SymbolHub

Command Key Symbol (⌘)

The command key symbol ⌘ is Unicode U+2318, the primary modifier key on Apple keyboards used for shortcuts like Command-C and Command-V. Press Copy to put it on your clipboard.

Unicode
U+2318
HTML
⌘
Word
2318 Alt+X

How to type the command key symbol (⌘)

The quickest way is to press Copy above and paste. To type ⌘ yourself, use the method for your device below.

Windows

  1. In Word or Outlook, type 2318 and press Alt + X. Alt + X converts the hex code before the cursor into the character, and back again.
  2. Press Win + R, type charmap and press Enter. Tick “Advanced view”, search for Place of Interest Sign, then Select and Copy. Character Map is built into every version of Windows.

Mac

  1. Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search for command and double-click it.
  2. With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled (System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources), hold Option and type 2318.

Linux & ChromeOS

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 2318, then press Enter or Space. Works in GTK and IBus apps (GNOME, Firefox, Chrome, LibreOffice) and on ChromeOS.

iPhone & iPad

  1. Copy ⌘ from this page, then go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement and add it with a shortcut such as ;comm. The shortcut then turns into the symbol as you type, in every app.

Android

  1. Copy ⌘ here, then open Gboard settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary and add it with a shortcut.

Microsoft Word

  1. Type 2318, then press Alt + X.
  2. Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Set “from” to Unicode (hex), type 2318 in “Character code” and click Insert.

Google Docs

  1. Insert → Special characters, then search for “command” or draw it in the box.

Excel & Google Sheets

  1. Enter =UNICHAR(8984) in a cell. It works in Excel 2013 and later and in Google Sheets.

HTML

  1. Write ⌘ or ⌘ in your HTML.

What does ⌘ mean?

The ⌘ symbol, officially catalogued in the Unicode standard as PLACE OF INTEREST SIGN (U+2318), serves as the quintessential modifier key on Apple Macintosh keyboards. In early 1983 during the original Macintosh development, software menus initially displayed the familiar Apple logo beside every shortcut. Upon seeing an entire screen crowded with corporate logos, Steve Jobs insisted that overusing the trademark demeaned the brand and ordered the user-interface team to find a clean alternative. Graphic designer Susan Kare consulted a dictionary of international symbols and selected the traditional looped square, an ancient heraldic symbol and Nordic highway road marker denoting a campground or cultural site of interest across Sweden, Finland, and Norway.

In modern macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, the Command key (often abbreviated on keycaps as Cmd and positioned on either side of the Space bar) fulfills the role handled by the Control key on Windows and Linux PCs. Familiar universal keyboard combinations include ⌘C for copy, ⌘V for paste, ⌘Z for undo, and ⌘Q to quit an active application. In macOS drop-down menus, keyboard shortcuts consistently display ⌘ alongside companion modifiers such as the option key symbol ⌥, the shift key symbol ⇧, and the control key symbol ⌃.

Understanding these modifier symbols is essential for reading technical documentation and mastering Apple system operations. To explore related hardware controls, browse our guides to mac keyboard symbols and the complete index of standard keyboard symbols.

Common uses

  • Standard editing shortcuts: ⌘C (copy), ⌘V (paste), and ⌘Z (undo)
  • Application management: ⌘Q to quit an app and ⌘W to close the front window
  • System navigation: ⌘Space to summon Spotlight search and ⌘Tab to switch applications
  • Screen capture commands: ⇧⌘3 for fullscreen captures and ⇧⌘4 for selected areas

Command Key Symbol codes for HTML, CSS and programming

Every code below produces ⌘. Use the HTML entity in web pages, the CSS escape in content, and the escape sequence in source code.

Unicode code pointU+2318
HTML decimal⌘
HTML hex⌘
CSS contentcontent: "\2318";
JavaScript"\u2318"
Python"\u2318"
Python (by name)"\N{PLACE OF INTEREST SIGN}"
Java / C#"\u2318"
UTF-8 bytesE2 8C 98
UTF-162318
URL encoded%E2%8C%98

⌘ vs look-alike characters

These characters look similar to ⌘ but have a different meaning and code. Pasting the wrong one can break search, sorting and screen readers.

CharNameWhen to use it
Option Key
U+2325		Option key symbol, representing an alternate branch or secondary key function.
Up Arrowhead
U+2303		Control key symbol, used on Mac for UNIX terminal commands and contextual menus.
Diamond Minus White X
U+2756		Black diamond minus white X, an ornamental dingbat rather than a keyboard key.
Left-Facing Armenian Eternity
U+058E		Armenian small eternity sign, a decorative emblem with similar looping geometry.

Symbols similar to ⌘

Click to copy, or open a symbol for its codes. See the full keyboard symbols collection.

⌘ character properties

Official Unicode name
PLACE OF INTEREST SIGN
Also known as
cmd symbol, cmd key, place of interest sign, Bowen knot, Saint John's arms, looped square
Code point
U+2318
Unicode block
Miscellaneous Technical (U+2300–U+23FF)
General category
Other symbol (So)
Added in
Unicode 1.1 (1993)
Plane
Basic Multilingual Plane (0)
Emoji
No, it is a text symbol

Frequently asked questions

Why did Apple choose the ⌘ symbol for the Command key?

In 1984, Steve Jobs felt that putting the Apple logo on every menu shortcut was overusing the company trademark. Graphic designer Susan Kare discovered the looped square in an international symbol lexicon, where it marked historic ruins and tourist sights in Scandinavian countries.

What is the Windows equivalent of the Command key?

The Control key (Ctrl) serves as the direct Windows equivalent for nearly all standard editing and application shortcuts, such as Ctrl+C for copy and Ctrl+V for paste. When a standard PC keyboard is plugged into a Mac, the Windows key automatically acts as Command.

How do I type the ⌘ symbol into a document?

On a Mac, press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, type "command" or "place of interest" into the search field, and double-click the glyph. In Microsoft Word on Windows, type 2318 followed by Alt + X.

Is there an alt code for the command key symbol?

No. ⌘ is outside the Windows-1252 and code page 437 character sets, so no Alt + number code produces it. Copy it from this page, type 2318 then Alt + X in Word, or find it in Character Map.

How do I type the command key symbol on a Mac?

There is no single Option shortcut for ⌘ on the US layout. Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search for “command” and double-click it, or copy it from this page.

What is the HTML code for the command key symbol?

⌘ has no named HTML entity. Use the numeric reference ⌘ or ⌘, or paste the character directly into a UTF-8 page.

What is the Unicode for the command key symbol?

⌘ is U+2318, officially named PLACE OF INTEREST SIGN, in the Miscellaneous Technical block. It has been part of Unicode since version 1.1 (1993).