Copy ÷ from the panel above. In Microsoft Word, type 00F7 and press Alt+X, or open an equation and enter \div followed by Space. In Windows legacy Alt input, Alt+0247 can produce ÷ when the accepting application or control interprets the leading-zero value through Windows-1252.
Identify the division sign
Unicode names ÷ DIVISION SIGN and assigns it U+00F7. It is sometimes called an obelus. The slash / is U+002F and is a different character, even when an app uses a slash to express division in plain text or a formula.
Use ÷ when a literal division sign is wanted in prose or a simple arithmetic expression. Use the syntax required by the spreadsheet, programming language, calculator, or equation editor when the content must be evaluated. A visible symbol and an executable operator do not automatically have the same meaning.
For nearby notation, see the guides to fraction symbols in Word, the square root symbol, and the greater-than-or-equal symbol.
Type ÷ in Microsoft Word
For Unicode conversion in Word, type 00F7 and press Alt+X. Microsoft documents Alt+X as a Word conversion method for Unicode hexadecimal values. If the conversion captures an adjacent hexadecimal character, select only 00F7 before pressing Alt+X.
Word also has a visible insertion route. Choose Insert, Symbol, and More Symbols, locate the division sign, and select Insert. This is useful when you want to verify the selected glyph instead of relying on a remembered code.
Should I insert a symbol or build an equation?
Insert the literal character when you need ÷ in an ordinary line of text. For formatted mathematics, open a Word equation, type \div, and press Space. Microsoft lists \div as a recognized UnicodeMath command for the division sign. Equation input is the better route when ÷ belongs with fractions, roots, superscripts, or other structured notation.
Type ÷ with a Windows Alt code
When a Windows application or control uses Windows-1252 for leading-zero legacy Alt input, hold Alt, enter 0247 on the numeric keypad, and release Alt. Keep the leading zero. The top number row is not a substitute for the numeric keypad in this legacy method.
Legacy Alt-code output can depend on the ANSI or system code page used by the accepting application or control, keyboard state, and whether Num Lock is enabled. The no-leading-zero form uses a different OEM lookup route and is not a portable equivalent. Word Alt+X, Character Map, or direct copy is safer when exact Unicode output matters.
Insert ÷ on a Mac
Apple documents Character Viewer as the system picker for symbols. Open it with Fn+E or Globe+E when that shortcut is enabled, or choose Edit and then Emoji & Symbols. Search for "division", check that the result is DIVISION SIGN, and select ÷.
Keyboard shortcuts on macOS can change with the selected input source. Character Viewer avoids presenting one layout-specific key combination as universal. If your app does not accept the selection, copy ÷ from this page and paste it into the target field.
Use the division sign in HTML
A UTF-8 HTML document can contain ÷ directly. HTML also defines the named character reference ÷, decimal reference ÷, and hexadecimal reference ÷. These forms resolve to U+00F7 when parsed as HTML character references.
Character-reference syntax belongs in HTML source. In a plain-text field, an email subject, or a source format that does not parse HTML, the reference may remain visible as typed. Direct UTF-8 text is usually simplest when the publishing system preserves it correctly.
Fix the wrong character or behavior
- 1.Confirm that the result is U+00F7 ÷ rather than U+002F /.
- 2.In Word, use
00F7then Alt+X for a literal character. - 3.Use
\divonly inside a Word equation when you want equation formatting. - 4.For Alt+0247, use the numeric keypad, keep the leading zero, and verify Num Lock.
- 5.Use Character Viewer, Character Map, or direct copy if a legacy Alt code produces a different character.
- 6.Use the operator required by the destination app if the expression must calculate rather than merely display.
Common questions
Are ÷ and / the same character?
No. ÷ is U+00F7 DIVISION SIGN, while / is U+002F SOLIDUS. Some tools use / as division syntax, but that convention does not make the Unicode characters identical.
Why does a division Alt code give the wrong result?
Legacy Windows Alt input is affected by the numeric keypad, whether a leading zero is used, and the code-page behavior of the accepting application or control. Use the scoped Alt+0247 route only where leading-zero Windows-1252 behavior is expected. Word's 00F7 plus Alt+X or a visible character picker is easier to verify.
Will ÷ calculate in a spreadsheet?
Usually not as an arithmetic operator. Spreadsheet formulas commonly require a slash, but the exact syntax is set by the application. Use ÷ for display and the documented formula operator for calculation.
Official references
- Unicode Latin-1 Supplement chart
- Microsoft guide to ASCII and Unicode characters in Word
- Microsoft guide to linear equation input in Word
- Microsoft explanation of legacy Alt-number input
- Unicode Consortium Windows-1252 mapping
- Unicode Consortium IBM PC code page 437 mapping
- Apple guide to Keyboard Viewer on Mac
- Apple guide to Character Viewer on Mac
- HTML named character references
- HTML character-reference syntax
