If you are an Excel user, you may need to insert symbols into your spreadsheets from time to time. Whether you need to use special characters for mathematical equations or to add a touch of creativity to your work, knowing how to insert symbol in Excel can be a useful skill to have.
How to Insert Symbol in Excel Video
How to Insert Symbol in Excel
There are different ways to insert symbols in Excel, depending on your needs and preferences. You can use the Symbol dialog box to select from a wide range of symbols, or you can use keyboard shortcuts to insert commonly used symbols. Alternatively, you can copy and paste symbols from other sources or use Excel functions to generate symbols dynamically.
Using the Symbol Dialog Box
Inserting symbols in Excel can be done through the Symbol dialog box.
- To open the Symbol dialog box, go to the Insert tab and click on the Symbol button.
- This will open a drop-down menu where you can select the type of symbol that you want to insert.
- Once you have selected the symbol type, you can choose the specific symbol that you want to insert.
- The Symbol dialog box contains a vast library of symbols, including mathematical symbols, currency symbols, and even smiley faces. You can browse the symbols by scrolling through the list, or you can use the search bar to find a specific symbol.
Frequently use certain symbols
If you frequently use certain symbols, you can add them to the Recently Used Symbols list for easy access.
- Simply select the symbol that you want to add and click on the Add to Recently Used Symbols button.
- This will add the symbol to the list, which is located at the bottom of the Symbol dialog box.
Preview symbol
Another useful feature of the Symbol dialog box is the ability to preview a symbol before inserting it.
- To do this, simply click on the symbol that you want to insert, and a preview of the symbol will appear in the Preview box.
- This allows you to make sure that you have selected the correct symbol before inserting it into your spreadsheet.
Overall, the Symbol dialog box is a powerful tool for inserting symbols into Excel. It provides easy access to a vast library of symbols, and its user-friendly interface makes it simple to use.
Whether you are working on a finance spreadsheet or just want to add a smiley face to your document, the Symbol dialog box has got you covered!
Inserting Symbols Using Shortcut Keys
Inserting symbols in Excel can be a time-consuming task if you have to do it frequently. Fortunately, Excel allows you to create your own shortcut keys for commonly used symbols, making the process much faster and easier.
In this section, I will show you how to use shortcut keys to insert symbols in Excel.
Shortcut Keys for Commonly Used Symbols
Excel has built-in shortcut keys for some commonly used symbols, such as the copyright symbol (©) and the trademark symbol (™).
To insert these symbols using shortcut keys, follow these steps:
Symbol Shortcut Key
- For ©: Alt + Ctrl + C
- For ™: Alt + Ctrl + T
To insert other symbols using shortcut keys, you can create your own custom shortcut keys.
Creating Your Own Shortcut Keys
To create your own shortcut keys for symbols in Excel, follow these steps:
- Select the cell where you want to insert the symbol.
- Click on the Insert tab in the ribbon.
- Click on the Symbol button in the Symbols section.
- Select the symbol you want to insert and click on the Shortcut Key button.
- In the Customize Keyboard dialog box, select the desired shortcut key combination and click Assign.
- Click Close to close the dialog box.
Now, whenever you want to insert the symbol, you can use the shortcut key combination you assigned to it.
Using shortcut keys to insert symbols can save you a lot of time and make your work in Excel much more efficient. With a little bit of practice, you can create your own custom shortcut keys for all the symbols you use frequently.
Inserting Symbols Using the Character Map
Accessing the Character Map
One way to insert symbols in Excel is by using the Character Map.
To access the Character Map:
- Click on the Start button and search for “Character Map”.
- Click on the Character Map app to open it.
Selecting and Inserting Symbols
Once you have accessed the Character Map, you can select and insert symbols into Excel:
- Scroll through the list of symbols or use the search bar to find the symbol you want to insert.
- Click on the symbol to select it.
- Click on the “Copy” button to copy the symbol to your clipboard.
- Go to your Excel sheet and click on the cell where you want to insert the symbol.
- Press “Ctrl + V” or right-click and select “Paste” to insert the symbol into the cell.
It’s important to note that the Character Map only displays symbols that are included in the font you have selected. If you can’t find the symbol you’re looking for, try selecting a different font.
Using the Character Map can be a bit time-consuming, but it’s a useful option if you need to insert symbols that aren’t available on your keyboard or in the Symbols menu.
Inserting Symbols Using Unicode
Understanding Unicode
Unicode is a universal character encoding standard that assigns a unique number to every character, symbol, and script used in digital communication.
This means that each symbol has a specific code that can be used to insert into an Excel spreadsheet. Unicode supports a vast range of characters, including mathematical symbols, currency symbols, arrows, and many more.
To use Unicode characters in Excel, you need to know their specific codes.
Inserting Symbols Using Unicode
To insert a symbol using Unicode in Excel, follow these steps:
- Click on the cell where you want to insert the symbol.
- Go to the Insert tab and click on the Symbol button.
- In the Symbol dialog box, select the font that contains the symbol you want to insert.
- Scroll through the list of symbols until you find the one you want to insert.
- Note the Unicode value of the symbol in the bottom-right corner of the dialog box.
- Enter the Unicode value of the symbol into the cell where you want to insert it.
For example, to insert the check mark symbol (✓), you would select the font that contains the symbol (e.g., Wingdings), scroll to the check mark symbol, and note its Unicode value (U+2713).
Then, you would enter the Unicode value into the cell where you want to insert the symbol.
It’s important to note that not all fonts contain all Unicode symbols. If you can’t find the symbol you need in one font, try another font. Additionally, some fonts may use different codes for the same symbol, so you may need to experiment to find the correct code.
Common Unicode Characters for Excel
Unicode characters can be useful in Excel for adding symbols and special characters to your spreadsheets. Here is a table of commonly used Unicode characters and their associated codes that you can use in Excel. These characters can make your data more informative and visually appealing, and are simple to add using the CHAR function in Excel.
| Character Name | Character | Unicode |
|---|---|---|
| Check Mark | ✓ | 2713 |
| Multiplication Sign | × | 00D7 |
| Degree Sign | ° | 00B0 |
| Percent Sign | % | 0025 |
| Dollar Sign | $ | 0024 |
| Copyright Sign | © | 00A9 |
| Registered Sign | ® | 00AE |
| Trademark Sign | ™ | 2122 |
| Micro Sign | µ | 00B5 |
| Yen Sign | ¥ | 00A5 |
| Euro Sign | € | 20AC |
| Pound Sign | £ | 00A3 |
| Section Sign | § | 00A7 |
| Pilcrow Sign | ¶ | 00B6 |
| At Sign | @ | 0040 |
| Ampersand | & | 0026 |
| Number Sign | # | 0023 |
| Caret | ^ | 005E |
| Asterisk | * | 002A |
| Tilde | ~ | 007E |
| Vertical Bar | | | 007C |
| Backslash | \ | 005C |
Next Steps
As you continue to improve your skills in Excel, the next logical step once you have learnt How to Insert Symbol in Excel is to learn more advanced features, such as pivot tables, macros, and VBA programming.
These tools can help you analyze data more efficiently and automate tedious tasks, allowing you to focus on making better decisions and creating more value for your organization.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive resource to continue your Excel education, consider checking out Sheet Leveller’s Learn Excel section.
This resource provides a wide range of tutorials and guides on Excel’s most important features, from basic formulas to advanced techniques like pivot tables and data analysis.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user, Sheet Leveller’s Learn Excel section is a great place to sharpen your skills and take your Excel abilities to the next level.