How to type Alt+241
- Make sure Num Lock is on.
- Hold down the Alt key.
- Type 241 on the numeric keypad. The number row above the letters will not work.
- Release Alt. The plus-minus symbol ± appears.
Alt+241 is a classic code from the CP437 table used by the original IBM PC, which is why there is no leading zero. The same symbol is also available as Alt+0177 on the Windows-1252 table.
On a laptop without a numpad
Press Win+. to open the emoji panel, pick the Symbols tab and search for "plus-minus". Or open Character Map from the Start menu. In Microsoft Word you can type 00B1 followed by Alt+X. Some laptops have a hidden numpad on the J, K, L, U, I and O keys that activates with Fn.
On a Mac
Alt codes do not exist on macOS, but this symbol has a shortcut: press Option+Shift+=.
In HTML and code
Use ± in HTML, "\00B1" in CSS and "\u00B1" in JavaScript. See the Plus-Minus Symbol guide for every platform.
Frequently asked questions
What does Alt+241 type?+
Alt+241 types the plus-minus symbol, ± (Unicode U+00B1). Hold Alt, type 241 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt.
Why do I need the code without a zero?+
Alt+241 is a classic CP437 code from the original IBM PC character set. It has no leading zero. The same symbol can also be typed as Alt+0177 on the Windows-1252 table.
Alt+241 does not work. Why?+
Check that Num Lock is on and that you are using the numeric keypad rather than the number row. Laptops without a numpad cannot enter Alt codes: use Win + . for the symbol panel, Character Map, or copy the symbol from this page.
How do I type ± on a Mac?+
Press Option+Shift+= on a Mac. Alt codes themselves do not work on macOS.