IPA Symbols (ə ʃ θ ŋ ː): How to Type Phonetic Characters
Quick answer: most IPA symbols have no Windows Alt code. In Microsoft Word, type the symbol's code and press Alt+X (0259 → ə, 0283 → ʃ). For regular transcription, install a free IPA keyboard such as Keyman's SIL IPA layout. For a few symbols, copying them from the tables below is fastest.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| æ | Latin Small Letter Ae | Alt+0230 |
Copy / paste | æ |
00E6 + Alt+X |
U+00E6 |
| ð | Latin Small Letter Eth | Alt+0240 |
Copy / paste | ð |
00F0 + Alt+X |
U+00F0 |
| θ | Greek Small Letter Theta | Copy / paste | Copy / paste | θ |
03B8 + Alt+X |
U+03B8 |
| ŋ | Latin Small Letter Eng | Copy / paste | Copy / paste | ŋ |
014B + Alt+X |
U+014B |
| ø | Latin Small Letter O With Stroke | Alt+0248 |
Copy / paste | ø |
00F8 + Alt+X |
U+00F8 |
The English IPA set
| Symbol | Example | Word Alt+X code |
|---|---|---|
| ə | about (schwa) | 0259 |
| ɪ | sit | 026A |
| ʊ | put | 028A |
| ɛ | bed | 025B |
| æ | cat | 00E6 (Alt+0230) |
| ʌ | cup | 028C |
| ɔ | thought | 0254 |
| ɑ | father | 0251 |
| θ | think | 03B8 |
| ð | this | 00F0 (Alt+0240) |
| ʃ | she | 0283 |
| ʒ | measure | 0292 |
| ŋ | sing | 014B |
| ɹ | red (English r) | 0279 |
| ʔ | glottal stop (uh-oh) | 0294 |
| ɡ | go (IPA "script" g) | 0261 |
Marks: ˈ primary stress (02C8), ˌ secondary stress (02CC), ː length (02D0). Copy from here: ə ɪ ʊ ɛ ʌ ɔ ɑ ʃ ʒ ɹ ʔ ɡ ˈ ˌ ː
How to type them
- Word (Windows): type the code from the table and press Alt+X. Word can also convert the code for a combining diacritic placed after a letter. See symbols in Word.
- IPA keyboard: Keyman (free) with the SIL IPA keyboard lets you type IPA with short sequences of normal keys. It is the best option if you transcribe often.
- Mac: the Character Viewer (search by name, such as "schwa") or Keyman. With the Unicode Hex Input source you can hold Option and type the code.
- Phones: copy the symbols once and save text replacements (for example
;schwa→ ə). - Online: IPA "typeit" style web keyboards let you click symbols and copy the result.
Look-alikes that break transcriptions
- ː vs :: the length mark is not a colon.
- ˈ vs ' : the stress mark is not an apostrophe.
- ɡ vs g: IPA officially uses the single-storey ɡ; the ordinary g is accepted in practice.
- ə vs e: an upside-down e is a different letter, not formatting.
Fonts
Not every font contains IPA characters or places diacritics correctly. Free fonts such as Charis SIL, Doulos SIL and Noto Sans are designed for phonetics; if symbols show as boxes, switch to one of them (see why symbols show as boxes).
Related: typing in other languages and Greek letters (θ is borrowed from Greek).
Frequently asked questions
How do I type the schwa ə?
In Word type 0259 and press Alt+X. Otherwise copy it from this page, use an IPA keyboard, or save a text replacement on your phone.
Is there an IPA keyboard?
Yes. Keyman, a free program for Windows, Mac and phones, offers the SIL IPA keyboard, which types IPA symbols with short key sequences.
Is the length mark ː the same as a colon?
No. The IPA length mark ː (U+02D0) is a separate character made of two small triangles. A colon : looks similar but is punctuation.
Do IPA symbols have Alt codes?
Only a few borrowed letters do: æ (Alt+0230), ð (Alt+0240) and ø (Alt+0248). The IPA-specific symbols such as ə and ʃ have none.
Looking for something else? Browse 1,000+ copy-paste symbols, the full Alt Codes finder, or the emoji picker.