Yes, I mean the other smiley faces (☺☻), the heart symbol (♥), and many others (♪☼♂...) !
These are known as Alt-code characters, and they've been around for a very long time.
Although we now have Unicode that allow for thousands of different characters and symbols, for a long time computers could only represent 255 different characters. Besides the regular symbols, letters, numbers, and punctuation marks, a few of them represented codes that had no visual meaning, like "end-of-line", "carriage-return", and the like...
But, even though they had no visual representation didn't stop engineers from placing some nice visuals on it. :)
So... how can you type these weird and secret strange characters? It's quite easy...
You just need to press and hold the ALT key while you type its "alt-code" number in the numeric keypad.
Just try it: place your cursor in a text input area and press and hold the ALT key, and press the "1" key in the numeric keypad (make sure you have "num lock" on, so you can type numbers instead of using it as cursor keypad.)
ALT + 1 gives you: ☺
ALT + 2 gives you: ☻
ALT + 3 gives you: ♥
and so on...
Here's a table of most useful secret alt-code chars available:
| ☺ | 1 | α | 224 | |
| ☻ | 2 | ß | 225 | |
| ♥ | 3 | Γ | 226 | |
| ♦ | 4 | π | 227 | |
| ♣ | 5 | Σ | 228 | |
| ♠ | 6 | σ | 229 | |
| • | 7 | µ | 230 | |
| ◘ | 8 | τ | 231 | |
| ○ | 9 | Φ | 232 | |
| ◙ | 10 | Θ | 233 | |
| ♂ | 11 | Ω | 234 | |
| ♀ | 12 | δ | 235 | |
| ♪ | 13 | ∞ | 236 | |
| ♫ | 14 | φ | 237 | |
| ☼ | 15 | ε | 238 | |
| ► | 16 | ∩ | 239 | |
| ◄ | 17 | ≡ | 240 | |
| ↕ | 18 | ± | 241 | |
| ‼ | 19 | ≥ | 242 | |
| ¶ | 20 | ≤ | 243 | |
| § | 21 | ⌠ | 244 | |
| ▬ | 22 | ⌡ | 245 | |
| ↨ | 23 | ÷ | 246 | |
| ↑ | 24 | ≈ | 247 | |
| ↓ | 25 | ° | 248 | |
| → | 26 | ∙ | 249 | |
| ← | 27 | · | 250 | |
| ∟ | 28 | √ | 251 | |
| ↔ | 29 | ⁿ | 252 | |
| ▲ | 30 | ² | 253 | |
| ▼ | 31 | ■ | 254 |
From the code 32 (space character) up to code 127 you get the regular numbers, letters, punctuation marks and symbols. From 128 to 255, you get some few extra characters, like accented characters used in other languages (like: áêü) and some more symbols (µ¼Σ√...)
A few other useful symbols (you do need to type the leading zero in the alt-code):
| ¼ | 0188 | ½ | 0189 | ¾ | 0190 | ||
| ™ | 0153 | © | 0169 | ® | 0174 |
Hope you find it useful! :)
P.S. If you're looking for other symbols like Apple's logo, be sure to check the Emoji and Glyphs page.
doesn't work
ReplyDeleteYes it does you're just doing it wrong
DeleteHave to be on a num pad no laptops unless they have the num pad on right hand side.
DeleteIt depends on the operating environment you are using. Not all coding systems are the same.
DeleteOh yes, it does work ☺
ReplyDeletethanks A lot
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't work!
ReplyDeleteit works for the ones like 1,2,3 u can start at alt 257 they loop
Deleteme 2...
DeleteI have mac
Yes it does. Make sure you're using the numeric keypad (not the numbers on the top row of the keyboard)!
ReplyDeletedoes it work on a mac??
ReplyDeleteSorry no macs, only PC's.
DeleteHi. For me, it doesn't work. Yes, I'm using the number pad. It just takes me to the first tab if I do alt 1, or second tab on my web browser (Google Chrome) alt 2, etc. Does it have to do with my settings?
ReplyDeleteTry it out on a notepad document first you can't type it into the address bar either. Hold down alt, press 0153 to make ™ you have to have num lock off ass well.
DeleteWell, in my PC I can type the symbols just fine in Chrome (☺☻♥♦).
ReplyDeleteChanging the tabs in Chrome requires the CTRL+1/2/3/4 combination - typing the ALT symbols requires pressing the *ALT* key.
Why, when I press the number lock key, then hold the alt key, and press 3 for the heart symbol, am I only getting a ? to come up???
ReplyDeleteWhat OS are you using? Can you try it in any other PC just to check if you're doing it right?
ReplyDeletei dont have a numeric key pad! :(
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point. I'll try to figure out how to type these codes without a numeric keypad.
ReplyDeleteAre you using an Apple keyboard, or just a laptop?
(In case it's a laptop, you can usually use the num lock keys to turn the numeric keypad on - on top of some letters.)
i have them on my mackbook
ReplyDeleteSorry can't use macs only PC's
DeleteIt is cool Ally® is my friends logo.
ReplyDeletehow to make an apple??
ReplyDeleteCan't make apples.
Delete@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteFor Apple's logo check out my post regarding Glyphs and Emoji on the iPhone.
when i try, my computer makes weird symbols ♥
ReplyDeletewhen I press alt 7 it takes me back to google.
ReplyDeletehave to have num lock off try that then. hold alt, press 0153 to make ™ try it out. Have to have a numeric keypad.
Delete@Emily K
ReplyDeleteTry typing it in a "notepad" program, to ensure it's not your browser acting up.
When you're able to type it in the notepad program, then try it inside the browser.
it works
ReplyDeletePIE!
ReplyDeleteits awesome
ReplyDeletefor a laptop without the numlock keys, use the FN key and the keys with the blue 1-10 and stuff
ReplyDeleteNot all have it.
DeleteThe best alternative seems to be to Google for the symbols or use Character Map, an application that ships with most OSs (definitely OSX & Windows XP and up)
Not all models have that feature.
DeleteThe best alternative seems to be to either Google for the symbol or use Character Map, an application that ships with most OSs (certainly OSX and Windows XP onward).
This doesn't work on my mac. :'(
ReplyDeletei found more, 0233 é, 145 æ, 156 £, 0137 ‰, 0135 ‡ and 0134 †. Your welcome
ReplyDeletehow do you do this with a macbook?
ReplyDeleteI found another one! Alt+415=ƒ!
ReplyDelete♪lalalah♪ thnx♥
ReplyDeleteWOW! this is fun ☼ ☼ double sun POWER!!! *Boom* *Boom*
ReplyDeleteonly works if you have a number pad on the right side
ReplyDeleteon an iMac it works sort of 1-¡ 2-™3-£4-¢5-∞
ReplyDeleteHey, these are really cool. I can amaze everybody now with all I know about awesome little symbols. Then, I send them this link. Thank you so much for this‼ This code rocks‼♪♫ This is coming from a person who doesn't like technology, but has to learn to use it. This helps. Thanks again‼
ReplyDelete-Old-fashioned Girl
Hey it works!!☺☻♥♠♣♦○•
ReplyDeleteThe Apple is on mac and you use Option Shift K At the same tome
ReplyDeleteThanks I was just trying to figure it out on my mac
DeleteThis is not an internet trick! It is a computer OS trick. for linux this will not work! You have to CTRL+Shift+Uthen a number sequence from the numbers at the top. There is more than Windows and macs.
ReplyDeleteeven in linux the result is not as we intend.... and definitely it's an OS trick.
DeleteHow do u make the little e with the ` on top of it? Or the ~ on top?
ReplyDeleteOn international keyboards you need only press any of the accent keys first `´~^ (etc), and then when you press the next letter, it will be typed with the respective accent.
Deletelike ´e = é ~a = ã and so on...
How do u make the little e with the ` on top of it? Or the ~ on top?
ReplyDeleteIt works ♂ ♪ ♀ you need num lock on, you hold down alt key, press numbers, and release alt key
ReplyDeleteHow do you do 10 and up?
ReplyDeletehello
ReplyDeleteCan you do this on Android?
ReplyDeleteNo, sadly no.
DeleteNo
DeleteCan you do this on iPod
ReplyDeletedoes this website has a twitter so i can follow?
ReplyDeleteYes, we're on Twitter - its on the sidebar: @BestSecrets.
DeleteIt workd ♀☺☻☺♥♦♣♠•◘○◙♀♪♫ my favorite id ±♪♪♪♪☺3☺3☺3♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♫♫♫♫♫♫
ReplyDeleteIT NO WORK! :(
ReplyDeleteAre you using Mac or Windows? ☺
DeleteIs there a way to compile all the combinations that come out from my keypad? For instance I was trying to obtain ᛏ which is a little different than ↑ (compare closely here ᛏ↑). The former is cut and paste the latter is alt+24.
ReplyDelete