | Code point | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ± | Plus-minus sign | U+00B1 | Plus or minus |
| ∓ | Minus-or-plus sign | U+2213 | The opposite sign to a paired ± |
| − | Minus sign | U+2212 | Subtraction and negative numbers |
| ≈ | Almost equal to | U+2248 | Approximately equal |
∓ is used with ± to show that signs are linked in opposite directions, as in cos(a ± b) = cos a cos b ∓ sin a sin b: when the top sign on the left is +, the top sign on the right is −. It has the HTML entity ∓ but no Alt code or Mac shortcut, so copy it from the symbol finder or use mp in an equation editor.
Why the plus-minus shortcut is not working
- The Alt code does nothing or types a number. Use the numeric keypad with Num Lock on; the number row will not work.
- You get ≠ on a Mac. You pressed Option + = without Shift.
- pm stays as text in Word. The math autocorrect only works inside an equation. In normal text, use
00B1and Alt + X. - Alt+X changed the wrong text. Select only the four-character code before pressing it.
- ± appears as ±. This is an encoding error: UTF-8 text is being read as Windows-1252. Save the file or page as UTF-8.
Related math symbols
- − Minus sign
- × Multiplication sign and ÷ Division sign
- ≠ Not equal and ≈ Approximately equal
- ≤ Less than or equal to and ≥ Greater than or equal to
- √ Square root and ° Degree sign
Browse the complete math symbols category for more operators.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Alt code for the plus-minus sign?
Alt + 0177 or Alt + 241, typed on the numeric keypad.
How do I type ± on a Mac?
Press Option + Shift + =.
How do I type plus or minus in Word?
Type 00B1 and press Alt + X, or type pm and a space inside an equation.
What does ± mean?
“Plus or minus.” It gives a range around a value, such as a tolerance, or indicates two possible values, one positive and one negative.