How to Type Not Equal Sign ≠
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The not equal sign ≠ is a mathematical symbol meaning 'is not equal to.' It's used in equations, programming discussions, technical writing, and even casual conversation to express inequality or difference.
Most keyboards don't have a ≠ key, so many people resort to typing != or =/= instead. This guide shows you how to type the proper ≠ symbol on every platform: Windows, Mac, Chromebook, iPhone, Android, and Linux.
All math symbols on this page are Unicode characters — they work in any application and display correctly on all devices.
How to Insert the ≠ Inequality Sign
In programming most languages express "not equal" with != or /=, but formal mathematics and clean documentation call for the proper ≠ glyph. It carries the Unicode code point U+2260 and the HTML entity ≠ (also ≠). The single friendliest shortcut belongs to the Mac: press Option+= and ≠ drops straight into your text. Windows has no equally simple keystroke; the most reliable path is Microsoft Word, where you type 2260 and then press Alt+X to fold the code into the symbol. Character Map and copy-paste cover every other Windows application.
iOS and Android keyboards omit ≠ from their symbol pages, so copying it once and reusing it from clipboard history is the fastest approach on a phone. You will want the true sign when writing set conditions, stating that two values differ in a proof, labelling constraints in a spreadsheet or LaTeX document, or explaining a strict comparison to readers who should not have to mentally translate !=. Because it is standard Unicode, ≠ survives copy-paste into email, chat, slides, and code comments without turning into a box or question mark.
Not Equal Sign FAQ
The alt code for ≠ is Alt+8800. Hold Alt, type 8800 on the numeric keypad, then release. Num Lock must be enabled. In Microsoft Word, you can also type 2260 then press Alt+X.
Press Option+= (Option plus the equals key) on Mac to type ≠ directly. This is a built-in keyboard shortcut that works in all Mac applications.
≠ is the proper mathematical not-equal symbol used in formal writing and typography. != is the programming equivalent used in code (JavaScript, Python, C, etc.). In non-code contexts, ≠ is the correct symbol to use.
In Google Docs, go to Insert → Special Characters, then search for 'not equal'. You can also copy ≠ from this page and paste with Ctrl+V (or Cmd+V on Mac).
The Unicode code point for ≠ is U+2260 (NOT EQUAL TO). In HTML, use ≠ or ≠. In CSS, use content: '\2260'. In URL encoding, it's %E2%89%A0.
On Mac, press Option+X for ≈. On Windows, use Alt+8776 on the numpad. On Chromebook/Linux, use Unicode input 2248. You can also copy ≈ from the symbol grid on this page.