What is Special Character Map?

Special Character Map lets you browse, search, and copy Unicode symbols, arrows, math operators, currency signs, punctuation, and accented letters. Click any character to copy it to your clipboard, or paste an unknown glyph to identify it.

Six categories cover the symbols you actually need: arrows, math operators, currency signs, miscellaneous symbols, punctuation (em dash, curly quotes, ellipsis, non-breaking space), and Latin letter variants with diacritics. Search by name (e.g. 'theta') or by code point (U+03B8). Star the ones you reach for often to keep them in a Favorites list that survives across sessions, and a recent list keeps the last ten characters you copied so you can grab them again without re-searching.

How to use

1. Browse characters by category using the tabs at the top, or use the search field to find specific symbols.
2. Click on any character to copy it to your clipboard instantly.
3. View the character's Unicode code point and name in the detail panel for reference.

When to use

• Inserting accented letters (é, ñ, ü) into a document on a US keyboard.
• Adding mathematical notation (≤, ≥, ≠, ∑, √) to academic or technical writing.
• Picking currency symbols (€, £, ¥, ₹, ₽) for invoices or price lists.

Result

You need the degree symbol (°) for a weather report. Search for 'degree', click the symbol, and it's copied. Or browse the 'Arrows' category to find ← → ↑ ↓ for your diagram.

FAQ

Why does the same character look different in different apps?

The character itself is the same Unicode code point, but each app renders it in its own font. Times will draw a slim α, a monospace font will draw a chunkier one. The underlying bytes are identical.

What's a Unicode code point and why does the panel show one?

A code point is the unique number assigned to a character in the Unicode standard, written as U+xxxx. It's useful when you need to enter the character with a keyboard shortcut, search a font for a glyph, or report a bug.

The character pasted but it shows up as a square or question mark, what went wrong?

The destination font doesn't include that glyph. Switch the destination text to a font with broader Unicode coverage like Noto Sans, DejaVu, or Arial Unicode MS. The character is correct, the font just can't draw it.

Can I copy several characters at once?

Yes. Add each one to the copy buffer with the "Add to buffer" button, then hit "Copy all" to grab the whole string at once — handy for math expressions or decorative sequences. A single click on a character still copies just that one if that's all you need.

Are emoji included?

Pictorial emoji (faces, animals, food) sit in their own Unicode blocks and aren't in this map. Use a dedicated emoji picker for those. This tool focuses on text symbols you'd use in body copy: arrows, math, currency, letter variants.

Related Tools