The square root symbol is √. In Microsoft Word, type 221A and then press Alt+X. On a Mac, press Option+V.
Windows has no standard Alt code for this character, so use the emoji panel (Win+. ) or type 221A then Alt+X in Word in an app that reads Unicode. In Excel or Google Sheets, the formula =UNICHAR(8730) prints it in a cell.
Square root symbol codes at a glance
| Method | Input | Works in |
|---|---|---|
| Word (Alt+X) | Type 221A (hex), then Alt+X | Word, Outlook, OneNote |
| Mac shortcut | Option + V | Most Mac apps |
| Windows Alt code | No standard Windows Alt code | Use another method below |
| Windows (Unicode apps) | 221A then Alt+X in Word (decimal) | WordPad, LibreOffice, other Unicode-aware apps |
| Legacy DOS code | Alt+0251 | US code page (CP437) only |
| Excel / Google Sheets | =UNICHAR(8730) | Spreadsheet cells |
| HTML | √ · √ (decimal) · √ (hex) | Web pages |
| CSS | \221A | Web content property |
| LaTeX | \sqrt{} | Math typesetting |
| Unicode code point | U+221A (hex) | Universal reference |
Type √ on Windows
Windows has no built-in Alt code for the square root symbol in the standard Western (CP1252) table, so the reliable routes are the emoji panel, Character Map, or a Unicode-aware Alt entry. Pick the one that suits the app you are in.
Emoji and symbols panel
- Press Win + . (period) or Win + ; (semicolon).
- Click the Ω symbols tab at the top of the panel.
- Open the math symbols category and click √.
This works in almost any text field, including browser boxes and chat windows.
Character Map
- Open the Start menu, type
charmap, and press Enter. - Tick “Advanced view,” search “square root,” or scroll to the Mathematical Operators range and select √ (U+221A).
- Click Select, then Copy, and paste it where you need it.
Alt entry in Unicode-aware apps
Hold Alt and type 8730 on the numeric keypad (not the top-row number keys), then release. This decimal code prints √ only in apps that support Unicode Alt entry, such as WordPad and LibreOffice.
It needs an active numeric keypad with Num Lock on, so laptops without a keypad should use the emoji panel or copy the symbol instead. For every code in one place, see our Alt code finder.
There is also a legacy option: Alt+0251 on the numeric keypad produces √, but only when the machine uses the US OEM code page (CP437). On the default code page across the UK, Ireland, Canada, and Australia (CP850), the same keys give a different character, so avoid it in shared documents.
Type √ on a Mac
On a US or ABC keyboard layout, press Option + V. The radical sign appears instantly in nearly every Mac app. If a different layout gives you another character, use the Character Viewer instead.
- Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer.
- Type “square root” in the search box.
- Double-click √ to insert it.
Mac has no Alt codes, so ignore any Windows Alt code you see quoted for this symbol.
Type √ in Word and PowerPoint
Word gives you several routes, and one of them draws a proper radical with the bar over the number.
Alt+X code
Type 221A where you want the symbol, then press Alt+X. Word converts the hex code into √.
Put the cursor just after the symbol and press Alt+X again to flip it back to the code. This works in Word, Outlook, and OneNote, but not in PowerPoint or Excel.
Insert Symbol
Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, set the subset to Mathematical Operators, click √, then Insert. The same Insert → Symbol route works in PowerPoint, which has no Alt+X shortcut of its own.
Equation editor and AutoCorrect
For a radical whose bar stretches over the whole expression, press Alt + = to start an equation, type \sqrt, add a space, then enter the value inside. To make √ appear as you type, open File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options and add a rule that replaces something like “sqrt” with √.
Type √ in Excel and Google Sheets
Both spreadsheets print the symbol with a formula. In any cell, type =UNICHAR(8730) and the cell shows √. That 8730 is the decimal Unicode value, not a Windows Alt code.
Excel also has Insert → Symbol, where √ sits under Mathematical Operators. Google Sheets has no symbol menu, so use the formula, or press F2 to enter edit mode in the cell and paste the glyph in.
Type √ in Google Docs
Google Docs has a built-in picker. Click Insert → Special characters, then either type “square root” in the search box or draw the shape in the sketch pad on the right.
Click √ to drop it into your document. There is no Alt+X here, and no Alt code works in Google Docs.
Type √ on iPhone and Android
Neither phone keyboard carries the radical sign on its default symbol pages. The quickest fix on both is to copy √ from this page and paste it.
To type it often, set up a shortcut. On iPhone, go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement and add √ as the phrase with something like “sqrt” as the shortcut.
On Android with Gboard, open Settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary and add √ against a shortcut word. After that, typing your shortcut offers √ as a suggestion.
Type √ on a Chromebook
ChromeOS has no Alt codes, and plugging in a USB numpad will not change that. Use the Unicode shortcut instead: hold Ctrl + Shift + U, type 221a, then press Enter or Space.
An underlined u shows while you type. Enter the hex digits only, with no U+ prefix.
You can also open the symbol picker with Launcher + Shift + Space (newer Chromebooks have a dedicated Quick Insert key). If a website’s text box swallows the Ctrl+Shift+U shortcut, paste the symbol instead.
Type √ in Notion, Slack, Discord, and Canva
None of these apps has a symbol shortcut, so paste √ in and it renders normally. To make it permanent, set up the device text replacement described above and it will work inside every app you open.
Two extras worth knowing: Notion supports inline equations, so type /math and use \sqrt{} for a formatted radical. Canva needs a text box first, then paste the symbol into it.
Square root symbol in HTML and CSS
On the web, use the named entity √ or the numeric references √ (decimal) and √ (hex). All three render √. In CSS generated content, use the escape \221A, for example content: "\221A";.
The bare √ glyph does not draw a bar over the radicand. For a full mathematical radical online, use MathML’s <msqrt> element or a rendering library such as MathJax or KaTeX.
Troubleshooting the square root symbol
- Shows as □ or ?: the current font lacks the glyph. Switch to a broad Unicode font such as Arial, Segoe UI, Cambria, or Times New Roman.
- 221A then Alt+X in Word does nothing: the app is not Unicode-aware, Num Lock is off, or you used the top-row digits. Use Word’s Alt+X or paste instead.
- Alt+0251 gives the wrong character: your machine is on a non-US OEM code page, common in the UK, Ireland, Canada, and Australia. Use the hex Word method or paste.
- You typed a check mark by accident: √ is the radical sign (U+221A); the tick is ✓ (U+2713). They resemble each other in handwriting but are different characters.
What the square root symbol is used for
The radical sign, also called a surd, marks the square root of the value that follows it, so √9 equals 3 and √2 is roughly 1. 414.
It appears in the quadratic formula, paired with the plus-minus symbol (±), in the Pythagorean theorem, in standard deviation, and in root-mean-square work. The same sign with a small index number gives other roots, such as the cube root.
Related guides
- Infinity symbol (∞) — the endless loop used for limits and unbounded ranges, and, like √, it has no standard Windows Alt code.
- Beta symbol (β) — the Greek letter for coefficients and beta versions, not a math operator.
- Psi symbol (ψ) — the Greek letter used in physics and psychology.
- More math and science symbol guides for the whole category.
- The complete Alt code list for every symbol in one reference.
Frequently asked questions
Can I type the square root symbol without a numeric keypad?
Yes. The keypad only matters for Alt codes, and √ has better routes anyway.
In Word type 221A then Alt+X, on a Mac press Option+V, on a Chromebook use Ctrl+Shift+U then 221a, and everywhere else open the emoji panel with Win+. or simply copy and paste the symbol.
How do I type a cube root or higher root instead?
The cube root has its own character, ∛; see how to type the cube root symbol. For a fourth root or an nth root, use an equation editor: in Word press Alt + =, then place a small index number in front of the radical.
Why isn’t there a bar over the number after the √ sign?
The plain character is only the hook of the radical, with no vinculum, the horizontal line that normally covers everything under the root. To get that line, use a math layout: Word’s equation editor (Alt + =, then \sqrt), LaTeX’s \sqrt{}, or MathML on the web. Typed on its own, √ always sits in front of the value.
Does typing √ in a spreadsheet calculate the root?
No. Whether you paste it or use =UNICHAR(8730), the symbol is text only and does no math. To calculate a square root in Excel or Google Sheets, use the SQRT function, so =SQRT(25) returns 5.
Why does the square root symbol turn into strange characters when I email or export it?
That is an encoding mismatch. When text is not saved or sent as UTF-8, or the receiving system assumes a different code page, √ can arrive as â or similar gibberish. Save the file as UTF-8, or paste the symbol directly into the destination.