The proportional to symbol is ∝. Windows has no standard Alt code for it, so in Word type 221D and press Alt+X.
In Unicode-aware apps you can hold Alt and type 8733 on the numeric keypad. On Mac, open the Character Viewer with Ctrl+Cmd+Space and search for proportional.
The symbol’s official Unicode name is PROPORTIONAL TO, code point U+221D. It sits well above the basic Latin range, which is why the old numpad Alt codes cannot reach it and the reliable methods below lean on Unicode input. If you type a lot of these, our full Alt code list collects the working ones in one place.
| Method | Input | Works in |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Alt code | No standard Alt code; 221D then Alt+X in Word in Unicode-aware apps | Word, WordPad; needs a numeric keypad |
| Mac | Character Viewer (Ctrl+Cmd+Space) | Most Mac apps |
| Word / Outlook / OneNote | Type 221D, press Alt+X | Word, Outlook, OneNote |
| Insert Symbol | 221D in the character-code box | Word, PowerPoint, Excel |
| Excel / Google Sheets | =UNICHAR(8733) | Excel 2013+, Google Sheets |
| Google Docs | Insert → Special characters, search “proportional” | Google Docs |
| Chromebook / Linux | Ctrl+Shift+U then 221d | ChromeOS, Linux |
| HTML | ∝, ∝, or ∝ | Web pages |
| CSS | \221D | Web content |
| LaTeX | \propto | Math typesetting |
| Unicode code point | U+221D (decimal 8733) | Universal reference |
Two numbers describe this symbol, and they are not interchangeable. Alt codes and =UNICHAR() take the decimal value 8733.
Word’s Alt+X, the Chromebook shortcut, and CSS take the hex value 221D. Feed 221D into an Alt code, or 8733 into Alt+X, and you get the wrong character or nothing.
Type the proportional to symbol on Windows
There is no code for ∝ in the standard Windows character set, so a plain Alt+number will not produce it in most programs. You have three working options. If you need codes for other operators, our Alt code finder lists the ones that work.
Unicode-aware apps: 221D then Alt+X in Word
Make sure Num Lock is on. Hold Alt and type 8733 on the numeric keypad, the block of keys on the right rather than the number row above the letters.
Release Alt and ∝ appears. This works in Word, WordPad, and other Unicode-aware editors; it does nothing in Notepad, many browser fields, and apps that read only the legacy code page.
Character Map
Press the Windows key, type “Character Map,” and open it. Tick Advanced view, type 221D in the “Go to Unicode” box, then click Select and Copy.
Paste anywhere. Laptops without a numeric keypad should use this route or the copy button above.
Emoji panel
Press Win + . to open the emoji panel, click the Ω symbols tab, and look under the math symbols. Not every Windows build lists ∝ here, so treat this as a backup to Character Map.
Type ∝ on a Mac
macOS has no Option-key shortcut for the proportional to sign, so use the Character Viewer. Press Ctrl+Cmd+Space to open it, type “proportional” in the search box, then double-click ∝ to drop it into your document.
To make it faster next time, add ∝ to Favorites in the Character Viewer, or set up a text replacement under System Settings → Keyboard → Text Replacements (type something short like “prop” and have it expand to the symbol).
Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint
Word gives you the most routes to ∝.
Alt+X
Type 221D where you want the symbol, then press Alt+X. The four characters flip to ∝. If the code sits right after another hex digit, select just 221D first so Word converts the right span.
Alt+X needs no numeric keypad, which makes it the best option on a laptop. It works in Word, Outlook, and OneNote only.
Insert → Symbol
Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Set “from” to Unicode (hex), type 221D in the character-code box, and click Insert. The same Insert → Symbol dialog works in PowerPoint and Excel, but Alt+X does not, so use this dialog when you are outside Word.
AutoCorrect
In the Symbol dialog, select ∝ and click AutoCorrect to bind a text string such as “propto” to the symbol. After that, typing the string inserts ∝ on its own.
Excel and Google Sheets
Spreadsheets do not use Alt+X. Use the formula =UNICHAR(8733) and press Enter; the cell shows ∝. UNICHAR takes the decimal code point 8733, not the hex value. To keep the symbol as fixed text, copy the cell and use Paste Special → Values.
Excel 2013 and later support UNICHAR; older versions return #NAME? , so paste the glyph instead.
Google Sheets has no Insert Symbol menu at all, so UNICHAR or a paste are your only options there. If you paste into a cell or use an operating-system input method, press F2 first to enter edit mode.
Google Docs
Docs has a searchable picker. Open Insert → Special characters, type “proportional to” in the search box, or draw the symbol in the sketch pad on the right.
Click ∝ to insert it. Typing 221D in the same search box also jumps straight to it.
iPhone and Android
Neither mobile keyboard has a proportional to key, and there is no Alt code equivalent on a phone. The quickest fix is the copy button near the top of this page: tap it, then paste into your app.
To type it anywhere without copying, set up a text replacement. On iPhone, go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement, tap +, paste ∝ in the Phrase field, and type a trigger like “prop” in the Shortcut field. On Android with Gboard, open Settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary and add ∝ with a shortcut word.
Chromebook
ChromeOS has no Alt codes, and plugging in a USB numpad will not change that, because the feature is Windows software rather than keypad hardware. Use the Unicode shortcut instead. Place the cursor in a text field, hold Ctrl+Shift+U until a small underlined u appears, type 221d (the hex code, no U+ prefix), and press Enter or Space.
Newer Chromebooks also have a symbol picker at Launcher+Shift+Space, or a dedicated Quick Insert key. If a web field swallows the shortcut, paste the symbol instead.
Notion, Slack, Discord, and Canva
None of these apps has a keyboard shortcut for ∝. The reliable move is the same in all four: paste the glyph from the copy button above. Canva takes the pasted symbol inside a text box like any other character.
To stop pasting it every time, set up a text replacement at the operating-system level (the iPhone, Android, and Mac steps above, or a text-expander tool on Windows) so your trigger word expands to ∝ inside any app.
HTML and CSS
For web pages, use the named or numeric entity in your markup:
- Named:
∝ - Decimal:
∝ - Hex:
∝
All three render as ∝. In CSS generated content, escape it as a hex value: content: "\221D";. For math typeset with MathJax or KaTeX, the LaTeX command is \propto.
Troubleshooting the proportional to symbol
The most common mix-up is with the Greek lowercase alpha, α (U+03B1). They look almost identical in many fonts and get swapped constantly.
The proportional to sign is a math operator with a flatter, more open right stroke; alpha is a letter with a rounder loop. If your equation should say “y is proportional to x,” the correct character is ∝, not α.
It is also confused with infinity, ∞ (U+221E). Infinity is two closed loops; ∝ has one open loop on the left.
If ∝ shows as a box (□) or a question mark, the current font lacks the Mathematical Operators block. Switch that run of text to Cambria Math, Segoe UI Symbol, Arial, or Times New Roman, all of which include it.
If 221D then Alt+X in Word produces nothing, the app is not Unicode-aware for numpad input; use Word’s Alt+X or paste instead. If =UNICHAR(8733) returns an error, you are on a pre-2013 version of Excel.
What the proportional to symbol is used for
∝ states that two quantities scale together by a constant factor. Physics uses it for laws such as F ∝ 1/r² (the inverse-square relationship) and V ∝ T at constant pressure. In statistics, Bayes’ rule is often written posterior ∝ likelihood × prior, dropping the normalising constant.
You will also see it in chemistry rate expressions and economics. “Directly proportional” is written y ∝ x; “inversely proportional” is y ∝ 1/x.
Related symbols and guides
- Nabla symbol (∇) is the del operator for gradient and divergence, an upside-down triangle rather than a scaling sign.
- Proportion symbol (∷) is the four-dot sign used in ratios like a : b ∷ c : d, which is not the same as “proportional to.”
- There exists symbol (∃) is a backward E used in logic to mean “there is at least one.”
- For all symbol (∀) is an inverted A, the universal quantifier that pairs with ∃.
- Parallel lines symbol (∥) is two vertical bars meaning “is parallel to,” easy to confuse with other double-bar marks.
For more operators and quantifiers, browse our math symbol guides.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a way to type ∝ without a numeric keypad?
Yes. In Word, Outlook, or OneNote, type 221D and press Alt+X; that route needs no keypad.
Everywhere else, the copy button at the top of this page or an OS text replacement is the fastest keypad-free method. Only the 221D then Alt+X in Word code requires the physical number pad.
How do I write “inversely proportional” with this symbol?
Use the same ∝ sign with a reciprocal. “Directly proportional” is y ∝ x, and “inversely proportional” is y ∝ 1/x. There is no separate inverse-proportion character; the fraction does the work.
What is the difference between ∝ and ~ or ≈?
∝ means one quantity scales exactly with another by a constant factor. The tilde ~ and ≈ usually mean “approximately equal to” or “of the same order,” which is a looser claim. Use ∝ only when you mean strict proportionality.
Why does 221D then Alt+X in Word give nothing in Notepad or my browser?
Those fields are not Unicode-aware for numpad Alt input, so a code above 255 is ignored. This is expected behaviour, not a broken keyboard. Use Word’s Alt+X, the Chromebook-style Ctrl+Shift+U where available, or paste the symbol.
Can I use ∝ in a URL or filename?
A filename usually accepts it, but a URL cannot carry it raw; the address bar percent-encodes ∝ as %E2%88%9D. For links and slugs, spell out “proportional” instead to keep them readable.