This article contains several methods you can use to type or insert the Micron or Micro symbol (µ) anywhere like Microsoft Word or Excel, whether you are using the Windows keyboard or Mac.
Without any further ado, let’s get started.
Micron (or Micro or Mu) symbol Quick Help
To type the Micron or Micro Symbol anywhere (like in Word or Excel), press down the alt key and type 230 or 0181 using the numeric keypad on the right side of your keyboard, then release the Alt key.
For Microsoft Word, just type 00B5 and then press Alt + X to get the symbol in your Word document.
The table below contains all the details you need to type this symbol on both Windows and Mac.
| Symbol Name | Mu Symbol |
| Symbol | µ |
| Alt Code 1 | 230 |
| Alt Code 2 | 0181 |
| Windows Shortcut 1 | Alt + 230 |
| Windows Shortcut 2 | Alt + 0181 |
| Shortcut for Mac | Option + M |
| Shortcut for Word | 00B5, Alt X |
Whether you are using Windows or Mac, the above information is all you need to get the Mu symbol into your Word/Excel document.
However, if you are not satisfied with this quick help, keep reading below, as I will explain in detail, how to insert this or any other symbol anywhere on your Mac or Windows PC, like in MS Word or Excel.
As you may already know, there are several symbols readily available as second keys on the keyboard. Just by pressing a few keys simultaneously, you can easily insert such symbols into your work. For instance, pressing Shift + 2 keys gives you the @ symbol.
However, other symbols aren’t printed on the keyboard as second keys. This makes it difficult to type. One of these symbols is the Micron symbol or Micro sign (µ).
Typing becomes very tough for you if you need to insert some of these symbols regularly into your work.
But it doesn’t have to be difficult. Especially now that you are reading this guide.
Insert the Micron symbol in Word/Excel
In the following sections, I will show you all the easy ways to insert this symbol (µ) anywhere on your Windows or Mac PC (such as in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint).
In a couple of minutes, I’ll explain several methods you can use to get this (µ) and any other symbol as and when the need arises.
Without any further ado, let’s get to work.
Method 1: Micro Symbol Shortcuts (Windows and Mac)
The Micron Symbol Shortcut for Mac is Option + M.
Windows has several shortcuts, some of which work only in Microsoft Word.
However, there’s a Windows shortcut for the Micro Sign that works across all applications. It is the alt code shortcut which is Alt+230 (which will be discussed in the next section).
The Micron Symbol shortcut for Microsoft Word is 00B5, Alt X.
This shortcut works in Microsoft Word Only.
Below is a breakdown on how to use the Mu symbol shortcut for Mac:
- First of all, place the insertion pointer where you need to insert the symbol.
- Now, using the Mac keyboard, Press Option + M simultaneously.
This shortcut should insert the symbol for you on your Mac PC.
To use the Micron symbol shortcut on Windows (for Microsoft Word), obey the following instructions:
- Place the insertion pointer at the right place.
- Type 00B5 on your keyboard.
- Then press Alt + X.
This will convert the numbers into the Micro symbol at where you place the insertion pointer.
In the next section, I’ll show you how to use the Micro Symbol Alt Code to type the symbol on your keyboard.
Method 2: Micron Symbol Alt Code (Windows)
The Micron (µ) Symbol Alt Code is 230 or 0181.
Every symbol in Word has a unique code that you can use to insert the symbol into your document. This code is well known as “Alt code”.
Below are the steps to type this symbol on your keyboard (using the Alt code provided above:
- Press the num lock key to enable the numeric keypad. Use Fn key + NumLk keys to turn on Num Lock on laptops without the numeric keypad.
- Press and hold the Alt key and type 230 or 0181 using the numeric keypad.
- After typing the Alt code (i.e. 230 or 0181), release the [Alt] key you pressed down.
As soon as you release the Alt Key, the Micron (µ) symbol should appear in your document.
Method 3: Copy and paste Micro symbol
Use the button below to copy and paste the Micro symbol for your work.
My favorite method for inserting symbols I can’t easily type is copy and paste.
With this method, all you need to do is google the symbol you need to type, then copy it from one of the search results provided. Once you get the symbol into your document, you can always recopy and paste it as and when the need arises.
Use the button above to get this symbol on your clipboard.
There is another way to copy this and any other symbol on Windows. It involved using the Windows Character Map.
Obey the steps below to copy and paste any symbol using the character map.
- Search for the Character map app by clicking on the Start button.
- The Character map app will show up in the search results. Click on it to launch.
- After the Character Map window opens up, click to check the Advance View checkbox to expand the window for more advanced options.
- On the Advanced View section, type Micro or Micro Sign in the search box.
- The symbol you searched for (i.e. Micron symbol) will now appear on the Character map. Double click on it to select it. You’ll see that the symbol appears in the Characters to copy text box. This allows you to select and copy several symbols at the same time.
- After selecting the symbol, you wish to copy, click on the Copy button.
- Switch over to wherever you need the symbol, whether in MS Word, Excel, or PowerPoint and press Ctrl + V to paste.
This is how you may copy and paste the Micro sign using the Character Map on Windows.
Method 4: Using Insert Symbol Dialog
This approach isn’t as straight-forward as the shortcut methods. But it’s fairly simple.
And once you get the symbol into your document, you can always copy and paste it again as and when you need it in your work.
Below are the steps to insert the Micro Sign in Word using the insert symbol dialog.
- Go to the Insert tab.
- On the Insert tab, click the Symbol button and choose More Symbols…
These few clicks will bring up the Symbol dialog box.
- Locate the Symbol you want to insert.
To easily find the Micron symbol on the Symbols window, look at the top right area of the dialog and select Latin-1 Supplement in the Subset: drop-down list. The Micron symbol you want to insert is in this category and should appear.
- Select the symbol, and then click on the Insert button.
Alternatively, double-clicking on the symbol will also insert the symbol into your document.
- Click the Close button.
This is how you may insert a Micron symbol in Word using the insert symbol dialog.
Method 5: Word’s AutoCorrect for the Micron Sign
You can also type the Micron Symbol using the AutoCorrect feature in Word.
It is a feature in MS Word designed for correcting spelling mistakes like thsi to this.
Using this AutoCorrect Feature, you can assign a short code to the Micron symbol (such as MCR).
This way, whenever you type the text MCR, Word will think that you actually wanted to type µ and will convert it into the Micron symbol for you automatically.
See illustration below:
What makes this method interesting is that you can assign your own shortcut or shortcode to the symbol and Word will be more than glad to insert the symbol whenever you type the code.
Without further ado, below are the steps you can use to type Micron symbol in Word using AutoCorrect.
- Go to the Insert tab.
- On the Insert tab, go to Symbol and then click More Symbols… The Symbol windows will appear as shown in the below screenshot.
- Locate the Micron symbol, then click to select it.
- Click on the AutoCorrect… button to display the AutoCorrect window.
- In the AutoCorrect dialog box, enter the following:
Replace: MCR
With: µ
- Click Add, and then then hit the OK button.
Now, word will automatically insert the Micron symbol into your document whenever you type MCR.
However, below are some few things to note when you are using the AutoCorrect Method to insert the Micron sign.
- AutoCorrect is case sensitive. Meaning if you type mcr (in lowercase), Word will not convert it into the Micro sign unless you type MCR (in uppercase).
- If there is any text before or after the AutoCorrect text, Word will consider the AutoCorrect text as part of the text and hence will not convert it to the Micron symbol. For example, XMCR will not get converted, but X MCR will get converted to X µ.
Insert the Mu or Micro Symbol in Word Using the Equation Tool
The Equation Tool in Microsoft Word is a feature designed to facilitate the creation and editing of mathematical equations and expressions directly within Word documents. It provides users with a user-friendly interface to input complex mathematical notation without requiring specialized software or knowledge of programming languages like LaTeX.
Below are the steps to use the equation tool to insert the Mu symbol in Word.
Step 1: Open Microsoft Word
Step 2: Position Your Cursor where you need to insert the symbol.
Step 3: Go to Insert > Equation > Insert New Equation
- Go to the Insert tab, under the Symbol group, and click on the “Equation” drop-down. From the dropdown menu, choose “Insert New Equation.” This action will open the Equation Editor, providing you with a range of mathematical symbols and structures.
Step 4: Explore the Symbols Group
- Within the Equation Editor, you’ll find various symbols grouped together. Click on the small arrow button in the symbols group to expand it further, revealing more math symbols.
Step 5: Locate the Mu or Micro Symbol
- Scroll through the symbols until you find the Mu (μ) or Micro (µ) symbol.
Step 6: Insert the Symbol
- Once you’ve found the Mu or Micro symbol, simply click on it to insert it into your equation at the cursor’s location within the document.
By following these straightforward steps, you can effortlessly incorporate the Mu or Micro symbol into your Word documents using the Equation Tool. Whether you’re working on scientific reports, technical documents, or academic papers, this method ensures accurate representation of specialized symbols with ease.
Conclusion
As you can see, these are the various ways you may insert or type the Micro sign or symbol in Word/Excel with or without using the keyboard.
My favorite method is using the copy and paste method followed by the Micron symbol shortcut in Word for both Windows and Mac. The Alt Code method also comes handy.
For any comments or questions about this guide, please let me know in the comments section below.
Thanks.