Shortcuts for typing a § and a ¶

If you’re using Windows, you can type a section sign (§) or a pilcrow (¶) in any Windows application, including Word, using your numeric keypad. Here’s how.

First, make sure your Num Lock is on; that’s the key in the upper left corner of your numeric keypad. Most keypads have a little light indicated whether Num Lock is on or off.

To type the section sign, hold down the Alt key and press 0167 in sequence. In Word, you may have to hit space bar or another key before the symbol appears.

To type a pilcrow or paragraph sign, hold down the Alt key and press 0182 in sequence.

There are other Alt codes for dozens of typographic symbols that you won’t find on your keyboard. They work the same way: with Num Lock on, hold down Alt and press four numbers. To find those numeric codes, check out this web page by some folks at Penn State.

Comments

[Matthew Caplan]

An easier way to do this is to edit the autocorrect options in your word. I've got mine set so that if I type "ss" and then hit spacebar it auto-corrects to "§" and if I type "ppp" and then hit spacebar it auto-corrects to "¶". Instructions here, https://www.bettercloud.com/monitor/the-academy/modify-autocorrect-word/.

[Jeff Richardson]

I also use autocorrect to do this in Word on my PC, and I find that much easier to remember than those code numbers. And on the iPhone / iPad, I use the Keyboard Shortcuts feature to do the same thing.

-Jeff