When using the approximately equal symbol in Word, you have a number of methods at your disposal. You can use the Alt codes (with the numeric keypad) to insert this symbol; however, if you want to assign a shortcut for this symbol, it’s only available inside Word itself. Alternatively, you can type the Unicode value and then press Alt+X to insert the symbol.
The approximately equal sign is also known as the Almost Equal sign. It is used in mathematical notation to indicate that two values or expressions are roughly equal but not exactly equal. The standard symbol for approximately equal is “≈”.
If you’re working with Microsoft Word and need to type an approximately equal sign, there are several options. The first option is to simply type the code 2248 and then press Alt + X. That works in both Word and Outlook. Another method is to go through the Insert > Symbol menu in Word, find the “Almost Equal” symbol and then click Insert. The symbol you insert will appear at the current insertion point in your document. If you’d rather not work through those menus, though, you can assign a custom keyboard shortcut to the symbol instead.
In addition to those methods, you’ll also see the approximately equal symbol in Windows 11. This emoji panel opens from anywhere on the screen by pressing Win + . (period/full stop). In fact, we’ve covered inserting emojis into documents before, including how to use them as shortcuts within the Emoji Panel.
There are more methods of inserting symbols than just those outlined here, including the Equation tools in Word and even copy-and-paste, depending upon what program you’re using. But for the purposes of this article, I’m covering each of the methods for inserting the approximately equal symbol (≈).
Alt Code Shortcut
On the keyboard, the approximately equal symbol can be inserted by typing the Alt code on the numeric keypad. To do so, you should ensure that your NumLock key is enabled and that the number pad is activated.
Alt + 247 is a legacy code-page shortcut that produces ≈ in some Windows applications, but not all of them. Alt + 8776 is not a universal way to enter Unicode U+2248. If the legacy shortcut does not produce ≈ in your application, use Word's 2248 then Alt + X method, Character Map, Insert Symbol, or copy and paste.
Word Alt+X Hexadecimal Shortcut
Word has no built-in assigned shortcut for this symbol, however you can create one by typing its hexadecimal representation, which is 2248, then pressing Alt + X. Word does have a built-in shortcut for Alt + X; it allows you to insert any Unicode character that has been added to Word by typing the Unicode code, followed by Alt + X.
Insert Symbol Dialog Box
To insert the symbol using the Insert Symbol dialog box, open a new blank document. Click Insert > Symbol. Select the “Almost Equal” symbol and click Insert. Click the Close button.
Now that you’ve inserted the symbol, you’ll notice that you can copy it to AutoCorrect. Click on the AutoCorrect tab again. A window will pop up asking you what name you’d like to assign this shortcut. Enter “Almost Equal,” make sure you click the Use AutoCorrect for All Documents checkbox and then click Add. Your shortcut is now saved.
Custom Keyboard Shortcut
If you’d rather not use the Insert > Symbol dialog, you can instead go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Customize… Assign a custom keyboard shortcut to the symbol, and then click OK. You’ll need to assign the keyboard shortcut every time you change documents, though.
Windows 11 Emoji Panel
The Emoji Panel provides a quick way to insert emojis and other special characters without having to navigate through the menus of a particular application. Simply press Win + . (period/full stop), and a panel containing all the characters and emojis that are supported will appear.
Open the Symbols section and look for the mathematical symbols available in your current Windows build. If ≈ is not exposed there, use Character Map or one of the Word methods above. Press the arrow keys to move around within the panel.
Equation Tools and Copy & Paste
Finally, there’s another way to insert the approximately equal symbol in Word: you can use the Equation tools. Click the Insert tab, click on the Equation tool, and then choose Insert New Equation. Then select the symbol from the dropdown menu, and click the Insert button.
Alternatively, you could simply copy and paste the symbol into the document, too.