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How to type o with line over it (O Macron) in Word

This article contains several methods you can use to type or insert the O Macron or O with line over it (Ō) in Microsoft Word or Excel, whether you are using the Windows or the Mac keyboard.

Without any further ado, let’s get started.

Quick Guide to type O Macron (or O with line over it)

In MS Word, to type the letter O with line over it (i.e. Ō Macron), first get to know the alt code of the character you want to type (O macron alt code is 332 or 333), then press down the alt key and type the alt code (332 or 333) using the numeric keypad. Now release the Alt key.

Alternatively, just type 014C and then press Alt + X to get the symbol in your Word document for Windows users.

The table below contains everything you need to type the O Macron symbol in Word for both Windows and Mac.

Capital O with line over itŌ
Small O with line over itō
Uppercase Alt Code332
Lowercase Alt Code333
Shortcut in WordAlt+332 or Alt+333
alt code shortcut to type o with line over it

The above information is all you need to get the O with line over it into your work in Microsoft Word.

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 using MS Word or Excel.

As you may already know, there are several dual-purpose keys on the keyboard. That is to say that there are symbols readily available as second keys on the keyboard. Just by pressing two or more keys simultaneously, you can easily insert such symbols into your work. For instance, pressing Shift + 5 keys give you the percentage (%) 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 O Macron Symbol or O with line over it (Ō).

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 O with line over it in Word/Excel

In the following sections, I will show you all the easy ways to insert this symbol (Ō) anywhere on your Windows or Mac PC (such as Word or Excel or PowerPoint).

As a quick, for Windows users working with MS Word, press down the Alt key and type 332 or 333 on your numeric keypad. This shortcut works in MS Word only.

If the above quick quid doesn’t work for you, below is a breakdown of each of the options I know can get you this character (Ō).

Method 1: O Macron Symbol Alt Code (Windows)

O with line over it Alt Code is 332 or 333.

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 332 for uppercase or 333 for lowercase using the numeric keypad.
  • After typing the Alt code (i.e. 332 or 333), release the [Alt] key you pressed down.
Illustration of O macron alt code on Windows Keyboard

As soon as you release the Alt Key, the O Macron (Ō) symbol should appear in your document.

Method 2: Copy and paste O with line over it

Use the button below to copy and paste the this symbol (Ō) 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.
searching for character map to copy and paste symbols
  • After the Character Map window opens up, click to check the Advance View checkbox to expand the window for more advanced options.
Advanced view of the Character map dialog box
  • On the Advanced View section, type Macron in the search box. The line above the O character is called Macron.
  • The symbol you searched for (i.e. the O Macron) 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.
how to copy and paste O with line over it
  • 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 O with line over it using the Character Map on Windows.

Method 3: 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 O with line over it in Word using the insert symbol dialog.

  • Go to the Insert tab.
Go to the Insert tab
  • On the Insert tab, click the Symbol button and choose More Symbols…
More Symbols

These few clicks will bring up the Symbol dialog box.

  • Locate the Symbol you want to insert.

To easily find the O Macron symbol on the Symbols window, look at the top right area of the dialog and select Latin Extended-A in the Subset: drop-down list. The symbol you want to insert is in this category and should appear.

  • Select the symbol, and then click on the Insert button.
Insert O with line over it in Word or Excel

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 O Macron symbol in Word using the insert symbol dialog.

Method 4: Word’s AutoCorrect

You can also type the O Macron 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 O Macron symbol (such as OMAC).

This way, whenever you type the text OMAC, Word will think that you actually wanted to type Ō and will convert it into the O Macron for you automatically.

See illustration below:

Illustration of a custom o macron shortcut in Word

What makes this method interesting is that you can assign your own custom shortcut or short code to the symbol and Word will automatically insert the symbol whenever you type the code.

Without further ado, below are the steps you can use to type O Macron symbol in Word using AutoCorrect.

  • Go to the Insert tab.
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.
More Symbols
  • Locate the O Macron symbol, then click to select it.
  • Click on the AutoCorrect… button to display the AutoCorrect window.
Creating a custom O Macron Shortcut
  • In the AutoCorrect dialog box, enter the following:

Replace: OMAC

With: Ō

Creating a custom O Macron Shortcut
  • Click Add, and then then hit the OK button.

Now, word will automatically insert the O Macron symbol into your document whenever you type OMAC.

Illustration of a custom o macron shortcut in Word

However, below are some few things to note when you are using the AutoCorrect Method to insert the O Macron sign.

  • AutoCorrect is case sensitive. Meaning if you type OMAC (in lowercase), Word will not convert it into “O with line over it” unless you type OMAC (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 O Macron symbol. For example, XOMAC will not get converted, but X OMAC will get converted to X Ō.

Conclusion

As you can see, these are the various ways you may insert or type the O with line over it in Word/Excel with or without using the keyboard.

My favorite method is using the copy and paste method followed by the O Macron Alt code shortcut in Word.

For any comments or questions about this guide, please let me know in the comments section below.

Thanks.