Plus-Minus Sign Shortcut (±)
To type the plus-minus sign (±): press ⌥⇧= (Option+Shift+equals) on a Mac, or hold Alt and type 0177 on the numeric keypad on Windows. Use it for tolerances like 5±0.2.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plus-Minus Symbol ± | ⌥⇧= | Alt+0177 | |
| Plus-Minus Symbol (copy) | ± | ± |
The plus-minus symbol on Mac vs Windows
The plus-minus symbol (±) is used for measurement tolerances (5 ± 0.2) and ranges. On a Mac press ⌥⇧= (Option+Shift+=). On Windows, hold Alt and type 0177 on the numeric keypad, then release. No number pad? Copy the ± above, or use the Windows emoji panel Win+. and search for the character.
When to use ±
The ± sign means "plus or minus" and marks a tolerance or margin of error, as in 20°C ± 2°. In statistics it precedes a confidence interval or standard deviation.
FAQ
What is the plus-minus symbol shortcut?
On a Mac press ⌥⇧= (Option+Shift+=). On Windows hold Alt and type 0177 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt.
How do I type ± on a laptop without a number pad?
Copy the ± from this page, or on Windows open the emoji panel with Win+. and search for it. On Mac ⌥⇧= works on any keyboard.
What does ± mean?
It means "plus or minus" — a tolerance or margin, e.g. 5±0.2 means any value from 4.8 to 5.2. Type it with ⌥⇧= on Mac or Alt+0177 on Windows.