SymbolHub

Multiplication Sign (×)

The multiplication sign × is Unicode U+00D7, the “times” sign, also used for dimensions. Press Copy to put it on your clipboard, or type it with Alt + 0215 on Windows.

Unicode
U+00D7
HTML
×
Windows
Alt + 0215

How to type the multiplication sign (×)

The quickest way is to press Copy above and paste. To type × yourself, use the method for your device below. On Windows the alt code is Alt + 0215.

Windows

  1. Hold Alt and type 0215 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. Num Lock must be on. This uses the Windows-1252 code page, so it works in almost every Windows app.
  2. In Word or Outlook, type 00D7 and press Alt + X. Alt + X converts the hex code before the cursor into the character, and back again.
  3. Press Win + R, type charmap and press Enter. Tick “Advanced view”, search for Multiplication 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 multiplication and double-click it.
  2. With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled (System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources), hold Option and type 00D7.

Linux & ChromeOS

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type d7, then press Enter or Space. Works in GTK and IBus apps (GNOME, Firefox, Chrome, LibreOffice) and on ChromeOS.
  2. Press your Compose key, then x x. Needs a Compose key set in your keyboard settings.

iPhone & iPad

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

Android

  1. In Gboard, tap ?123, then =\<. × is on that page.
  2. Copy × here, then open Gboard settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary and add it with a shortcut.

Microsoft Word

  1. Type 00D7, then press Alt + X.
  2. Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Set “from” to Unicode (hex), type 00D7 in “Character code” and click Insert.

Google Docs

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

Excel & Google Sheets

  1. Enter =UNICHAR(215) in a cell. It works in Excel 2013 and later and in Google Sheets.

HTML

  1. Write &times; or &#215; in your HTML.

What does × mean?

× means “times”: 3 × 4 = 12. William Oughtred introduced it in 1631. It also reads “by” in dimensions and resolutions, as in a 3 × 5 card or a 1920 × 1080 screen, and it names hybrids in biology (Platanus × hispanica).

The most common mistake is typing the letter x instead. They look alike in many fonts, but × is centred on the maths axis, has equal-length strokes and is a single operator character, so it lines up with = and + and is read as “times” by screen readers. The letter x is read as “ex”.

In algebra the sign is usually dropped (2ab) or replaced by a centred dot (a · b), because × is easily confused with the variable x. In vector maths × and · mean different things: a × b is the cross product and a · b the dot product.

Common uses

  • Arithmetic: 7 × 8 = 56
  • Dimensions: a 60 × 40 cm frame
  • Screen resolutions: 2560 × 1440
  • Zoom and magnification: 10× optical zoom
  • Vector cross product: a × b

Multiplication Sign 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+00D7
HTML entity (named)&times;
HTML decimal&#215;
HTML hex&#xD7;
CSS contentcontent: "\D7";
JavaScript"\u00D7"
Python"\u00D7"
Python (by name)"\N{MULTIPLICATION SIGN}"
Java / C#"\u00D7"
LaTeX\times
UTF-8 bytesC3 97
UTF-1600D7
URL encoded%C3%97
Windows Alt codeAlt + 0215

× 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
X
U+0078		Latin small letter x. Looks similar, but it is a letter and sits on the baseline.
Dot Operator
U+22C5		Dot operator (U+22C5), the centred dot for multiplication in algebra and the dot product.
Multiplication X
U+2715		Multiplication X dingbat, a decorative cross used for “close” buttons.
Asterisk
U+002A		Asterisk, the multiplication operator in programming languages and spreadsheets.

Symbols similar to ×

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

× character properties

Official Unicode name
MULTIPLICATION SIGN
Also known as
times sign, times symbol, multiply symbol, x sign
Code point
U+00D7
Unicode block
Latin-1 Supplement (U+0080–U+00FF)
General category
Math symbol (Sm)
Added in
Unicode 1.1 (1993)
Plane
Basic Multilingual Plane (0)
Emoji
No, it is a text symbol

Frequently asked questions

Should I use × or x for dimensions?

Use ×. Style guides such as the Chicago Manual of Style recommend the multiplication sign for dimensions (8 × 10 inches). A plain x is acceptable only where the sign cannot be typed.

Is there an Alt code for the times sign?

Yes: Alt + 0215 on the numeric keypad types ×. It is not in the older code page 437 set, so the shorter Alt + number codes do not include it.

What is the alt code for the multiplication sign?

On Windows, hold Alt and type 0215 on the numeric keypad to get ×. On a laptop without a keypad, copy it from this page or use 00D7 then Alt + X in Word.

How do I type the multiplication sign 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 “multiplication” and double-click it, or copy it from this page.

What is the HTML code for the multiplication sign?

Use the named entity × or the numeric reference × (hex ×). All three display × in every browser.

What is the Unicode for the multiplication sign?

× is U+00D7, officially named MULTIPLICATION SIGN, in the Latin-1 Supplement block. It has been part of Unicode since version 1.1 (1993).