Quick answer
Copy £ above. On Windows with a numeric keypad, use Alt + 0163. On a U.S. Mac keyboard, press Option + 3. A UK keyboard normally has £ on Shift + 3.
Pound-sign shortcuts
The pound sign £ represents pound sterling and is also used for some other pound-denominated currencies in context. Do not confuse it with the number sign #, which people sometimes call a pound sign in North American speech.
| Keyboard or app | Method |
|---|---|
| UK Windows keyboard | Shift + 3 |
| U.S. Windows keyboard | Alt + 0163 on the numeric keypad |
| UK Mac keyboard | Shift + 3 |
| U.S. Mac keyboard | Option + 3 |
| Microsoft Word | 00A3, then Alt + X |
Type £ on Windows
On a UK layout, press Shift + 3. On a U.S. layout, that combination produces #; hold Alt, type 0163 on the numeric keypad, and release Alt instead.
If your laptop has no keypad, use Character Map, the Windows symbol panel, or copy the character. You can also add the UK keyboard layout in Windows settings if you regularly type British currency, but remember that changing layouts affects other punctuation keys as well.
Type £ on a Mac
On a UK Mac layout, use Shift + 3. On the U.S. layout, use Option + 3. If you are unsure which input source is active, show Keyboard Viewer from the Input menu; it displays how the keys change as you hold Option or Shift.
Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space) is a layout-independent alternative. Search for “pound sign” or “pound sterling.”
Insert the pound sign in Word and Docs
In Word, type 00A3 and press Alt + X. You can also use Insert → Symbol. In Google Docs, choose Insert → Symbols → Special characters and search “pound.” Make sure you select £, not # or a similar-looking currency mark.
For spreadsheets, keep amounts numeric and apply the pound currency format. A cell formatted as GBP can still participate in calculations, while a string such as £1,200 imported as text may require cleanup.
Use £ in HTML and software
UTF-8 pages can use £ directly. The named entity is £, decimal is £, and hexadecimal is £. For dynamic prices, use a locale-aware formatter with the currency code GBP; it will handle symbol placement, decimal marks, and grouping more reliably than string concatenation.
The code GBP is preferable in international data because several countries have currencies called pounds. A symbol-only table may be ambiguous without context.
Pound sign versus number sign
The two characters have different code points and meanings:
£is the pound currency sign, Unicode U+00A3.#is the number sign or hash, Unicode U+0023.
If a search result says “pound key” and shows #, it is referring to telephone or North American naming, not sterling.
Troubleshooting
When Shift + 3 gives the wrong character, inspect the active keyboard language rather than the logo printed on the hardware. When an Alt code fails, use a numeric keypad with Num Lock. When a price becomes plain text in a spreadsheet, remove the typed symbol and apply currency number formatting.
References and compatibility
These platform references explain the input methods used above. Availability varies by app and keyboard layout; a Unicode value is not automatically a numeric-keypad Alt code.
Editorial note: Shortcuts can vary by keyboard layout and app. Check the stated platform and use the copy-and-paste fallback when needed. Report a correction with your device, layout, and application; see our editorial policy for limitations.