The integral symbol is ∫. On a Mac, press Option+B in almost any app.
Windows has no standard Alt code for it, so in Word you type 222B and press Alt+X, and in other Unicode-aware apps 222B then Alt+X in Word works on the numeric keypad. Every route produces the same character, U+222B.
Integral symbol quick reference
| Method | Input | Works in |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Alt code (CP1252) | No standard Windows Alt code | Use another method below |
| Windows, Unicode-aware apps | 222B then Alt+X in Word (decimal, numeric keypad) | Word, WordPad, LibreOffice |
| Mac | Option + B | Most Mac apps |
| Word / Outlook / OneNote | 222B (hex), then Alt+X | Word, Outlook, OneNote |
| Excel / Google Sheets | =UNICHAR(8747) | Excel 2013+, Google Sheets |
| Chromebook / Linux | Ctrl+Shift+U, then 222b (hex), then Enter | ChromeOS, Linux |
| HTML (named) | ∫ | Web pages |
| HTML (numeric) | ∫ or ∫ | Web pages |
| CSS | \222B | Stylesheets |
| LaTeX | \int | LaTeX, MathJax |
| Unicode code point | U+222B | Everywhere |
One thing to keep straight: Alt codes take the decimal number (8747), while Word’s Alt+X and the Chromebook shortcut take the hex code (222B). They point to the same character but are not interchangeable. Typing 222B into an Alt code, or 8747 into Alt+X, gives you the wrong result.
Type the integral symbol on Windows
∫ has no CP1252 Alt code, so the usual hold-Alt-and-type-a-number routine has no entry for it. Our full Alt code list confirms the gap. Two methods still get it onto the screen fast.
222B then Alt+X in Word in Unicode-aware apps
- Make sure Num Lock is on.
- Hold the Alt key.
- Type 8747 on the numeric keypad, not the top-row number keys.
- Release Alt.
This works in Word, WordPad, and LibreOffice. It needs a real numeric keypad, and it does nothing in apps that ignore Unicode Alt input. If it fails, use the Character Map or paste instead.
Character Map or the emoji panel
- Open Character Map (search “charmap” in the Start menu).
- Tick Advanced view, type 222B in the “Go to Unicode” box, and press Enter.
- Select ∫, click Copy, then paste.
Or press Win+. (Windows key and period) to open the emoji picker, click the Ω symbols tab, and look under Math symbols for ∫.
Type ∫ on a Mac
Press Option+B. That is the whole trick, and it is one of the few math symbols with a built-in Mac shortcut. It works in Pages, Word for Mac, Notes, TextEdit, and most other apps.
If a shortcut ever fails in a stubborn app, open the Character Viewer with Ctrl+Cmd+Space, search “integral,” and double-click ∫ to insert it.
Type ∫ in Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote
Word gives you three routes, and each suits a different job.
Alt+X
Type 222B, then press Alt+X. The four characters flip to ∫.
To reverse it, put the cursor right after ∫ and press Alt+X again. This also works in Outlook and OneNote, but not in PowerPoint or Excel.
Insert > Symbol
Go to the Insert tab, click Symbol, then More Symbols. Set the subset to Mathematical Operators, pick ∫, and click Insert. The same Insert > Symbol menu is in PowerPoint, which is the route to use there since PowerPoint has no Alt+X.
Equation editor
For real calculus, press Alt+= to start an equation, type \int, and press space. Add limits with \int_a^b. This gives a proper stretched integral with limits above and below, rather than a bare inline glyph.
Type ∫ in Excel and Google Sheets
Neither one has Alt+X. Use the formula =UNICHAR(8747), which returns ∫ in the cell. To keep the character without the formula, copy the cell and Paste Special as values.
The same =UNICHAR(8747) works in Google Sheets. If you would rather use an OS shortcut directly in a Sheets cell, press F2 first to enter edit mode, then use Option+B on a Mac or paste. Excel versions before 2013 do not have UNICHAR, so paste the symbol in those.
Type ∫ in Google Docs
Open Insert > Special characters. Type “integral” in the search box, or draw the tall S-shaped curve in the sketch pad and Docs will match it.
Click ∫ to drop it in. Google Sheets has no equivalent menu, which is why Sheets relies on the UNICHAR formula above.
Type ∫ on iPhone and Android
No mobile keyboard has an integral key, and long-pressing letters will not reveal one. You have two practical options:
- Paste it. Tap the copy button near the top of this page, then paste into your app.
- Make a text shortcut. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement, set the phrase to ∫ and a trigger like “intg.” On Android with Gboard, go to Settings > Dictionary > Personal dictionary and add ∫ with a shortcut.
For full equations on a phone, a math keyboard app or the equation tools in Google Docs will handle limits and fractions properly.
Type ∫ on a Chromebook
ChromeOS has no Alt codes, and plugging in a USB numpad will not change that. Use the Unicode shortcut instead.
- Click into a text field.
- Hold Ctrl+Shift+U. An underlined u appears.
- Type 222b, the hex code, with no U+ prefix.
- Press Enter or Space.
You can also open the emoji and symbol picker with Launcher+Shift+Space, or the Quick Insert key on newer Chromebooks. If a website’s text box swallows the shortcut, paste the symbol instead.
Type ∫ in Notion, Slack, Discord, and Canva
None of these has a symbol menu or shortcut for ∫, so the reliable answer is to paste it. The OS-level text replacement you set up above carries into all four, which stops you pasting every time.
In Notion, you can also type /math to add an inline equation block and use \int inside it. Slack and Discord show a pasted ∫ as plain text in messages, and Canva keeps a pasted ∫ in any text box, including the exported design.
Integral symbol in HTML, CSS, and LaTeX
For web pages, use the named entity ∫ or the numeric forms ∫ (decimal) and ∫ (hex). All three render ∫. In CSS generated content, escape it as content: "\222B";.
For math typesetting, LaTeX and MathJax use \int, with \int_a^b for limits, and \iint or \oint for double and contour integrals.
When the integral symbol won’t display
- A box (□) or a question mark means the font lacks the glyph. Most system fonts include ∫ (Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, Cambria Math), but some decorative and older bitmap fonts do not. Switch to a standard font.
- It looks tiny or thin. An inline ∫ uses the font’s regular weight and will not stretch to fit an expression. To get the tall integral that spans several lines, use an equation editor (Word’s Alt+=, or LaTeX
\int), which sizes the sign to its contents. - 222B then Alt+X in Word does nothing. The app is not reading Unicode Alt input. Use Word’s Alt+X, the Character Map, or paste.
- You typed a look-alike. The long s (ſ, U+017F) and the phonetic esh (ʃ) resemble an integral but are letters. The true ∫ extends above and below the baseline and has no crossbar. If your math will not compile or a search will not match, check you actually have U+222B.
Where the integral symbol is used
∫ marks integration in calculus: the area under a curve, an accumulated total, and the reverse of differentiation. A definite integral carries limits, while an indefinite one does not. The same sign runs through physics, engineering, statistics, and economics.
The shape is an elongated S, taken from the Latin summa by Leibniz in 1675, because an integral sums infinitely many thin slices. That history is also why people confuse it with a written S.
Related math symbols and guides
- The summation symbol (∑) adds a finite or countable list of terms; the integral does the continuous version of that idea, which is exactly why the two get mixed up.
- The therefore symbol (∴) closes a derivation, the step where an integral’s result becomes a conclusion.
- The approximately equal to symbol (≈) shows up whenever a definite integral is evaluated numerically and rounded.
- The less than or equal to symbol (≤) and the greater than or equal to symbol (≥) set the bounds and constraints around an integral.
Browse more math symbol guides for the rest of the calculus toolkit. Chasing a code for a different glyph? The Alt code finder lists the whole set.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a definite integral with upper and lower limits?
The bare ∫ character cannot hold limits neatly on its own. Use an equation editor: in Word, press Alt+= and type \int_a^b; in LaTeX, write \int_a^b f(x)\,dx; in Google Docs, use Insert > Equation. These stack the limits above and below the sign and size it to the expression.
How do I type double, triple, or contour integrals?
Those are separate characters (∬ ∭ ∮) that sit right beside ∫ in the same Unicode block. Find them through Insert > Symbol in Word (set the subset to Mathematical Operators) or by scrolling near ∫ in Character Map, then copy. In LaTeX they are \iint, \iiint, and \oint.
Is the integral symbol the same as the letter S or a long s (ſ)?
No. The integral (∫, U+222B) is taller and extends both above and below the line, with no crossbar. The long s (ſ, U+017F) and the phonetic esh (ʃ) look similar but are letters, and equations or searches expecting the integral will not recognise them.
Which fonts show the integral symbol best?
Any standard system font renders it, including Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, and Cambria Math. For mathematics, Cambria Math, STIX Two, and Latin Modern give the cleanest stretched integral inside equations. Avoid decorative or old bitmap fonts, which may show a box.
Can I type the integral symbol without a numeric keypad?
Yes. On a Mac, Option+B needs no keypad at all.
On Windows, use Word’s Alt+X (type 222B, press Alt+X), copy it from this page, or open the On-Screen Keyboard, which shows a clickable numeric pad you can use with 222B then Alt+X in Word. Laptops with an Fn-layer numpad also work once Num Lock is on.