How to Insert the Paragraph Symbol ( ¶ ) on an iPhone

How to Insert the Paragraph Symbol ( ¶ ) with the iPhone Keyboard

by | Feb 6, 2025 | Useful Tech

Looking to refer to a paragraph in style and writing—on an iPhone? Find out here how to insert the paragraph symbol ( ¶ ) with the iPhone keyboard using text replacement.

First, a Mussel’s Empty Shell

A mussel’s empty shell was not empty for long in the hands of a medieval colorist, say around 1 400 CE.

For it was in the clean and glass-like shells of European freshwater mussels that painters of woodcut prints would keep their sumptuous pigments and colors.

Now, with so practical and beautiful a vessel in hand, how about coloring in a paragraph symbol?

How to Insert the Paragraph Symbol ( ¶ ) with the iPhone Keyboard

Time needed: 2 minutes

To input a paragraph sign ( ¶ ) in text using the keyboard on an iPhone:

  1. Set up text replacement for the paragraph symbol; see below.

  2. Position the cursor where you want to use ‘¶’ in text.

  3. Type the character combination you have set up to expand to the paragraph sign.

    Example: Type //p, for instance, without whitespace.
    Case: Upper and lower case work equally well.

  4. Select the paragraph symbol ¶ in the auto-completion bar.

    Whitespace: As an alternative, you can also use Space to enter the symbol followed by whitespace or Enter to type the paragraph symbol followed by a newline character; usually, do not leave that normal whitespace character in place (see the next point).
    What next: It is best to follow the paragraph symbol with a non-breaking space that prevents the reference that follows it from jumping to the next line.
    Alternative symbols: See below for alternatives, the reversed and the curvy pilcrow.
    Insert the pilcrow paragraph sign on the iPhone

Sections, not paragraphs: How to Enter the Section Symbol (§) with the iPhone Keyboard

Add Text Replacement for the Paragraph Symbol on an iPhone

To add a character combination that will be replaced with the paragraph sign on the iPhone keyboard:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Select General.
  3. Now choose Keyboard.
  4. Go to Text Replacement.
  5. Tap + at the top.
  6. Copy the desired paragraph symbol below and paste it under Phrase.
  7. Enter the character sequence you want to use to enter the paragraph symbol under Shortcut.
    Example: Use //p, for example, for the paragraph symbol.
  8. Tap Save.
    Add a text remaplcement to type the paragraph symbol on the iPhone keyboard

How to Insert the Paragraph Symbol ( ¶ ) with the iPhone Keyboard: FAQ

Can I also insert the inverted pilcrow?

Yes.

Just like for the normal paragraph sign, you can set up text replacement for the inverted and the curved pilcrow. Copy them below:

Paragraph sign:
Inverted paragraph sign:
Curved paragraph symbol:

Is the paragraph sign on the iPhone keyboard at all?

No.

The iPhone keyboard only includes the section sign directly, not the paragraph symbol.

Can I set up the text replacement on a Mac?

Yes.

Text replacements synchronize within an Apple iCloud account, so if you set up the shortcut for the pilcrow on a Mac, it will also work on an iPhone or iPad.

(How to insert the paragraph symbol on the iPhone keyboard tested with iOS 17–18; first published March 2024, last updated February 2025)

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