Quick Answer
On a US Mac, press Option + 3 to type £. On a UK Mac, the sign sits on Shift + 3. On a US Windows keyboard with a numeric keypad, hold Alt and type 0163. On a UK Windows keyboard, just press Shift + 3.
On any phone, long press the dollar sign on the number layer to reveal a popup of world currencies and slide your finger onto £.
Pound sign versus number sign
The word "pound sign" is ambiguous in international English. In the UK and across Europe, "pound" almost always means the currency symbol £ (U+00A3, pound sterling). In the United States, "pound sign" historically referred to # (the number sign, also called hash or octothorpe).
This article covers the currency symbol £. If you wanted the hash mark, that lives on Shift + 3 on US keyboards and on a dedicated key on every modern phone.
The fast reference table
- US Windows numeric keypad: Alt + 0163 (or Alt + 156)
- UK Windows keyboard: Shift + 3
- US Mac: Option + 3
- UK Mac: Shift + 3
- iOS: tap 123, long press the dollar key
- Android: tap 123 or ?123, long press the dollar key
- Microsoft Word: type 00A3 then press Alt + X
- Linux or Chromebook: Ctrl + Shift + U, type 00a3, press Enter
Where the pound symbol comes from
The £ glyph is a stylised capital L. It comes from the Latin word libra, meaning pound (as in a unit of weight). The British pound was originally a pound of silver, hence the abbreviation. The single or double crossbar through the L is the same convention used by the Italian lira (₤) and a handful of other historic currencies.
How to type the pound symbol on Windows
UK keyboards
If your physical keyboard has £ printed on the 3 key, just hold Shift and press 3. The symbol drops in directly.
If you have a UK keyboard but Windows is showing the US layout, Shift + 3 will print a hash mark (#) instead. Press Windows + Spacebar to cycle layouts until £ comes back.
US keyboards with a numeric keypad
- Turn on Num Lock.
- Hold the left Alt key.
- Type 0163 on the numeric keypad.
- Release Alt.
The shorter code Alt + 156 also works on most Windows installs.
US keyboards without a numeric keypad
The Word hex trick works in any Office app: type 00A3 then press Alt + X. Outside Office, press Windows + period to open the emoji picker, click the omega tab, and search "pound".
How to type the pound symbol on Mac
The combination depends on your physical keyboard.
- US Mac: Option + 3 produces £.
- UK or Irish Mac: Shift + 3 produces £ because the symbol is printed on the keycap.
If neither shortcut works, the active layout does not match the physical keys. Open System Settings, Keyboard, Input Sources, and add British, Irish, or US English to match your hardware.
How to type the pound symbol on iPhone and Android
iOS
- Tap 123 in the lower left of the on screen keyboard.
- Press and hold the dollar key.
- A row of world currencies slides up.
- Drag your finger onto £ and release.
Android
Tap the ?123 or 123 toggle, then long press the dollar key. Gboard and Samsung Keyboard both show £ in the currency popup. If your phone region is set to the UK, the pound sits on the primary number page with no long press needed.
Linux and Chromebook
The universal Unicode shortcut works on every Linux desktop and on ChromeOS.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + U.
- Type 00a3.
- Press Enter or Spacebar.
On a UK layout, the symbol is printed on the 3 key and a simple Shift + 3 inserts it.
HTML and CSS
The HTML entity £ renders as £. The numeric entities £ and £ produce the same result. If you are pricing products on a website, prefer the actual symbol over the entity. Modern browsers render both identically, but the raw symbol shortens the source and survives copy and paste cleanly.
Troubleshooting
Shift + 3 prints a hash instead of a pound
Your active layout is US instead of UK. Press Windows + Spacebar on Windows, or open Input Sources on Mac and switch to British.
The pound shows as a hollow box
The font is missing the glyph. Switch to a complete system font (Segoe UI, San Francisco, Roboto, Noto Sans). Most modern fonts include the pound mark.
My Alt code prints a different currency
Some custom Windows layouts remap the high range Alt codes. Try Alt + 0163 instead of Alt + 156. The four digit version is more universal.
FAQs
What is the Unicode point for the pound sterling?
U+00A3, decimal 163. The HTML entity is £.
How do I write pence in text?
Pence is abbreviated as "p" with no space (50p). When writing larger amounts, use the £ symbol before the number (£12.50) without a decimal for the pence when none is needed (£12).
Can I add a text replacement for the pound?
Yes. Map a trigger like "gbp" to expand into £. The setting is under System Settings, Keyboard, Text Replacements on Mac, and under PowerToys Keyboard Manager on Windows.
The takeaway
The pound sign is one keystroke away on every keyboard once you match the layout to your hardware. On UK keyboards it is Shift + 3, on US Macs it is Option + 3, and on US Windows it is Alt + 0163. Pick the one that matches your daily setup and the symbol becomes invisible muscle memory.
