Section Sign
§ carries the Unicode name "Section Sign" at code point U+00A7. Like every character in the punctuation set on this page, it is plain text rather than an icon, so a single click below copies something that keeps its shape in edited prose and typeset copy.
| Symbol | § | |
|---|---|---|
| Unicode | U+00A7 | |
| Name | Section Sign | |
| HTML (named) | § | |
| HTML (decimal) | § | |
| HTML (hex) | § | |
| CSS content | \00A7 | |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u00A7 | |
| UTF-8 bytes | 0xC2 0xA7 | |
| UTF-16 units | 0x00A7 | |
| Windows alt code | Alt 0167 or Alt 21 |
How do you type the section sign on each platform?
| Where | How to type it |
|---|---|
| Any device | Click the § at the top of this page. It goes straight to your clipboard, and you paste it with Ctrl+V on Windows or Cmd+V on a Mac. This is the only method that behaves identically everywhere. |
| Windows | Hold Alt and type 0167 or Alt 21 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. The number row above the letters does not work for this. |
| macOS | Add Unicode Hex Input under Keyboard settings, switch to it, then hold Option and type 00A7. Without that input source, open the Character Viewer with Control+Command+Space and search for section sign. |
| Linux and ChromeOS | Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 00a7, then press Enter or the space bar. This works in GTK applications and with IBus. |
| Microsoft Word | Type 00A7 in the document, then press Alt and X together with the cursor immediately after the last digit. Word replaces the digits with §. |
| Google Docs | Insert, then Special characters, then paste U+00A7 or type section sign in the search box. You can also draw the shape in the sketch pad on the right. |
| Excel and Google Sheets | Use the formula UNICHAR(167) in a cell. Copy the cell and paste it as a value if you want the character rather than the formula. |
| HTML | Write §, or the numeric reference §, or §. On a page served as UTF-8 the character itself also works. |
| CSS | Use content: "\00A7" inside a ::before or ::after rule. Terminate the escape with a space if the next character is also a hexadecimal digit. |
| JavaScript | The escape \u00A7 produces this character inside a string literal, and the same escape is valid in JSON. |
More detail per platform: Windows alt codes, special characters on a Mac, special characters in Word and HTML entities.
Frequently asked questions
How do I copy the section sign symbol?
Click the § above or the copy button and it is placed on your clipboard. Paste it anywhere with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V. It is a real text character, so it works in documents, chats and code.
What is the Unicode code point for section sign?
The section sign has the Unicode code point U+00A7. In HTML you can write it as § or §, or with the named entity §.
What is the alt code for the section sign symbol?
On Windows, hold the Alt key and type Alt 0167 or Alt 21 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. Copying the § from this page is quicker and works on any device.
Can I use the section sign symbol in HTML and CSS?
Yes. In HTML write § or the named entity §, and in CSS use content: "\00A7" inside a ::before or ::after rule. The code table on this page has copy buttons for both.
Related symbols
Browse the full punctuation symbols hub, or return to the searchable symbol grid.