Fraction Symbol (½, ⅓, ¼) — Copy & Paste All Fraction Characters
Copy All Fraction Symbols
Here are all the Unicode fraction symbols ready to copy and paste:
½ — One half (U+00BD)
⅓ — One third (U+2153)
⅔ — Two thirds (U+2154)
¼ — One quarter (U+00BC)
¾ — Three quarters (U+00BE)
⅕ — One fifth (U+2155)
⅖ — Two fifths (U+2156)
⅗ — Three fifths (U+2157)
⅘ — Four fifths (U+2158)
⅙ — One sixth (U+2159)
⅚ — Five sixths (U+215A)
⅐ — One seventh (U+2150)
⅛ — One eighth (U+215B)
⅜ — Three eighths (U+215C)
⅝ — Five eighths (U+215D)
⅞ — Seven eighths (U+215E)
⅑ — One ninth (U+2151)
⅒ — One tenth (U+2152)
Click or tap any fraction above to select it, then copy and paste it wherever you need it — documents, social media, emails, spreadsheets, or websites.
What Are Fraction Symbols?
Fraction symbols are single Unicode characters that represent common fractions as compact, pre-composed glyphs. Instead of writing "1/2" with a slash, you can use ½ — a single character that stacks the numerator above the denominator with a horizontal line between them.
These characters have a long history in typography. The fractions ½ (one half), ¼ (one quarter), and ¾ (three quarters) have been part of the Latin-1 character set since the early days of computing (Unicode U+00BC, U+00BD, U+00BE). They were included because these three fractions are by far the most commonly used in everyday text — cooking measurements, financial reporting, statistics, and more.
The extended fraction characters (⅓, ⅔, ⅕, ⅙, ⅛, etc.) were added later as part of the Number Forms Unicode block (U+2150 to U+215F). These cover less common but still useful fractions for mathematical, scientific, and typographic purposes.
How to Type Fraction Symbols on Windows
There are several methods to type fraction symbols on Windows:
Alt Codes: The three most common fractions have dedicated Alt codes. Hold Alt and type the code on your numeric keypad (Num Lock must be on):
½ — Alt + 0189
¼ — Alt + 0188
¾ — Alt + 0190
Character Map: Open the Character Map app (search in Start menu). Search for "fraction" or browse to the Number Forms section. Select the fraction you want, click Copy, and paste it into your document.
Microsoft Word AutoCorrect: Word automatically converts certain typed fractions. Type "1/2" followed by a space and Word may auto-convert it to ½. This works for 1/2, 1/4, and 3/4 by default. You can enable more fractions in File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options.
Microsoft Word Symbol Insert: Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Look in the Number Forms subset to find all available fraction characters.
Windows Emoji Picker: Press Win + Period (.) and search for the fraction you need.
How to Type Fraction Symbols on Mac
On macOS, you can type fractions using these methods:
Keyboard shortcuts: Some common fractions have direct shortcuts:
½ — Option + / (on some keyboard layouts) or use the Character Viewer
Character Viewer: Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer. Search for "fraction" or navigate to Math Symbols → Number Forms. Double-click any fraction to insert it at your cursor position.
Text Replacement: Go to System Settings → Keyboard → Text Replacement (or Keyboard → Text in older macOS). Add entries like "1/2" → ½, "1/3" → ⅓, etc. Then typing the slash version auto-replaces with the proper fraction symbol.
Pages and TextEdit: In Apple apps, Edit → Emoji & Symbols gives you access to the Character Viewer where all fractions are available.
How to Type Fraction Symbols on iPhone and iPad
Typing fractions on iOS:
Built-in keyboard: The default iOS keyboard does not have fraction symbols readily accessible. The best methods are:
Text Replacement: Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement. Add shortcuts for each fraction. For example, set the phrase to ½ and the shortcut to "fhalf". Repeat for ¼ ("fquarter"), ⅓ ("fthird"), and any others you use regularly.
Copy and paste: The most straightforward method — copy any fraction from this page and paste it wherever you need it on your iPhone or iPad.
Third-party keyboards: Some math-focused keyboard apps include fraction symbols in their layouts.
How to Type Fraction Symbols on Android
On Android devices:
Gboard: The standard Google Keyboard does not include fraction symbols in its default layout. The most reliable method is copy and paste.
Copy and paste: Copy any fraction symbol from this page. Long-press in any text field and select Paste. This works in every app on your Android device.
Text expansion: Some Android keyboard apps and accessibility settings support text expansion, allowing you to set up shortcuts for frequently used fractions.
Fraction Symbols Unicode Reference
Complete Unicode reference for all fraction characters:
½ — U+00BD — Vulgar Fraction One Half — HTML: ½
⅓ — U+2153 — Vulgar Fraction One Third
⅔ — U+2154 — Vulgar Fraction Two Thirds
¼ — U+00BC — Vulgar Fraction One Quarter — HTML: ¼
¾ — U+00BE — Vulgar Fraction Three Quarters — HTML: ¾
⅕ — U+2155 — Vulgar Fraction One Fifth
⅖ — U+2156 — Vulgar Fraction Two Fifths
⅗ — U+2157 — Vulgar Fraction Three Fifths
⅘ — U+2158 — Vulgar Fraction Four Fifths
⅙ — U+2159 — Vulgar Fraction One Sixth
⅚ — U+215A — Vulgar Fraction Five Sixths
⅐ — U+2150 — Vulgar Fraction One Seventh
⅛ — U+215B — Vulgar Fraction One Eighth
⅜ — U+215C — Vulgar Fraction Three Eighths
⅝ — U+215D — Vulgar Fraction Five Eighths
⅞ — U+215E — Vulgar Fraction Seven Eighths
⅑ — U+2151 — Vulgar Fraction One Ninth
⅒ — U+2152 — Vulgar Fraction One Tenth
Common Uses of Fraction Symbols
Fraction symbols are used in many everyday and professional contexts:
Cooking and recipes: Measurements like ½ cup, ¼ teaspoon, and ¾ tablespoon are extremely common in recipes worldwide. Using the proper fraction symbol (½ instead of 1/2) looks cleaner and more professional.
Finance: Stock prices historically used fractions (¼, ½, ¾) before decimalization. Some financial documents still reference fractions in share ownership or interest calculations.
Music notation: Time signatures, note durations, and rhythmic values frequently use fraction notation.
Construction and DIY: Measurements in inches commonly use fractions — ¼ inch, ½ inch, ¾ inch, ⅜ inch, and so on.
Academic writing: Mathematical papers, textbooks, and educational materials use fraction symbols for clean typography.
Social media and messaging: Using ½ instead of 1/2 saves space and looks more polished in posts, tweets, and messages.
Fraction Symbol vs Slash Fraction — When to Use Each
There are two ways to represent fractions in text: the fraction symbol (½) and the slash notation (1/2). Each has its place:
Use fraction symbols (½, ¼, ⅓) when: You want professional typography, you are working with pre-composed text, or the fraction is small and common (halves, thirds, quarters). They look cleaner in headings, titles, and formal documents.
Use slash notation (1/2, 3/4, 2/5) when: The fraction you need does not have a Unicode character (like 7/16 or 11/32), you are writing code or formulas, or you need maximum compatibility across all systems and fonts.
Only 18 common fractions have dedicated Unicode characters. For any other fraction, slash notation is your only option in plain text.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Alt code for ½?
Alt + 0189 on the numeric keypad types ½.
What is the Alt code for ¼?
Alt + 0188 types ¼.
What is the Alt code for ¾?
Alt + 0190 types ¾.
Can I make a fraction for any number?
No. Unicode only includes 18 pre-composed fraction characters. For fractions like 5/16 or 13/64, you must use slash notation (5/16, 13/64) or use a word processor with equation formatting.
Why does ½ look different in different fonts?
Each font renders ½ according to its own design. Some fonts stack the numbers vertically with a diagonal or horizontal line, while others may render it more compactly. This is normal typographic variation.