The approximately equal symbol (≈) is used in mathematics, physics, and other disciplines to indicate that two values are roughly, but not exactly, equal. It’s a Unicode character that has been supported in Microsoft Office applications since at least 2013. In addition, you can insert it directly from your keyboard using either an Alt code or Windows’ emoji panel.
PowerPoint users on both Windows and macOS will need to use different methods to insert the ≈ symbol, depending on what they’re using. This article explains how to insert the ≈ symbol into any version of Microsoft PowerPoint on Windows and macOS.
The “approximately equal” symbol
Microsoft Office does not have a dedicated shortcut for the approximately equal symbol. You can insert it manually by selecting one of the options below:
Use the Insert Symbols menu.
Use Windows’ Alt codes.
Use the Emoji Panel on Windows 11.
Inserting the approximately equal symbol into PowerPoint
Using the Insert Symbols menu
Select the Insert option on the PowerPoint ribbon and then choose the Symbols menu option.
From here, select the Symbol option. You’ll be presented with a list of symbols; locate and select the Almost Equal symbol.
If your font subset doesn’t include this symbol, switch to Calibri (it usually does).
Alternatively, try using another font like Times New Roman.
Using a Word-style Unicode shortcut or a legacy Alt code
In Office versions that support the Word-style Unicode conversion in the current text field, type 2248 and press Alt + X. PowerPoint behavior can vary by version and editing context, so Insert Symbol is the dependable Office route.
You may also see Alt + 247 recommended. That is a legacy code-page shortcut and its result can vary by application and system configuration. Alt + 8776 is not a universal Windows Unicode-entry method.
Using the Emoji Panel
If you’re running Windows 11, open the emoji panel and locate the Almost Equal symbol, then click it. You should now see the symbol in your current program, such as PowerPoint.
Inserting the approximately equal symbol on macOS
Mac users can take advantage of macOS’s Character Viewer, which allows you to insert special characters, including the approximately equal symbol, into any application, including Microsoft Office. The method for inserting this symbol is slightly different on a Mac than on a PC. Here’s how to do it:
Select Command + Control + Spacebar to open the Character Viewer. You can also right-click within a document window and choose Insert Characters to open the Character Viewer.
Locate the symbol in the Character Viewer window and double-click it to insert it into the text field.
If the symbol doesn’t appear, ensure that you’ve selected the proper font family and subset. Some fonts won’t include the symbol.
Copying and pasting
Copy and paste is a supported insertion method, and it can be a handy alternative if other shortcuts aren’t available.