Fraction Symbols
Copy a fraction symbol in one click: ½ ⅓ ⅔ ¼ ¾, fifths, sixths, eighths and more. On Windows, Alt + 0189 types ½, Alt + 0188 types ¼ and Alt + 0190 types ¾. For any other fraction, combine superscript and subscript digits.
Click any symbol to copy it. 41 symbols
Halves, thirds and quarters
5Fifths, sixths, sevenths and more
14Fraction building blocks
22Write any fraction as a superscript numerator, the fraction slash ⁄ and a subscript denominator: ⁵⁄₁₂. ⅟ is “one over”, to be followed by a denominator.
Ready-made fractions
Unicode has single characters for the fractions people use most. ½, ¼ and ¾ date back to the Latin-1 character set, so they work in every font and have HTML entities: ½, ¼ and ¾. The others, such as ⅓, ⅛ and ⅐ (one seventh), were added later. They are widely supported today, but a few decorative fonts still show them as boxes.
How to write any fraction
There is no ready-made 5/12 or 7/16. To build one, use superscript digits for the top, the fraction slash ⁄ (U+2044) and subscript digits for the bottom: ⁵⁄₁₂, ⁷⁄₁₆. The fraction slash is designed for this job; it is more slanted than the ordinary slash, so the result reads as a single fraction. The superscript and subscript collection has every digit.
In Word you rarely need to do this by hand. AutoFormat turns 1/2, 1/4 and 3/4 into ½, ¼ and ¾ as you type, and the equation editor (Alt + =) stacks any fraction properly.
How to type fraction symbols
- Windows: Alt + 0189 for ½, 0188 for ¼ and 0190 for ¾. The shorter codes Alt + 171 and Alt + 172 also give ½ and ¼.
- Word: type the hex code and press Alt + X, for example 2153 then Alt + X for ⅓.
- Mac: there are no Option shortcuts. Open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space and search “fraction”.
- Google Docs: type 1/2, 1/4 or 3/4 followed by a space and Docs substitutes ½, ¼ or ¾ automatically.
Our guide to typing fractions covers phones, Excel and web pages in more detail, and the math symbols collection includes operators and root signs.
Fractions in recipes, measurements and spreadsheets
Fraction characters are ideal in recipes (1½ cups) and imperial measurements (¾ inch). They are poor choices in spreadsheets and anywhere a number will be calculated, because software sees ½ as text, not 0.5. Keep decimals in data and use fraction characters only for display.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type ½ on the keyboard?
On Windows, hold Alt and type 0189 (or 171) on the numeric keypad. In Word or Google Docs, typing 1/2 followed by a space also turns into ½.
Is there a symbol for one third?
Yes, ⅓ (U+2153), and ⅔ for two thirds. They have no alt code; in Word type 2153 then Alt + X, or copy them from this page.
How do I make a fraction that is not listed, like 5/8?
5/8 has its own character, ⅝. For fractions without one, such as 5/12, combine superscript digits, the fraction slash ⁄ and subscript digits: ⁵⁄₁₂.
What is the HTML code for fractions?
Use ½ for ½, ¼ for ¼, ¾ for ¾ and ⅓ for ⅓. Any other fraction character can be written as a numeric reference, such as ⅛ for ⅛.