How to Type the Euro Symbol (€) on Any Keyboard

The euro sign € is the official currency symbol of the eurozone, used by 20 of the 27 European Union member states. Whether you’re writing invoices, pricing tables, travel content, or financial documents, this guide covers every way to type the euro symbol on any device and platform.

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What Is the Euro Symbol?

The euro sign € was designed by the European Commission and officially introduced on January 1, 1999, when the euro became the official currency of the eurozone. The symbol is based on the Greek letter epsilon (Є), with two horizontal parallel lines through the middle representing stability.

Its Unicode code point is U+20AC, and it has been part of the Unicode Standard since version 2.1 (1998).

Symbol	Name	Unicode	HTML Entity
€	Euro sign	U+20AC	€

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How to Type the Euro Symbol on Windows

Method 1: Keyboard Shortcut

On most Windows keyboards, the euro symbol is printed on the 4 key or E key as a secondary character. Try these shortcuts:

• Alt Gr + E → €
• Alt Gr + 4 → € (on some keyboard layouts)
• Ctrl + Alt + E → € (equivalent to Alt Gr on US keyboards)
• Ctrl + Alt + 4 → € (on some layouts)

Note: Which shortcut works depends on your keyboard layout. US English layouts most commonly use Ctrl + Alt + E or Alt Gr + E.

Method 2: Alt Code

1. Make sure Num Lock is on
2. Hold Alt and type 0128 on the numeric keypad
3. Release Alt — € appears

Always use 0128 with the leading zero. Typing 128 without the zero produces a different character.

Method 3: Unicode Input (Microsoft Word)

1. Type 20AC
2. Immediately press Alt + X
3. Word converts it to €

Method 4: Copy and Paste

The simplest method for any app — copy directly from this page: €

Method 5: Character Map

1. Open Start and search “Character Map”
2. Search for “euro” in the search box
3. Select €, click Select, then Copy
4. Paste wherever you need it

Method 6: Windows Emoji Panel

1. Press Windows key + . (period)
2. Go to the Symbols tab
3. Search for “euro”
4. Click to insert

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How to Type the Euro Symbol on Mac

Method 1: Keyboard Shortcut (Fastest)

Mac has a direct, built-in keyboard shortcut for the euro symbol:

Shift + Option + 2 → €

This works in every app on macOS — no setup required.

On some Mac keyboards configured for European layouts, the shortcut may be Option + E or Option + 2 without Shift. Try both if one doesn’t work.

Method 2: Character Viewer

1. Press Control + Command + Space
2. Search for “euro”
3. Double-click € to insert it

Method 3: Unicode Hex Input

1. Enable Unicode Hex Input under System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources
2. Hold Option and type 20AC
3. Releases as €

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How to Type the Euro Symbol on iPhone and Android

iPhone (iOS)

The euro symbol is built directly into the iOS keyboard — no special settings needed:

1. Open the keyboard and tap 123 to switch to the numbers view
2. Press and hold the $ (dollar sign) key
3. A popup row of currency symbols appears: € £ ¥ ₩ ₽ and more
4. Slide to € and release

That’s it — no copy-paste or shortcuts needed.

Android (Gboard)

The method is identical on most Android keyboards:

1. Tap ?123 to switch to the numbers view
2. Press and hold the $ (dollar sign) key
3. Currency options pop up including €
4. Slide to € and release

If your Android keyboard doesn’t show this popup, tap ?123 then =< to find the euro sign in the extended symbols panel.

Set Up a Text Replacement Shortcut (Optional)

For even faster access:

iPhone:

1. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement
2. Tap +
3. In Phrase, paste €
4. In Shortcut, type something like eur

Android (Gboard):

1. Go to Settings > Dictionary > Personal Dictionary
2. Add € with shortcut eur

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How to Type the Euro Symbol on Different Keyboard Layouts

The euro symbol shortcut varies significantly depending on your keyboard layout. Here’s a breakdown by region:

Keyboard Layout	Shortcut
US English	Ctrl + Alt + E
UK English	Alt Gr + 4
German (QWERTZ)	Alt Gr + E
French (AZERTY)	Alt Gr + E
Spanish	Alt Gr + E
Italian	Alt Gr + E
Portuguese	Alt Gr + E
Dutch	Alt Gr + 5
Nordic layouts	Alt Gr + E or Alt Gr + 4
Mac (all layouts)	Shift + Option + 2

If none of these work on your keyboard, check your system’s keyboard layout settings or fall back to the Alt code (Alt + 0128 on Windows) or copy-paste.

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How to Type the Euro Symbol in Microsoft Word

Method 1: Alt + X Shortcut

Type 20AC then press Alt + X — Word instantly converts it to €.

Method 2: Built-In Word Shortcut

Word has its own dedicated shortcut for the euro sign:

Ctrl + Alt + E → €

This works regardless of your keyboard layout when you’re inside a Word document.

Method 3: AutoCorrect Setup

Set Word to auto-replace a text string with €:

1. Go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options
2. In Replace, type something like (eur)
3. In With, paste €
4. Click Add, then OK

Now typing (eur) in any Word document will automatically produce €.

Method 4: Insert > Symbol

1. Go to Insert > Symbol > More Symbols
2. In the from dropdown, select Unicode (hex)
3. Type 20AC in the Character code box
4. Click Insert

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How to Type the Euro Symbol in Google Docs

Method 1: Insert > Special Characters

1. Go to Insert > Special Characters
2. Search for “euro”
3. Click € to insert it

Method 2: Copy and Paste

Copy € from this article and paste directly into your Google Doc — no steps required.

Method 3: Substitutions

1. Go to Tools > Preferences > Substitutions
2. In Replace, type (eur)
3. In With, paste €
4. Click OK

Google Docs will now auto-replace (eur) with € as you type.

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Euro Symbol in HTML and CSS

For web developers and publishers, here are all the ways to render the euro sign in code:

Method	Code	Result
HTML named entity	€	€
HTML numeric (hex)	€	€
HTML numeric (decimal)	€	€
CSS content property	content: "\20AC";	€
Direct UTF-8	paste € directly	€

Best practice: If your HTML file is saved as UTF-8 (always include <meta charset="UTF-8"> in your <head>), you can paste € directly into your markup without needing an entity. Named entities like € are most readable for team codebases.

CSS example:

css

.price::before {
  content: "\20AC";
  margin-right: 2px;
}

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Euro Symbol vs. EUR: What’s the Difference?

Like Bitcoin’s ₿ vs BTC or the pound’s £ vs GBP, there are two common ways to represent the euro in writing:

• € — The symbol. Used directly before or after a number in everyday writing, prices, invoices, and user-facing text. Placement varies by country — in English it typically precedes the amount (€50), while in many European languages it follows (50 €).
• EUR — The ISO 4217 currency code. Used in financial documents, international wire transfers, banking systems, and formal financial writing where currency codes are preferred over symbols.

For content writing and e-commerce, € is the standard. For formal financial or legal documents, EUR is the safer choice.

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Related Currency Symbols You May Need

Symbol	Currency	Unicode	Mac Shortcut	Windows Alt Code
€	Euro	U+20AC	Shift + Option + 2	Alt + 0128
£	British Pound	U+00A3	Option + 3	Alt + 0163
¥	Japanese Yen / Chinese Yuan	U+00A5	Option + Y	Alt + 0165
¢	Cent sign	U+00A2	Option + 4	Alt + 0162
₿	Bitcoin	U+20BF	—	—
₹	Indian Rupee	U+20B9	—	—
₩	South Korean Won	U+20A9	—	—
₽	Russian Ruble	U+20BD	—	—

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Quick Reference: Euro Symbol Cheat Sheet

Symbol	€
Unicode	U+20AC
HTML entity	€
HTML numeric	€
Windows Alt code	Alt + 0128 (numpad)
Windows shortcut	Ctrl + Alt + E
Word shortcut	Ctrl + Alt + E or type 20AC + Alt+X
Mac shortcut	Shift + Option + 2
iPhone / Android	Hold $ key, slide to €
Added to Unicode	Version 2.1 (1998)

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Final Thoughts

The euro sign is one of the more accessible currency symbols to type across all platforms. iPhone and Android users have it easiest — just hold the $ key and it’s right there. Mac users get a clean Shift + Option + 2 shortcut that works everywhere. Windows users can rely on Ctrl + Alt + E, the Alt + 0128 numpad code, or the Word-specific Alt + X method. Developers should use € for readable markup or paste € directly into UTF-8 encoded files. And if you’re ever in doubt, a quick copy-paste from this page will always get the job done.