Ampersand Alt Code and Symbol

The Alt code for Ampersand is 38. Hold Alt, type 38 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. Ampersand also has the Unicode codepoint U+0026, so you can type it with Alt+38 on Windows, search for U+0026 in macOS's Character Viewer, use & in HTML, or \0026 in CSS. If your keyboard has no numeric keypad, use the Character Viewer, the HTML entity, or copy the character directly — the Alt key method requires a physical numpad. Copy the Ampersand character from this page when you need it in a form, chat message or document that does not accept Alt codes. HTML also defines the named entity & for Ampersand, but the numeric form & is safer when compatibility is uncertain.

Codes for this symbol

Copy any value by clicking it.
Method	Value
Legacy Alt code
Alt + decimal
Alt + X hex
HTML named entity
HTML decimal
HTML hex
CSS escape
Python escape
JavaScript escape
UTF-8 bytes
Unicode codepoint
Unicode block
Unicode category

Not available for this symbol: macOS Option shortcut.

How to type ampersand on Windows

Turn Num Lock on so the numeric keypad is active.
Hold the left Alt key.
Type 3 8 on the numeric keypad.
Release Alt. The Ampersand character (&) appears.

If your keyboard has no numeric keypad, see how to type symbols without a numpad.

How to type ampersand on macOS

There is no direct Option shortcut for Ampersand. Open the Character Viewer with ⌃⌘Space, search for "Ampersand" and click the character to insert it.

How to use ampersand in code

HTML: or , also
CSS: content:"\0026"; ()
Python: \u0026 or chr(0x26)
JavaScript: \u0026 or String.fromCodePoint(0x26)
JSON: "\u0026"

Frequently asked questions

What is the Alt code for Ampersand?

The legacy Alt code for Ampersand is 38. Hold Alt, type 3 8 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt.

How do I type & without a numpad?

Use the Windows Character Viewer (Win+.), the macOS Character Viewer (⌃⌘Space), an HTML entity such as &, or copy the character directly from this page.

Why does Alt+38 not work?

Alt+38 only works on a keyboard with a physical numeric keypad. It also requires the application to accept the numeric-keypad input path. Laptops without a numpad need an alternative method.

What is the Unicode for Ampersand?

The Unicode codepoint for Ampersand is U+0026. You can use this value in HTML as &, in CSS as \0026, and in Word with Alt+X.

How do I type & on a Mac?

Open the Character Viewer with ⌃⌘Space and search for the character name or U+0026, then click it.

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