Copy ± from the panel above. In Microsoft Word, type 00B1 and press Alt+X, or start an equation and enter \pm followed by Space. Excel returns the same character from =UNICHAR(177), Character Viewer on Mac finds it by name, and the special-character picker in Google Docs finds it by its Unicode value.
The sign has two common readings. In a measurement it marks a tolerance around a stated figure. In algebra it marks a pair of solutions that differ only in sign, and the companion character ∓ reverses that order so a formula can pair the two.
Identify the plus minus sign
Unicode names ± PLUS-MINUS SIGN and assigns it U+00B1 in the Latin-1 Supplement block. The reversed character ∓ is MINUS-OR-PLUS SIGN at U+2213 in Mathematical Operators, a separate code point rather than a styled variant.
Neither character is a combination of ordinary keys. The plus sign + is U+002B, the key beside zero produces hyphen-minus - at U+002D, and the typographic minus sign − is U+2212. Typing + and then - leaves two characters where one is wanted, and that pair will not match ± in a search or a data field. For nearby notation, see the guides to the division symbol and the greater-than-or-equal symbol.
Type ± in Microsoft Word
For Unicode conversion, type 00B1 and press Alt+X. Microsoft documents Alt+X as the Word method for turning a hexadecimal value into its character. Select only 00B1 first if the conversion captures an adjacent hexadecimal character.
Word also has a visible route. Choose Insert, Symbol, and More Symbols, set the from box to Unicode (hex), enter 00B1 in the Character code box, confirm the highlighted glyph, and insert it.
Should I insert a character or build an equation?
Insert the literal character for ordinary text, such as a tolerance in a specification line. For formatted mathematics, press Alt and the equals key to start an equation, type \pm, and press Space. Microsoft lists \pm for ± and \mp for ∓ among the Math AutoCorrect commands in Word.
Type ± with a Windows Alt code
In Windows applications that accept legacy Alt input through the ANSI code page, turn on Num Lock, hold Alt, enter 0177 on the numeric keypad, and release Alt. The Windows-1252 mapping published by the Unicode Consortium places 0xB1 at U+00B1, which is why the leading-zero value resolves to ±. Microsoft's account of Alt-number input explains that the leading zero selects the ANSI code page while a value without one is looked up in the older OEM set, and that the control receiving the keystrokes decides how the number is read.
Character Map avoids that variability. Open it, select ±, copy the character, and paste it where you need it.
Insert ± on a Mac
Apple documents Character Viewer as the system picker for symbols. Open it with Fn-E or Globe-E, or choose Edit and then Emoji & Symbols. Enter plus minus in the search field and click the result to insert it, or double-click it when Character Viewer is expanded. Which key opens the viewer depends on the keyboard and on Keyboard settings, so searching by name is more reliable than a remembered combination.
Insert ± in Excel and Google Docs
Excel can return the character from a formula. =UNICHAR(177) gives ± and =UNICHAR(8723) gives ∓, because UNICHAR returns the Unicode character referenced by a numeric value. Microsoft lists the function for Excel 2016 and later, including the Mac releases.
In Google Docs or Slides, choose Insert, Symbols, and Special characters, then pick a category, draw the shape in the box on the right, or enter the Unicode value. Google states that special characters cannot be inserted directly in Sheets, so paste the character into a Sheets cell instead.
Use the plus minus sign in HTML
A UTF-8 page can hold ± directly. HTML also defines the named reference ±, the decimal reference ±, and the hexadecimal reference ±, and each resolves to U+00B1 when parsed. The reversed character has ∓, ∓, and ∓. In a plain-text field, a reference stays visible as typed instead of resolving to a glyph.
Fix the wrong character
- 1.Confirm the result is one U+00B1 character, not a plus sign followed by a hyphen.
- 2.In Word, select only
00B1before pressing Alt+X if a neighboring hexadecimal character is captured. - 3.Use
\pminside an equation and the literal character in ordinary text. - 4.For Alt+0177, use the numeric keypad, keep the leading zero, and check Num Lock.
- 5.Switch to Character Map, Character Viewer, or a direct copy when an Alt code produces something else.
- 6.Check whether the expression calls for ∓ at U+2213, as in a root written with the square root symbol.
Common questions
Are ± and ∓ the same character?
No. ± is PLUS-MINUS SIGN at U+00B1 and ∓ is MINUS-OR-PLUS SIGN at U+2213. They sit in different Unicode blocks, and an expression that pairs them depends on the two reading in opposite order.
Why does Alt-0177 give a different character?
Legacy Alt input depends on the numeric keypad, on the leading zero that selects the ANSI code page, and on how the receiving application reads the number. Alt+X, Character Map, or a direct copy is easier to verify.
Can a spreadsheet calculate with ±?
No. It is a text character rather than an operator, whether it is pasted in or returned by =UNICHAR(177). Show the tolerance with the character and calculate the two values in separate formulas.
Official references
- Unicode Latin-1 Supplement chart
- Unicode Mathematical Operators chart
- Unicode Consortium Windows-1252 mapping
- Microsoft guide to ASCII and Unicode characters in Word
- Microsoft guide to inserting a symbol in Word
- Microsoft guide to linear equation input in Word
- Microsoft explanation of legacy Alt-number input
- Microsoft reference for the Excel UNICHAR function
- Apple guide to Character Viewer on Mac
- Google guide to special characters in Docs and Slides
- HTML named character references
