3 Easy Ways to Insert Symbols in Emails

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Do you want to use a special character in your emails? These symbols are typically not found on your keyboard, but you can still insert these symbols in your e-mail messages. However, the methods for inserting symbols are different depending on if you are running macOS or Windows. This wikiHow article will lay out the different methods for Mac and Windows so you can easily insert symbols in emails.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Inserting Symbols in Outlook

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  1. This app icon looks like a mail envelope next to an "o."
  2. Click New Email to start a new, blank email.
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  3. It's in the editing ribbon at the top of the window next to File and Message . [1]
  4. You'll see this to the right of the toolbar in the "Symbols" grouping. A menu will drop down. [2]
    • If you want to use any of the symbols displayed here, click it to insert it, then you are finished with this method.
  5. It's at the bottom of the menu and will open a new window with more symbols. [3]
    • You can change the font and subset to see more symbols.
  6. The symbol will highlight in blue to indicate that you have it selected.
    • Near the bottom of the window you will also see the shortcut button or Alt Code for that symbol, so you can use that instead of opening this symbol/character menu. [4]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using the Character Map on Windows

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  1. Doing this will open the Start menu. You can also instead click the Windows logo in your taskbar to open the menu.
    • You can open the Character Map to insert symbols in any email apps, including Gmail, Yahoo, and other web-based email services.
  2. " In the newer versions of Windows, you don't even have to click the search bar to search for keywords or phrases. Typing instantly performs a search and gives you search results.
  3. It should be listed as an app in the search results. [5]
    • The character map will open in a new window.
  4. Use the drop-down at the top of the window to browse through fonts. [6]
  5. When you double-click it, the special character will appear in the "Characters to copy" field. [7]
  6. Doing this will copy the special character or symbol to your clipboard so you can paste it anywhere. [8]
  7. You can press Ctrl + V to paste the copied character .
    • The character map will remain open in the background until you close it.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using the Character Viewer in macOS

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  1. Make sure you have your cursor in the body of your email instead of the "To" or "Subject" fields.
    • You can open the Character Viewer to insert symbols in any email apps, including Gmail, Yahoo, and other web-based email services.
  2. This will open the Character Viewer in a new window. [9]
    • Browse through the characters and symbols by scrolling, or click a category from the bottom. To see more, click the double arrow icon in the bottom right corner.
  3. If the Character Viewer is expanded, you may need to double-click the character to insert it. [10]
    • Use the "Recently Used" or "Favorites" sections in the Character Viewer to quickly enter frequently used characters or symbols.
    • You can leave the Character Viewer open to insert more symbols in your email or you can close it.
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      Tips

      • Many of the common symbols, like @, #, or &, can be found on your keyboard. They are usually found on keys 0-9 at the top of your keyboard, and pressing Shift at the same time as the number will usually insert the symbol instead. For example, to enter "@", press Shift + 2 at the same time. Note that keyboards vary by country/region and Shift + 2 may not work with all keyboards.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/insert-a-symbol-be6f1bbf-5bdd-42dc-a5e3-ab5e7d84a4f8
      2. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/insert-a-symbol-09b3d8e6-cd92-423a-9f5e-7f813e7e4b9e
      3. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/insert-a-symbol-09b3d8e6-cd92-423a-9f5e-7f813e7e4b9e
      4. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/insert-a-symbol-be6f1bbf-5bdd-42dc-a5e3-ab5e7d84a4f8
      5. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-use-special-characters-in-windows-documents-ec1a4e84-706e-67a5-e52b-e3ebab90313f
      6. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-use-special-characters-in-windows-documents-ec1a4e84-706e-67a5-e52b-e3ebab90313f
      7. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-use-special-characters-in-windows-documents-ec1a4e84-706e-67a5-e52b-e3ebab90313f
      8. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-use-special-characters-in-windows-documents-ec1a4e84-706e-67a5-e52b-e3ebab90313f
      9. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/accents-and-special-characters-tanec2c2fdfd/mac
      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-emoji-and-symbols-on-mac-mchlp1560/mac

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