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Special Characters

Creating Special Symbols

The following symbols can be created using any program running under Windows. If your e-mail program is a Windows-based program, for example, these should work. There may be exceptions, but what the heck, this is bonus for all Mr. Modem readers and I guarantee nothing -- perhaps even less.

Here’s how to create the following symbols:

1. Enable the number pad on your keyboard by pressing the NUMLOCK key. You will usually see a small light or other indication that the number pad is now toggled “on.”

2. Hold down the ALT key, then using the numeric keypad, type the number that is associated with the special character you would like to use.

3. Release the ALT key.

4. The special character will appear in the location of your cursor.

Example: To type the little ™ for “trademark” such as Mr. Modem™, hold down the ALT key, type the numbers 0153 using the number pad, then release the ALT key. Voilá! (Hint: The little accent over the “a” in “voilá” was created by using ALT plus 0225).

Have fun!

Symbol Name Keyboard Combo.
© Copyright ALT + 0169
® Registered Trademark ALT + 0174
™ Trademark ALT + 0153
• Bullet ALT + 0149
… Ellipsis ALT + 0133

— Em dash ALT + 0151
– En dash ALT + 0150
¿ International Interrog ALT + 0191
† Dagger ALT + 0134
‡ Double Daggers ALT + 0135

¢ Cent ALT + 0162
£ Pound ALT + 0163
¥ Yen ALT + 0165
° Degree ALT + 0176
÷ Division ALT + 0247

¼ One-quarter ALT + 0188
½ One-half ALT + 0189
¾ Three-quarter ALT + 0190
× Multiplication ALT + 0215
Check box ALT + 1




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à Accent ALT + 0224
á Accent ALT + 0225
â Accent ALT + 0226
ã Accent ALT + 0227
ä Accent ALT + 0228
å Accent ALT + 0229

è Accent ALT + 0232
é Accent ALT + 0233
ê Accent ALT + 0234
ë Accent ALT + 0235

ì Accent ALT + 0236
í Accent ALT + 0237
î Accent ALT + 0238
ï Accent ALT + 0239
ñ Accent ALT + 0241

ò Accent ALT + 0242
ó Accent ALT + 0243
ô Accent ALT + 0244
õ Accent ALT + 0245
ö Accent ALT + 0246

ù Accent ALT + 0249
ú Accent ALT + 0250
û Accent ALT + 0251
ü Accent ALT + 0252
ý Accent ALT + 0253
ÿ Accent ALT + 0255


Creating Special Characters Without a Numeric Keypad

If you’re using a notebook computer or a keyboard that doesn’t have a numeric keypad, you’re not out of luck. You can use the integrated Windows Character Map for that purpose, as well.

You'll find the Character Map under Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Character Map.

1. Look in the grid for the special character you want, in the font style you need. If necessary, use the scroll bars on the right to view more characters. If the character you want is not in the grid, change the font to Arial Unicode MS, Lucida Sans Unicode, Tahoma, Times New Roman, Arial or some other appropriate font.

2. Double-click any character you wish to insert, then click the Select button to make it appear in the Characters to Copy field. You can select more than one character, if you wish.

3. Highlight one or more of the characters in the Characters to Copy you wish to insert in your document, then click the Copy button.

4. To paste the character, minimize from the Character Map window, and open or switch to the application window in which you wish to insert the character.

5. Position your cursor in the location you wish to insert the character.

6. Under the Edit Menu, choose Paste (or use the keyboard shortcut Control + V) to insert the character in your document.


Additional Foreign Languages

If you’ve ever wondered how to include various and sundry accent marks when writing non-English words, the Accents, Symbols & Foreign Scripts Web site explains how to accomplish this for hundreds of languages, from Afrikaans to Yiddish. What, no Zulu?

Click HERE for additional Special Character ALT Code charts.

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