How to Type Not-Equal (≠), Approximately (≈), ≤ and ≥ Signs
Maths comparison signs — not equal ≠, approximately ≈, less-than-or-equal ≤ and greater-than-or-equal ≥ — are needed constantly and are on no standard keyboard. Here’s the honest way to type them.
Important: these live above codepoint 255, so they have no working keypad Alt code. Sites listing "Alt+8800" for ≠ are wrong — that does nothing on a normal PC.
Quick reference: every method
Every Alt code below is verified against the real Windows code pages — where none exists we say so, rather than list one that won’t work.
| Char | Name | Windows | Mac | HTML | Word (Alt+X) | Unicode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≠ | Not Equal To | Copy / paste | Option+= |
≠ |
2260 + Alt+X |
U+2260 |
| ≈ | Almost Equal To | Alt+247 |
Option+X |
≈ |
2248 + Alt+X |
U+2248 |
| ≤ | Less-Than Or Equal To | Alt+243 |
Option+, |
≤ |
2264 + Alt+X |
U+2264 |
| ≥ | Greater-Than Or Equal To | Alt+242 |
Option+. |
≥ |
2265 + Alt+X |
U+2265 |
Methods that actually work
Copy & paste: click any sign in the table below — the simplest way.
Word: type the hex then Alt+X — 2260 → ≠, 2248 → ≈, 2264 → ≤, 2265 → ≥.
HTML: ≠ (≠), ≈ (≈), ≤ (≤), ≥ (≥).
LaTeX / equation editors: \neq, \approx, \leq, \geq.
Handy tips
- The DOS code page 437 does include ≤, ≥ and ≈ as Alt+243, Alt+242 and Alt+247 — these low-range codes genuinely work on Windows; ≠ has no such code.
- Don’t confuse ≈ (approximately) with ~ (tilde) or ≅ (approximately equal to).
- In spreadsheets, use the operators <> (not equal), <=, >= in formulas — the symbols are for display text.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an Alt code for the not-equal sign?
Not on a standard keypad — ≠ is above codepoint 255. Use copy-paste or Word’s 2260 + Alt+X. (≤, ≥ and ≈ do have real CP437 codes: Alt+243, Alt+242, Alt+247.)
How do I type ≤ or ≥?
On Windows the CP437 codes Alt+243 (≤) and Alt+242 (≥) work; or copy them here; or use Word’s 2264 / 2265 + Alt+X.
What’s the HTML for not equal?
Use ≠ for ≠, ≈ for ≈, ≤ for ≤ and ≥ for ≥.
Related symbols
Looking for something else? Browse 1,000+ copy-paste symbols, the full Alt Codes finder, or the emoji picker.