How to type - on Windows
The hyphen-minus symbol has no short Alt code. The quickest option is to copy it from the top of this page and paste it with Ctrl+V.
No numeric keypad?
Press Win+. to open the emoji panel, choose the Symbols tab (Ω) and search for "hyphen-minus". Or open Character Map from the Start menu, find -, click Select, then Copy.
How to type - on a Mac
There is no direct keyboard shortcut for - on a Mac.
For any symbol, the Character Viewer works: press Control+⌘+Space, type "hyphen-minus" in the search box and double-click the result. It will be remembered under Frequently Used.
How to type - on iPhone and iPad
The iOS keyboard does not include -, so the reliable way is to copy it from this page, then press and hold in any text field and tap Paste.
If you use it often, create a shortcut: open Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement, paste - in the Phrase field and type a short code such as ;hyphen in the Shortcut field. Typing that code will then insert - anywhere.
How to type - on Android
Copy the symbol from this page, then long-press in a text field and choose Paste. Gboard also keeps a clipboard history: tap the clipboard icon on the toolbar to paste it again later.
For a permanent shortcut, open Gboard settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary, add - as the word and a short code as the shortcut.
How to type - in Microsoft Word
- Type the Unicode hex code 002D where you want the symbol.
- Press Alt+X. Word converts the code into -.
This works on Windows in Word, Outlook and OneNote and needs no numeric keypad. You can also go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, set the font to a Unicode font and type 002D in the Character code box. In Excel, the formula =UNICHAR(45) returns the symbol.
How to type - in Google Docs
Open Insert → Special characters, then either search for "hyphen-minus" or draw the symbol in the sketch box. Click the result to insert it. In Google Sheets, use =CHAR(45).
- in HTML, CSS and code
| Format | Code |
|---|---|
| HTML entity | - |
| HTML decimal | - |
| HTML hex | - |
CSS content | "\002D" |
| JavaScript | "\u002D" |
| Python | "\u002D" |
| URL encoded | - |
Because - is a standard Unicode character (U+002D), you can also paste it directly into any UTF-8 file. The escaped forms above are only needed when the file encoding is uncertain or the symbol must be entered on a keyboard without it.
Where the hyphen-minus symbol is used
It joins compound words such as "mother-in-law," marks subtraction or negative numbers like "5-3" or "-10," and appears in ranges like "pages 10-15." It is often confused with the longer en dash and em dash, which serve different grammatical roles.
Frequently asked questions
Is the hyphen-minus the same as a minus sign? +
It's used as a stand-in for the true minus sign on keyboards, but typography treats them as distinct characters with slightly different widths and spacing.
What's the difference between a hyphen and a dash? +
A hyphen joins words or parts of words, while dashes (en dash or em dash) separate clauses or indicate ranges and interruptions in a sentence.
What is the Alt code for the hyphen-minus symbol? +
The hyphen-minus symbol has no short Alt code. Copy it from this page, or in Word type 002D and press Alt + X.
How do I type - on a Mac? +
There is no dedicated Mac shortcut for -. Open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space, search for "hyphen-minus", and double-click it. Or copy it from this page.
How do I type the hyphen-minus symbol on iPhone or Android? +
Phone keyboards do not include - by default. Copy it from this page and paste it, or add it as a text replacement shortcut in Settings so you can type it with a short abbreviation.
What is the HTML code for -? +
Use - in HTML. In CSS use content: "\002D" and in JavaScript use "\u002D".