Cent Symbol (¢) — How to Type, Copy & Paste the Cent Sign
Copy the Cent Symbol
Here is the cent symbol ready for you to copy and paste:
¢ — Copy this symbol: ¢
Unicode: U+00A2 | HTML entity: ¢ | CSS: \00A2
Click or tap the symbol, copy it, and paste it wherever you need it — documents, social media, emails, spreadsheets, or websites.
What Is the Cent Symbol?
The cent symbol (¢) is a currency sign used to represent cents — the fractional monetary unit equal to 1/100 of a dollar or other base currency unit. It is a lowercase letter "c" with a vertical or diagonal stroke through it, similar to how the dollar sign ($) is an "S" with strokes.
The cent symbol has been in use since the late 18th century in the United States. It was originally cast on typesetting blocks alongside the dollar sign for use in financial printing. The symbol was included in the ASCII character set (position 162) and later in Unicode at U+00A2, making it one of the oldest currency symbols in computer character encoding.
While the cent symbol is most commonly associated with the US cent, it is also used for cents in many other currencies, including the Canadian cent, Australian cent, Euro cent (though the official symbol for Euro subunits is "c" without the stroke), and various other currencies divided into 100 subunits worldwide.
Interestingly, the cent symbol has largely disappeared from physical keyboards. Most modern keyboards do not include a dedicated ¢ key, which is why so many people search for how to type it. The symbol is still widely used in pricing ($0.99 instead of 99¢), financial documents, and accounting.
How to Type the Cent Symbol on Windows
There are multiple ways to type ¢ on a Windows computer:
Alt Code method: Hold down the Alt key and type 0162 on the numeric keypad. Release Alt and ¢ will appear. Make sure Num Lock is on. This is the fastest and most widely used method, working in Word, Excel, Notepad, browsers, and email clients.
Alternative Alt Code: On some systems, Alt + 155 also produces ¢. Try this if Alt + 0162 does not work for you.
Character Map: Press the Windows key, type "Character Map," and open the app. Search for "cent sign" or find it in the Currency Symbols section. Select ¢, click Copy, and paste it into your document.
Microsoft Word: Type 00A2 in your document and press Alt+X to convert it to ¢. Or go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols and find it under Currency Symbols.
Windows Emoji Picker: Press Win + Period (.) and search for "cent" in the symbols section.
How to Type the Cent Symbol on Mac
On macOS, typing ¢ is quick and easy:
Keyboard shortcut: Press Option + 4. This is the fastest method to type ¢ on a Mac. The regular 4 key types $, and Option + 4 types ¢. This works in Pages, TextEdit, Safari, Mail, Notes, and most other applications.
Character Viewer: Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer. Search for "cent" and double-click ¢ to insert it at your cursor position.
Unicode Hex Input: If you have the Unicode Hex keyboard enabled, hold Option and type 00A2 to produce ¢.
How to Type the Cent Symbol on iPhone and iPad
Typing ¢ on iOS:
Keyboard method: Open the keyboard in any app. Tap the "123" key to access numbers, then tap and hold the dollar sign ($) key. A popup will appear showing currency symbols including ¢. Slide your finger to ¢ and release to insert it.
Text Replacement: Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement. Create an entry with ¢ as the phrase and "ccent" as the shortcut. Then typing "ccent" auto-replaces with ¢.
Copy and paste: The simplest approach — copy ¢ from this page and paste it in any app.
How to Type the Cent Symbol on Android
On Android devices:
Gboard: Tap the "?123" key, then tap and hold the dollar sign ($) key. A popup will show additional currency symbols including ¢. Slide to ¢ and release.
Copy and paste: Copy ¢ from this page. Long-press in any text field on your Android device and select Paste.
Google Docs: If you are using Google Docs on Android, go to Insert → Special Characters and search for "cent" to find and insert ¢.
Cent Symbol Unicode Details
Technical specifications for the cent symbol:
Unicode code point: U+00A2
Unicode name: Cent Sign
HTML entity: ¢ or ¢
CSS content: \00A2
JavaScript: \u00A2
UTF-8 encoding: C2 A2
UTF-16 encoding: 00A2
ASCII position: 162 (extended ASCII)
The cent sign is located in the Latin-1 Supplement Unicode block (U+0080 to U+00FF), which contains characters commonly used in Western European languages and basic currency symbols.
Common Uses of the Cent Symbol
The cent symbol is used in various contexts:
Pricing: Stores often display prices like 99¢, 50¢, or 25¢ for small items. It is shorter and more visually striking than writing $0.99 or $0.50.
Financial documents: Accounting ledgers, bank statements, and financial reports may use ¢ for precision in sub-dollar amounts.
Gasoline pricing: In many countries, gas prices are displayed to the fraction of a cent, such as $3.49 and 9/10¢ per gallon.
Postage and stamps: Stamp prices and postal rates are commonly expressed in cents.
Laundry and vending machines: Coin-operated machines often display prices in cents.
Programming and data: Currency data formats and financial applications may need to represent cent values using the ¢ symbol.
Cent Symbol vs Dollar Sign
The cent symbol (¢) and dollar sign ($) are complementary currency symbols. While $ represents whole dollar units, ¢ represents 1/100 of a dollar. Some key differences:
Placement: The dollar sign goes before the number ($5), and the cent sign typically goes after the number (5¢).
Keyboard access: The dollar sign ($) has a dedicated key on standard keyboards (Shift + 4 on US layout). The cent sign (¢) has no dedicated key and requires special input methods.
Modern usage: The dollar sign is used far more frequently. Many people simply write "$0.99" instead of "99¢" because the dollar sign is easier to type.
Cent Symbol in HTML and Web Development
To display ¢ on a webpage:
Named entity: ¢ — renders as ¢ in all modern browsers.
Numeric entity: ¢ — also renders as ¢ with full compatibility.
In JavaScript, use "\u00A2" to insert ¢ programmatically.
In CSS: use content: "\00A2"; with pseudo-elements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Alt code for the cent symbol?
Alt + 0162 on the numeric keypad. On some systems, Alt + 155 also works.
How do I type ¢ on Mac?
Press Option + 4. Simple and fast.
Why is there no cent key on my keyboard?
Modern keyboard layouts were standardized when the dollar sign became the dominant currency symbol. The cent symbol was dropped from physical keyboards to save space, similar to how many other special characters require Alt codes or shortcuts.
Is the cent symbol the same as the euro cent symbol?
The official symbol for euro cents is "c" (plain lowercase c), not ¢. However, many people informally use ¢ for euro cents as well.
Can I use the cent symbol in social media?
Yes. Copy ¢ and paste it on any platform — Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and others all support it.