Tilde Symbol ~ — Copy, Paste and Type the Tilde on Any Device

The tilde symbol ~ is a versatile character with a surprisingly wide range of uses. From mathematics and programming to language accents and informal communication, the tilde appears in more contexts than most people realize. This guide shows you how to copy, paste, and type the tilde on any device, along with its history, Unicode details, and practical applications.

Copy the Tilde Symbol

Simply highlight and copy the tilde below:

~

Paste it into any document, chat, code editor, URL, or text field.

Unicode and Technical Details

The tilde has the following technical specifications:

• Unicode: U+007E
• HTML Entity: ˜ or ~
• CSS Content: "\\007E"
• JavaScript: "\\u007E"
• ASCII Code: 126 (decimal)

The tilde is the last printable character in the standard ASCII table (code 126), making it one of the foundational characters in computing.

How to Type the Tilde on Windows

Typing the tilde on a Windows computer:

• Standard US Keyboard: Press Shift + ` (the backtick key, located above the Tab key and to the left of the 1 key)
• Alt Code: Hold Alt and type 126 on the numeric keypad
• Character Map: Open Character Map from the Start menu, search for tilde, and copy it
• Microsoft Word: Type 007E then press Alt + X

How to Type the Tilde on Mac

On a Mac, you can type the tilde using these methods:

• Standard Keyboard: Press Option + n (this creates a tilde accent), then press space for a standalone tilde, or press a letter to create accented characters like ñ or ã
• Direct Key: Press Shift + ` (the key above Tab)
• Character Viewer: Press Control + Command + Space, then search for "tilde"

How to Type the Tilde on iPhone and iPad

On iOS devices:

• Default Keyboard: Tap the 123 key, then tap the #+= key to access additional symbols, and tap the ~ key
• Accented Characters: Long-press the N key to type ñ, or long-press A to type ã

How to Type the Tilde on Android

On Android devices:

• Gboard: Tap the ?123 key, then tap the =\< key to find the tilde
• Long-press: On some keyboards, long-pressing the hyphen or minus key reveals the tilde
• Accented Characters: Long-press N to access ñ

History of the Tilde

The tilde originated in medieval Latin manuscripts as a mark of abbreviation. Scribes used it as a shorthand to indicate that letters had been omitted from a word — typically a doubled letter or an "m" or "n" at the end of a word. The word "tilde" itself comes from the Spanish and Portuguese "tilde," which derives from the Latin "titulus," meaning "title" or "superscription."

The tilde was adopted into the Spanish language in the 18th century when the Royal Spanish Academy standardized its use in the letter ñ (eñe), representing a palatal nasal sound. Portuguese also adopted the tilde for nasalized vowels (ã, õ). Today, the tilde is an essential part of several languages and has taken on entirely new meanings in computing.

Uses of the Tilde Symbol

The tilde serves a remarkable variety of purposes:

In Language and Linguistics:

• Spanish: The ñ character (e.g., españa, señor) — an official letter in the Spanish alphabet
• Portuguese: Nasalized vowels (ã, õ) as in São Paulo or coração
• Mathematical Notation: Indicates approximation (e.g., ~10 means approximately 10)
• Dictionary Entries: Repeats the headword in examples

In Mathematics:

• Approximation: x ~ y means x is approximately equal to y
• Equivalence Relation: In set theory, ~ denotes equivalence between elements
• Negation: In logic, ~ often represents NOT (negation of a proposition)
• Asymptotic Equivalence: In analysis, f(n) ~ g(n) means functions are asymptotically equivalent

In Computing and Programming:

• Home Directory: In Unix/Linux, ~ represents the current user's home directory
• URLs: In web URLs, ~ often indicates a personal page (e.g., example.com/~username)
• Bitwise NOT: In many programming languages, ~ is the bitwise complement operator
• Regular Expressions: Used for pattern matching in some regex flavors
• Programming Languages: Used in various syntax — destructor names in C++, pattern matching in Haskell, and string interpolation in some languages

In Informal Communication:

• Playful Tone: Adding ~ at the end of a message softens the tone (e.g., "Thanks~")
• Approximation: Writing "~30 minutes" means about 30 minutes
• Ranges: Sometimes used informally to indicate ranges (e.g., "10~20 people")

Tilde vs. Similar Symbols

The tilde can be confused with a few similar-looking characters:

• ~ (Tilde): U+007E — the standard ASCII tilde
• ∼ (Tilde Operator): U+223C — used in mathematics for equivalence relations
• ˜ (Small Tilde): U+02DC — a combining diacritical mark
• ¯ (Macron): U+00AF — a different diacritical mark used for long vowels
• − (Minus): U+2212 — sometimes confused visually but functionally different

Fun Facts About the Tilde

• The tilde is the last printable character in the ASCII table at position 126
• In some online communities, multiple tildes (~~~) are used to indicate excitement or a playful tone
• The ñ character was nearly removed from Spanish keyboards in the 1990s but was saved after public outcry
• In Japanese, the tilde (known as "wave dash") is commonly used to indicate ranges (e.g., 10~20)
• The tilde was one of the first special characters used in early email addresses and Unix systems

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the tilde mean in front of a number?

When placed before a number, the tilde means "approximately" or "about." For example, ~50 means approximately 50. It can also be used after a number for the same meaning.

How do I type accented characters with a tilde?

On Windows, use Alt codes (Alt+164 for ñ, Alt+165 for Ñ). On Mac, press Option+N then the letter. On mobile, long-press the letter N to see ñ as an option.

What does ~ mean in a file path?

In Unix, Linux, and macOS systems, ~ is a shortcut for the current user's home directory. ~/Documents refers to the Documents folder in your home directory.