How do I insert special characters in Google Docs?

Go to Insert > Special characters in the menu bar. You can search by keyword (e.g., 'check mark'), draw the symbol with your mouse, or enter a Unicode code point. Click any character to insert it at your cursor position.

What is the keyboard shortcut for special characters in Google Docs?

Google Docs does not have a single keyboard shortcut to open the special characters panel. However, on ChromeOS you can use Ctrl+Shift+U followed by a Unicode code point to insert characters directly. The fastest cross-platform method is to copy and paste symbols from a reference page.

Can I insert emoji in Google Docs?

Yes. Use Insert > Special characters and search for the emoji by name, or use your operating system's emoji picker: Windows key + period (.) on Windows, or Control+Command+Space on Mac. You can also copy and paste emoji from any website.

Google Docs Special Characters - How to Insert Symbols & Characters

Whether you need a degree symbol for a temperature, a check mark for a to-do list, or a mathematical operator for an equation, Google Docs has several ways to insert special characters. This guide covers them all, starting with the most useful.

Method 1: The Insert Special Characters Menu

Google Docs has a built-in special character picker with thousands of symbols. Here is how to use it:

Place your cursor where you want to insert the character
Go to Insert in the menu bar
Click Special characters
A panel will open with three ways to find your symbol:
- Search by keyword — Type a description like "check mark", "copyright", or "arrow"
- Draw it — Use the drawing box to sketch the symbol with your mouse. Google will show matching characters
- Browse by category — Use the dropdown menus to browse Symbol, Emoji, Arrows, Math, and other categories
Click any character to insert it at your cursor position
Close the panel when done

Tip: The drawing feature is surprisingly accurate. If you know what a symbol looks like but not its name, drawing it is often the fastest way to find it.

Method 2: Copy and Paste from GYPU

The quickest method for most people is to copy the symbol you need and paste it directly into your document. This is faster than navigating the special characters menu, especially if you need multiple symbols.

Visit a symbol page on GYPU (see links below)
Click the symbol you need to copy it to your clipboard
Switch back to your Google Doc
Press Ctrl+V (Windows/ChromeOS) or Cmd+V (Mac) to paste

Popular symbol pages for Google Docs users:

✦ All Symbols ✓ Check Marks → Arrows ∞ Math Symbols € Currency • Bullet Points

Method 3: Keyboard Shortcuts in Google Docs

Google Docs supports a few built-in shortcuts and automatic substitutions:

Google Docs Auto-Substitutions

You Type	Google Docs Inserts	Name
(c)	©	Copyright
(r)	®	Registered
(tm)	™	Trademark
--	—	Em dash
...	…	Ellipsis
->	→	Right arrow
<-	←	Left arrow

These substitutions can be managed in Tools > Preferences > Substitutions.

ChromeOS Unicode Input

On a Chromebook, you can type any Unicode character directly:

Press Ctrl + Shift + U
Type the Unicode code point (e.g., 00A9 for ©)
Press Enter

Most Useful Symbols for Google Docs

Here are 20 symbols that Google Docs users search for most often, with the quickest way to insert each one:

Symbol	Name	Quickest Method
°	Degree	Search 'degree' in special characters
©	Copyright	Type (c) — auto-substitution
™	Trademark	Type (tm) — auto-substitution
®	Registered	Type (r) — auto-substitution
²	Superscript 2	Copy-paste or Format > Superscript
½	One half	Search 'half' in special characters
→	Right arrow	Type -> — auto-substitution
•	Bullet	Copy-paste or list formatting
—	Em dash	Type -- — auto-substitution
€	Euro	Search 'euro' in special characters
£	Pound	Search 'pound' in special characters
ñ	N with tilde	Search 'n tilde' in special characters
ü	U with umlaut	Search 'u diaeresis' in special characters
±	Plus-minus	Search 'plus minus' in special characters
≈	Approximately	Search 'approximately' in special characters
∞	Infinity	Search 'infinity' in special characters
√	Square root	Search 'square root' in special characters
÷	Division	Search 'division' in special characters
≠	Not equal	Search 'not equal' in special characters
✓	Check mark	Search 'check' in special characters

Subscript and Superscript in Google Docs

Google Docs supports proper subscript and superscript formatting, which is more flexible than using Unicode characters:

Superscript (e.g., x²)

Select the text, then Format > Text > Superscript
Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + . (Windows) or Cmd + . (Mac)

Subscript (e.g., H₂O)

Select the text, then Format > Text > Subscript
Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + , (Windows) or Cmd + , (Mac)

Alternatively, you can paste Unicode superscript and subscript characters directly. These work even when you copy text out of Google Docs:

Special Characters for Academic Writing

Academic papers and scholarly documents frequently need these specialised symbols:

Google Docs Special Characters: How to Insert Symbols & Characters