Insert Special Characters Without an Add-on in Google Sheets

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Special characters are useful for enhancing text formatting in Google Sheets. You can insert special characters without an add-on.

Special characters are symbols or characters that are not letters or numbers. You can input special characters such as punctuation marks (e.g., !, @, #) and typographical symbols (e.g., &, *, ©) using your keyboard.

However, symbols like the pointing hand ☞, heart ❤, tick mark , and telephone ☎ are harder to find and may require using the CHAR function.

Example:

=CHAR(10003) // returns 

Fortunately, there is an easier way to insert them using Google Docs.

For emojis, there is no need to look outside Google Sheets, as they are built into the application.

Steps to Insert Special Characters in Google Sheets


Here are the step-by-step instructions to insert special characters in Google Sheets.

Click https://docs.new/ to open a blank Google Docs document.

In the new document, navigate to the Insert menu and click on Special characters.

Special Characters in Google Docs

This will open the Special characters window, where you can find the special character you want in different ways.

The easiest option may vary for you. You can pick from categories like Symbols, Emojis, Punctuation, and Numbers, or search for the specific special character you need.

There’s also a unique way to find a special character: you can draw it in the search box within the Insert Special Characters window.

Drawing to Search for Special Characters in Google Docs

Once you find the character, click on it to insert it. Then, select and copy the inserted special character and paste it into Google Sheets.

Follow this method to insert special characters without an add-on in Google Sheets.

Inserting Emojis in Google Sheets

You may find emojis useful when using Google Sheets to enter data associated with games or when creating templates, such as habit trackers. Emojis (pictorial representations of emotions, objects, animals, activities, or concepts) can help convey feelings or ideas in a visually expressive way.

You can insert emojis in two ways:

  1. Click Insert > Emoji.
  2. Type @ and select Emoji from the shortcut menu that appears.

That’s all about inserting special characters and emojis in Google Sheets. I hope they make your sheets more visually appealing!

Resources

Prashanth KV
Prashanth KV
Your Trusted Google Sheets and Excel Guide Prashanth KV brings a wealth of experience in Google Sheets and Excel, cultivated through years of work with multinational corporations in Mumbai and Dubai. As a recognized Google Product Expert in Docs Editors, Prashanth shares his expertise through insightful blogging since 2012. Explore his blog for practical tips and guidance on maximizing your spreadsheet skills.

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