Trying to write 6 feet and 3 inches without the “feet” and “inches?” Can’t find the characters for feet and inch marks (or minute and seconds signs for that matter) on the keyboard? Find out here how to insert foot ( ′ ) and inch ( ″ ) marks in Microsoft Word ⤓ on Windows, Mac, mobile devices and the web.
First, 1 Too Many
A prime number is any number divisible only by either itself, of course, or the number 1.
The number 1 is a number divisible only by itself or the number 1. So, 1 is — no prime number. How come?
Though it looks very much like one, 1 has been banned from the club of primes to make much of mathematics simpler, especially theorems that depend on (the other) prime numbers.
The fundamental theorem of arithmetic, for example, purports that all numbers greater than 1 can be broken down into a unique set of factors made up of prime numbers. If 1 was a prime number, there’d be endlessly many factors to make up each number. You can always multiply by 1 after all…
So… confusingly, the number 1 is no prime number. And while we’re at it: confusingly, the symbol for “prime” is not used for prime numbers either. You can use it to count numbers of feet or minutes of arc, though (even 1):
How to Insert Foot ( ′ ) and Inch ( ″ ) Marks in Word: Windows, Mac, Mobile, Web
Using the Symbols Dialog (Word for Windows)
Time needed: 3 minutes
To input the foot ( ′ ) and inch ( ″ ) marks — also known as minute and second signs or prime symbols — in a Microsoft Word document using the symbols dialog on Windows:
- Position the text cursor where you want to insert the prime symbol in Word for Windows.
Here’s where: The foot and inch marks follow numbers directly; the same is true when you employ the symbols to denote minutes and seconds (say, in geometry) or for derivative functions in mathematics.
In other Words: The foot and inch marks are available through the symbols dialog only in Word for Windows; for other versions of Word, do use one of the other methods for inserting the symbols. - Go to the Insert tab on the ribbon.
- Select Symbol | More Symbols… in the Symbols section.
- Go to the Symbols tab.
- Select General Punctuation for the Subset:.
- Highlight ′ (Prime) for the foot mark.
Inches: Highlight ″ (Double Prime) for inches.
- Click Insert.
Their word: Microsoft include information on inserting symbols in Word help.
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Using AutoCorrect to Insert Foot and Inch Marks (Word for Windows and Mac)
To set up AutoCorrect in Word for Mac and Windows so you can insert foot and inch marks easily:
- Go to the Insert tab on the ribbon in Word.
- Select Symbol | More Symbols… (Word for Windows) or Advanced Symbol (Word for Mac).
- Go to the Symbols tab in the dialog that has appeared.
- Now click AutoCorrect….
- Check that Replace text as you type is enabled.
- Type the character sequence you want to use for the foot (or inch) symbol under Replace:.
Example: You can use ffm for the foot mark, for instance, and iim for the inch symbol.
Not just feet and inches: You can also set up replacements for the triple and quadruple prime marks, of course. - Now type or paste the corresponding symbol under With:.
Copy for paste: Use the table below to copy the foot or inch mark or prime symbol for pasting.
Plain or formatted: In Word for Windows, choose Plain text for the formatting.
- Click Add.
- Now click OK or close the dialogs.
With the AutoCorrect replacement in, well, place, you can now insert the foot and inch marks easily:
- Type the text you picked as the shortcut to the desired character in your document.
Whitespace: Do separate the shortcut from text (or numbers) before it using whitespace for the replacement to work in Word; you can delete the whitespace
Copy and Paste the Foot and Inch Marks (Works Anywhere)
To paste the foot (or minute) and inch (or second) signs anywhere in Word, copy them from the table below:
prime, arc minute or foot ′ | |
double prime, arc second or inch ″ | |
triple prime ‴ | |
quadruple prime ⁗ |
Use the Operating System’s Method of Inserting Foot and Inch
Anywhere you use Word (including on mobile devices and in a browser), you can also use the operating system’s way of inserting special characters — including the foot and inch marks, of course:
- iOS: How to Input Foot ( ′ ) and Inch ( ″ ) Symbols on iPhone
- Linux: How to Input a Prime Sign ( ′ ) on Linux
- Mac: How to Insert the Minute Symbol ( ′ ) on a Mac
- Windows: How to Input Foot and Inch Symbols on Windows
How to Insert Foot and Inch Marks in Word: Overview
| Method | Windows | Mac | Mobile/Web | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symbols Dialog | ✅ | ❌ (Advanced Symbol) | ❌ (Use OS) | Medium |
| AutoCorrect | ✅✅ | ✅✅ | ⚠️ (Some OS) | Fastest |
| Unicode (Alt-X) | ✅ | ⚠️ (OS Hex Input) | ❌ | Fast |
| Copy/Paste | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Medium |
How to Insert Foot and Inch Marks in Word: FAQ
How can I use the prime signs in Word equations?
It is typically easiest to paste the desired prime, double, triple or quadruple prime sign when you compose the equation in Word.
For the single prime sign, you can also use a shortcut:
- Type
\primeinside an equation followed by Space.
Here’s what happens: Word replaces\primewith the single prime sign.
Can I insert the prime symbols directly using Unicode?
Yes.
In Word for Windows, you can input the various foot, inch and prime symbols using the Unicode code point:
- Type
2032for the prime sign ′,2033for the double prime sign ″,2034for the triple prime sign ‴ and2057for the quadruple prime sign ⁗.
Whitespace: Do separate the Unicode code point from the characters before using whitespace; delete the whitespace again after you have inserted the desired prime symbol. - Press Alt X immediately.
Here’s what happens: The numerical code point will be replaced with the respective prime symbol.
I’m in a hurry. Can I use quotation marks for foot and inch?
Yes.
You can use a single straight quotation sign ( ' ) to stand in for the foot mark and the straight double quotation sign ( " ) for the inch mark.
Example: My desk measures 3' 25".
Do not use the curly apostrophe or typographic quotation marks, though.
(Tested with Word for Windows Version 2503–2602, Word for Mac 16.95 and Word online in a desktop browser; first published April 2025, last updated March 2026)