How to type the cent sign on iPhone
To type the cent sign on iPhone, tap the 123 button to display numbers and symbols, touch and hold the $ (dollar sign) key until the pop-up currency tray appears, and slide your finger across to ¢. Release your finger to insert the cent mark.
Quick answer
Tap 123 → press and hold $ → slide your finger to ¢ and release.
Step by step
Open the numbers keyboard
Tap the 123 key in the lower-left corner of your on-screen keyboard.
Touch and hold the dollar key
Rest your finger on the $ key for about half a second until the currency menu expands above it.
Slide over to ¢
Without lifting your finger from the glass, slide across to highlight the ¢ symbol on the far right.
Release your finger
Lift your touch to type the cent sign into your active text field.
The hidden currency menu on iOS
Because screen space on smartphones is constrained, Apple conceals less frequently typed currency symbols beneath the primary currency key. When you long-press the dollar sign ($) on the numbers layout, iOS displays a horizontal popup bubble showing the euro (€), British pound (£), Japanese yen (¥), Korean won (₩), Indian rupee (₹), and cent (¢). The cent sign is typically located toward the right edge of this menu. Our iPhone symbols guide details all other hidden keys across the virtual keyboard.
Creating an instant text replacement
If you write prices frequently and want to bypass the long-press gesture, iOS includes an integrated Text Replacement utility. Copy the ¢ sign from the top of this page, then go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement. Tap the plus icon (+), paste ¢ into the Phrase field, and type a quick abbreviation such as cnt into the Shortcut field. Now, typing cnt followed by a space automatically expands into ¢ in Messages, Notes, Safari, or Mail, syncing seamlessly across all your Apple devices.
Using Key Flicks on iPad
If you use an iPad, iPadOS offers a convenient gesture known as Key Flicks. On the standard on-screen iPad keyboard, secondary characters and numbers are displayed in faint gray lettering above the main letters. When Key Flicks is enabled in Keyboard settings, you can swipe downward on the key to produce the secondary character without opening the symbols screen. If you connect an external Magic Keyboard, you can also use the Mac shortcut Option + 4.
Stylistic conventions and Android tips
In standard English typography, the cent sign always follows the numeral with no space between them (such as 50¢ or 99¢). Although modern receipts often display prices as $0.50, the cent symbol remains widely recognized in advertising and informal texts. If you also use Android smartphones, check our walkthrough on typing the cent sign on Android. For complete character codes and encodings, visit our cent sign symbol page and explore other world currency marks in the currency symbols collection.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the cent sign on the iPhone keyboard?
Tap 123 to open the numbers layout, then touch and hold the $ key. Slide your finger to ¢ in the pop-up menu and let go.
Can I create a shortcut for the cent sign on iPhone?
Yes. In Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement, add ¢ with a shortcut like cnt to type it automatically.
Why is there no direct cent key on iPhone?
Virtual keyboards have limited space, so Apple groups secondary currency symbols like ¢, €, and £ behind the primary dollar sign.