Number Symbols and Circled Numbers

What styled numbers are good for

Circled and parenthesized numbers let you number things where lists are not available. They make step-by-step instructions in a social post readable (① Preheat ② Mix ③ Bake), label parts of a diagram, mark rankings, and sit neatly beside headings in slides. In Japanese and Korean text, circled numbers are an everyday way to number items.

They are single characters, so each one takes a single space and cannot be split. The flip side is that only a fixed range exists: circled numbers go from 0 to 50, black circled numbers from 0 to 20, and the parenthesized and full-stop styles from 1 to 20. Beyond that, write the number normally.

The different styles

• ① Circled numbers (U+2460 onwards) are the most widely supported style.
• ❶ Negative (black) circled numbers stand out more and suit dark backgrounds.
• ➀ The sans-serif circled set is a dingbat design with a slightly lighter look.
• ⑴ Parenthesized numbers read like (1) in a single character.
• ⒈ Numbers with a full stop mimic “1.” list markers.
• 1️⃣ Keycap emoji are the digit, U+FE0F and the combining enclosing keycap U+20E3 together, and appear as coloured buttons.

How to type circled numbers

There are no alt codes or Mac shortcuts for these characters. In Word, type the hex code and press Alt + X: 2460 for ①, 2461 for ② and so on up to 2473 for ⑳. On a Mac, search the Character Viewer for “circled digit”. Everywhere else, copying from this page is fastest. For letters in circles, such as Ⓐ ⓑ, try the bubble text generator.

Screen readers read ① as “circled digit one”, which is fine for occasional use. For long instructions on the web, a real numbered list is more accessible. See also Roman numerals and the circled number one page for the full set of codes.