Want to quote text in an ancient script or enter a special character? Find out here how to type any Unicode character on Windows 11 and Windows 10 (in any application).
First, Rome’s Font of Ancient Waters
Since 19 B.C.E., water from marshlands east of Rome has continuously been flowing at a leisurely pace, mostly along the Via Collatina and mostly underground into the city center.
Agrippa commissioned the aqueduct to develop the Campus Martius area. Today, the water carried by Aqua Virgo spurt out of three fountains you may recognize: the lovely Barcaccia on Piazza di Spagna, the glorious fountain of the Four Rivers and, of course, the Trevi fountains.
If waterways can stand the test of time, so can characters. So, how about having some Etruscan flow gently down a document?
How to Type Any Unicode Character on Windows
Time needed: 3 minutes
To type any Unicode character in Windows using an easy and fast method:
- Open a new document in Microsoft Word.
No Word: If you do not have Word installed, do use WordPad instead (see below for adding WordPad to Windows 10); these are the only ways that let you enter Unicode characters by code without endless headache or typing fumblingly.
- Type the UTF-32 hexadecimal code for the character you want to enter.
No prefixes: Do not add anything in front (such as
U+or\u).
Example: Enter1F6A0for a mountain cableway.
- Press Alt X immediately.
- Highlight the Unicode character you just created.
- Press Ctrl C to copy the character.
- Paste it where you want to input the Unicode char.
Keyboard shortcut: Press Ctrl V to paste.
Input Unicode Characters Using NumPad Alt-Codes in Windows
To enter Unicode characters using the keyboard anywhere in Windows:
- Position the text cursor where you want to enter the character.
- Press and hold Alt.
- Now press the + key on the numeric keypad.
- Enter the hexadecimal UTF-32 code for the desired Unicode character.
- Release the Alt key.
Nothing appears: Entering Unicode characters may be disabled in your Windows registry; see below.
Type a Unicode Character Using a Third-Party Windows Utility
Using the free, lightweight and eminently useful UnicodeInput, you can enter Unicode characters by UTF-32 code anywhere in Windows with ease.
Enter Unicode Symbols Using Emoji Panel
For many a Unicode character and symbol, you can also turn to the Windows emoji panel:
- Press Windows . (period).
- Go to the Symbols tab (%⟳△+).
Windows 10: The symbols tab is denoted with Ω. - Pick the Unicode character you want to insert.
How to Type Any Unicode Character on Windows: FAQ
“Alt +” does not work to enter Unicode characters by value; what can I do?
Most likely, hexadecimal Unicode input is not enabled in the Windows registry.
To have Windows allow you to enter hex codes for Unicode:
- Download unzip and install the following reg file: EnableHexNumpad.reg.zip (MD5 checksum: 58f00bf581e473866f767e5b36244c06).
Caution: This is slightly dangerous, and I would advise you not to install registry files you have not created yourself. Do examine the file in a plain text editor such as notepad first and do verify its MD5 checksum.
The file should contain nothing but the following:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Input Method]
"EnableHexNumpad"="1"How can I install WordPad on Windows 11 or Windows 10?
To add WordPad to Windows for easy Alt X Unicode character input:
- Open Windows settings.
Windows keyboard shortcut: Press Windows I to open settings. - Go to the Apps category.
- Select Optional features.
- Now click Add a feature.
- Check WordPad.
- Now click Install.
(How to type a Unicode character tested with Windows 11 Version 22H2 and Windows 10 Version 21H1; updated February 2024)