How to Type the Pound Symbol on a Keyboard

Two different symbols share the name — here’s how to type both on every platform

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“Pound symbol” means two completely different things depending on context, and knowing which one you need determines which method applies.

The confusion between these two symbols is one of the most common keyboard questions — particularly for people switching between US and UK keyboards or writing about both currency and weight.

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Which Pound Symbol Do You Need?

£ — the pound sign (Unicode U+00A3). The currency symbol for the British pound sterling. Used in financial writing, prices, and anything involving UK currency. This is what most people outside the US mean when they say “pound symbol.”

# — the number sign, hash, or pound sign (Unicode U+0023). Used in programming, social media hashtags, phone menus, and US conventions for indicating weight or number. Already on every keyboard — it’s Shift + 3 on a standard US keyboard.

The rest of this article focuses primarily on £ since # is already accessible. Methods for both are included in the quick reference at the end.

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Windows

Method 1: Alt Code

Hold Alt and type 0163 on the numeric keypad. Release Alt and £ appears.

• Num Lock must be on
• Use the numeric keypad only — not the number row at the top
• Doesn’t work on laptops without a dedicated numpad

Method 2: UK Keyboard Layout

If you frequently type £, switching to or adding the UK keyboard layout is the most practical solution. On a UK keyboard, £ sits on Shift + 3 — exactly where # is on a US keyboard.

Go to Settings → Time and Language → Language and Region. Add English (United Kingdom) as a language or add the UK keyboard to your existing English language. Switch between keyboard layouts using Windows + Space when you need to type £.

Method 3: US International Keyboard

The US International keyboard layout provides £ through Right Alt + Shift + 4 on some configurations. Check your specific layout settings.

Method 4: System-Wide Text Expansion

Use PhraseExpress, AutoHotkey, or Espanso to map a trigger like gbp or \lb to £ system-wide. Works in every application without remembering Alt codes.

A simple AutoHotkey script:

::gbp::£

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Mac

Method 1: Keyboard Shortcut

Press Option + 3 to type £ instantly.

This is the method to remember on Mac. The 3 key already has the # symbol — Option + 3 gives you its British counterpart, the pound sterling sign. Works in every application with no setup required.

Method 2: Character Viewer

Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer. Search “pound sign” and double-click £ to insert.

Method 3: Text Replacement

Go to System Settings → Keyboard → Text Replacements and map a trigger like gbp or \lb to £. Works system-wide.

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iPhone and iPad

Method 1: Long Press the Dollar Sign Key

Tap and hold the $ key on the iOS keyboard — accessible after tapping ?123 to switch to numbers and symbols. A popup appears showing currency variants including £. Slide to it and release.

This is the built-in iOS method and requires no setup. It works in every text field across iOS and groups pound sterling with other currency symbols exactly where you’d expect to find it.

Method 2: Switch to UK Keyboard

Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard and add English (UK). With the UK keyboard active, £ is on Shift + 3 directly.

Method 3: Text Replacement

Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement. Add £ as the phrase and a trigger like gbp as the shortcut. Auto-expands in any app after setup.

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Android

Method 1: Long Press the Dollar Sign Key

On Gboard and most Android keyboards, tap and hold the $ key in the symbols view (?123). A popup shows currency variants including £. Slide to it and release.

This works on most Android keyboards without any setup and mirrors the iOS experience.

Method 2: Add UK English Keyboard

In Gboard settings, go to Languages → Add Keyboard and add English (UK). With the UK keyboard active, £ appears on Shift + 3 directly.

Method 3: Gboard Symbol Search

In Gboard, tap the G logo and use the search function. Type “pound” and £ appears as an insertable option.

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Chromebook

Method 1: Unicode Input

Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 00a3, then press Enter or Space. £ appears at your cursor immediately.

Method 2: Switch to UK Keyboard

Go to Settings → Device → Keyboard → Input Methods and add English (UK). With the UK layout active, £ is on Shift + 3.

Method 3: Special Characters Picker

Press Search + Shift + Space to open the emoji and special characters panel. Search “pound sign” and select £.

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Linux

Method 1: Unicode Input

Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 00a3, then press Enter. Works consistently across most Linux distributions.

Method 2: Compose Key

With a Compose key configured, the sequence is Compose + l + – (Compose, letter L, hyphen) or Compose + – + L to produce £ on many configurations.

Method 3: UK Keyboard Layout

Switch to or add the UK keyboard layout in your input settings. On the UK layout, £ is on Shift + 3.

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Microsoft Word (Any Platform)

Method 1: Alt + X

Type 00A3 then immediately press Alt + X. Word converts the Unicode code point to £ instantly.

Method 2: Insert Symbol With AutoCorrect

Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Find £ in the Latin-1 Supplement character set or search by name. Click AutoCorrect and set a trigger like gbp that Word automatically converts as you type.

Method 3: Alt Code

Hold Alt and type 0163 on the numpad — same as the standard Windows method.

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Google Docs

Option + 3 on Mac works inside Google Docs exactly as it does everywhere else. The Alt + 0163 numpad code works on Windows inside Docs.

Go to Insert → Special Characters, search “pound sign,” and click to insert for occasional use. For regular financial writing involving £, an OS-level shortcut or text replacement is more efficient than the Insert menu.

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Why the Same Key Gives Different Results on US vs UK Keyboards

This confusion is worth understanding directly. On a US keyboard layout, Shift + 3 produces #. On a UK keyboard layout, Shift + 3 produces £ and the # symbol is in a different location (usually near the Enter key). This is why Americans searching for the pound symbol are often confused — on their keyboard, the key that would logically produce it doesn’t.

The swap makes sense historically — # is more culturally common in American contexts (phone menus, music notation, programming) while £ is more commonly needed in British contexts. The keyboard layouts reflect that difference.

If you switch regularly between US and UK content, adding both keyboard layouts to your system and switching between them with Windows + Space (Windows) or Ctrl + Space / Command + Space (Mac) is the cleanest long-term solution.

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Quick Reference Table

Symbol	Platform	Fastest Method	Shortcut
£	Windows	Alt code (numpad)	Alt + 0163
£	Mac	Keyboard shortcut	Option + 3
£	iPhone / iPad	Long press $ key	Hold $, slide to £
£	Android	Long press $ key	Hold $, slide to £
£	Chromebook	Unicode input	Ctrl + Shift + U, 00a3
£	Linux	Unicode input	Ctrl + Shift + U, 00a3
£	Microsoft Word	Code conversion	Type 00A3 then Alt + X
#	All platforms	Shift key	Shift + 3 (US keyboard)

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The Bottom Line

On Mac, Option + 3 is the most logical and memorable shortcut — the 3 key’s relationship to both # and £ makes it intuitive once you know it. On mobile, the long press on the dollar sign groups £ with other currency symbols right where you’d expect it. On Windows, Alt + 0163 covers most situations with a numpad, and switching to or adding the UK keyboard layout is the cleanest solution for anyone who types £ regularly.

For anyone switching frequently between US and UK content, adding the UK keyboard layout and using Windows + Space or the equivalent Mac shortcut to switch is the most sustainable approach — £ becomes as natural to type as any other character.

Option + 3 on Mac. Alt + 0163 on Windows. Long press $ on mobile. Or just add the UK keyboard and put £ on Shift + 3 where it belongs.