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U+03C0 · Greek and Coptic

Pi Symbol π

The Greek letter π is the universal symbol for the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, approximately 3.14159. It appears in area and circumference formulas, trigonometry, and physics equations, and gives its name to Pi Day on March 14 (3/14) in the US. In Greek text it is simply the letter p.

WindowsAlt 227
MacOption + P
UnicodeU+03C0
HTMLπ
πU+03C0

Character codes

Unicode code pointU+03C0
Decimal960
HTML named entityπ
HTML (hex)π
HTML (decimal)π
CSS\03C0
JavaScript\u03C0
Python\u03C0
UTF-8 bytesCF 80
UTF-1603C0
URL-encoded%CF%80

Character details

Official nameGREEK SMALL LETTER PI
Unicode blockGreek and Coptic
General categoryLowercase Letter (Ll)
SymbolHero categoryGreek Letters
UppercaseΠ Greek Capital Letter Pi
EmojiNo

How to type π

Windows

  • Hold Alt and type 227 on the numeric keypad (Num Lock on), then release Alt. Alt 227 uses the code page 437.
  • In Microsoft Word or Outlook: type 03C0 then press Alt + X.
  • Open Character Map (search “Character Map” in Start), tick “Advanced view”, search for “greek small letter pi”, then Select and Copy.

Mac

  • Press Option + P (US English keyboard layout).
  • Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search “greek small letter pi”, and double-click the result.
  • With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled (System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources), hold Option and type 03C0.

iPhone & Android

  • Tap Copy at the top of this page, then long-press where you want it and choose Paste.

Docs & web

  • Google Docs: Insert → Special characters, then search “greek small letter pi” or enter U+03C0.
  • HTML: π or π
  • Excel / Google Sheets: =UNICHAR(960)

Examples

  • A = πr²
  • π ≈ 3.14159
  • Happy π Day! (3/14)
  • C = 2πr

Good to know

Don’t mix it up: It is often confused with the n-ary product sign ∏ (U+220F), a larger operator used for multiplying a sequence of terms.

Tip: On a Mac, Option + P types π; on Windows with a numeric keypad, Alt + 227 works.

Display: the character itself is always the same code point, but its shape comes from the font on the device showing it. If you see an empty box, the font lacks this glyph—the text is still correct.

Guides

Common Math Symbols and Their Meanings Greek Alphabet Symbols: Every Letter to Copy and Paste How to Insert Symbols in Microsoft Word (5 Ways) How to Type Special Characters on a Mac

Similar greek letters

Greek Capital Letter Theta
Capital Sigma (Σ)
Greek Capital Letter Phi
Omega (Capital)
Alpha (α)
Beta (β)
Gamma (γ)
Delta (δ)
Epsilon (ε)
Theta (θ)
Lambda (λ)
Mu (μ)
Sigma (σ)
Greek Small Letter Tau
Phi (φ)
Omega (ω)
Greek Capital Letter Heta
Greek Small Letter Heta
Greek Capital Letter Archaic Sampi
Greek Small Letter Archaic Sampi
Greek Numeral Sign
Greek Capital Letter Pamphylian Digamma
Greek Small Letter Pamphylian Digamma
Greek Ypogegrammeni

See all 333 greek letters →

Questions

What is the Unicode for π?

It is U+03C0 (GREEK SMALL LETTER PI), decimal 960.

Is there a Windows Alt code for it?

Yes: Alt 227 on the numeric keypad.

How do I type it on a Mac?

Option + P on a US English keyboard, or use the Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space).

What is the HTML code?

Use the named entity π or the numeric reference π.