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Tip of the Day | Wednesday January 14th, 2026

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Open Windows Character Map (Special Characters)

This tool opens the Windows Character Map, a built-in utility that lets you browse and copy special characters from any installed font.

You can use this to:

Browse and copy characters from system fonts like Wingdings, Webdings, or Symbol

Search by character name (e.g., "degree", "bullet", "section")

Find and copy Unicode characters using their code

Use special symbols in applications outside Excel (e.g., email, websites, or design tools)

You can copy one or multiple characters to the clipboard, then paste them wherever needed.

Tip:
For quickly inserting common symbols (like ©, €, °, →) directly into a cell, Excel's Insert > Symbol feature may be easier. It shows recently used symbols and lets you insert with a double-click.

Also useful:
If you're using Windows 10 or later, you can press Windows key + . (period) to open the emoji and symbol picker. It includes emojis, math symbols, currency symbols, and more.

Note:
If you use a character from a different font (e.g., Wingdings), make sure to apply the same font in the Excel cell so the symbol displays correctly.

Screenshots

Start › Open Windows Character Map (Special Characters)

Starting this tool

Click ASAP Utilities › Start › 1. Open Windows Character Map (Special Characters)
Specify a Keyboard Shortcut: ASAP Utilities › My Tools & Shortcuts › Manage My Tools & Shortcuts...

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