Mathematical operators such as + (plus), – (minus) and = (equal) are second nature to us since they are mostly taught in school. But do you know that there is an operator – the not equal sign (≠) – that is less commonly used because of its absence from standard computer keyboards?
The not equal sign or the doesn’t equal sign is a mathematical symbol often used to denote inequality especially when comparing two unequal values. For example: A ≠ B. The does not equal sign (≠) is represented by two horizontal parallel lines with a forward slash in the middle.
Most computer keyboards don’t support the not equal sign (≠), making it difficult or nearly impossible to type it directly. In order to type this symbol, users will have to use dedicated keyboard shortcuts or employ special software such as the Character Map for Windows.
In lieu of the not equal sign, some Internet users have resorted to typing =/= (a forward slash sandwiched by two equal symbols) to indicate inequality. But you don’t have to do the same because we’ll teach you how to type the doesn’t equal sign properly and correctly using keyboard shortcuts and other tried-and-tested methods.
How to Type the Not Equal Sign on a Windows Keyboard
If you’re a long-time computer user, you might already be familiar with keyboard shortcuts to perform certain operations such as copying text (Ctrl + C) or selecting all items (Ctrl + A). Shortcuts can also be used to type symbols and special characters when they don’t have a dedicated key on your keyboard.
To type the not equal sign in Windows, use the keyboard shortcut or alt code Alt + 8800. Take note that this shortcut only works if your keyboard has a numeric keypad or number pad.
Not familiar with how keyboard shortcuts work? Follow these steps to type the not equal sign using your Windows keyboard:
- In your document or application, place the cursor or insertion point exactly where you want the symbol to appear.
- Activate the numeric keypad by tapping the Num Lock key on your keyboard.
- Press and hold the Alt key on your keyboard.
- While holding down the Alt key, tap the 8, 8, 0 and 0 keys on the numeric keypad which is usually located on the right side of the Windows keyboard.
- Release the Alt key and confirm that the ≠ symbol has been inserted into your document.
As previously mentioned, the keyboard shortcut can only be used if your keyboard has a numeric keypad. If your Windows keyboard doesn’t have a number pad (such as in the case of laptops), you can try other methods that will be mentioned later in this article.
Some users have reported that the Windows keyboard shortcut Alt + 8800 doesn’t work all the time, and in some cases, the backtick (`) character shows up instead. If that happens to you, there are several alternatives such as the symbol insertion feature of Microsoft Word or a standalone application such as the Character Map.
How to Type the Not Equal Sign on a Mac Keyboard
Typing the not equal sign on your Macbook or Mac computer is pretty simple and straightforward. All you have to do is to use the Mac keyboard shortcut Option + = and the not equal symbol (≠) should immediately appear in your document or application.
Here’s how to type the not equal sign (≠) using your Mac keyboard:
- Open your document or application, and position the cursor (or insertion point) at the exact location where the symbol should appear.
- On the Mac keyboard, press the Option and = (equal) keys simultaneously.
- Check that the correct symbol has been placed in your document.
How to Type the Not Equal Sign in Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word users need not use Windows or Mac keyboard shortcuts because the application has a built-in symbol insertion feature that allows you to select any symbol or special character. This is helpful if you have a hard time memorizing the keyboard shortcuts or if your keyboard doesn’t have a numeric keypad.
To type the not equal sign in Microsoft Word, start by opening your document and clicking the Insert tab on the menu bar.
Click the Symbol button on the rightmost part of the toolbar and then click More Symbols on the dropdown menu.
The Symbol dialog will show all the symbols and special characters that you can insert into your document. First, make sure that the font is set to “(normal text)” or any preferred font, and then click the Subset dropdown field and select “Mathematical Operator.”
Once you’ve located the not equal sign (≠), click to highlight it, and then click the Insert button to place it inside your document.
After you’ve inserted the not equal symbol in Word, it will be included in your list of recently used symbols. To use the symbol once again, just click Insert and then Symbol, and then select the ≠ symbol to quickly insert it into your document.
If you use the unequal symbol frequently in your documents, you can also assign it a custom shortcut key in Word. On the Symbol dialog, click the Shortcut Key button and then set your preferred custom keyboard shortcut. After assigning a custom shortcut key, you can tap it on your keyboard to quickly insert the symbol into your Word document.
How to Type the Does Not Equal Sign in Google Docs
Google Docs is a web-based word processor that is fast gaining popularity because of the fact that it’s free and only requires a web browser. Google Docs comes with many of the features available in Word such as the ability to choose and select any symbol or special character for direct insertion into your documents.
To type the not equal sign in Google Docs, first open your document and then click the Insert tab on the menu bar. On the resulting dropdown menu, select Special Characters.
You can now choose your preferred symbol or special character to insert into your document. We need to find the not equal sign (≠), so click the second dropdown field (after “Symbols”) and select “Math.”
Once you’ve found the not equal to symbol (≠), click it to instantly insert it into your Google Docs document.
If you have a hard time looking for the symbol, you can search for it by typing “not equal to” in the “Search by keyword” field on the right.
How to Insert the Not Equal Symbol Using Character Map
If you’ve tried all the aforementioned methods and nothing still works, you can use the Character Map application in Windows. The Character Map allows you to find and copy any symbol or special character, and it comes pre-installed in most Windows computers so you don’t have to download and install it yourself.
To launch the Character Map, click the Windows Start button on the bottom-left corner of the screen, and scroll down the list of applications. Click Windows Accessories and then select Character Map.
Alternatively, you may type “Character Map” in the Windows search bar on the taskbar and then click the first result to open the Character Map application.
There are literally thousands of symbols and characters to choose from in Character Map, but don’t worry because it’s easy to find the symbol that you’re looking for.
Simply tick the “Advanced View” checkbox near the bottom of the Character Map dialog. Type “not equal” in the “Search for” field and then click Search to show the not equal sign (≠).
To copy the symbol, click to highlight it, and then click the Select and Copy buttons. Go back to your document or application, and paste the copied symbol by tapping Ctrl + V on your keyboard, or by right-clicking with your mouse and selecting Paste.
How to Type the Not Equal Symbol on Your Android Phone
Ever wondered how to type the does not equal sign on your smartphone? You don’t need to install a third-party keyboard app because the default Android keyboard Gboard lets you type the not equal symbol (≠) on your smartphone.
To type the not equal sign on your Android phone, tap the ?123 and =\< keys until you will find the = (equal) key. Long press the = key until a popup bubble appears, and then slide your finger over the ≠ sign. Finally, lift your finger to insert the symbol into your document or application.
How to Type the Not Equal Sign on the iPhone or iPad
Typing the doesn’t equal sign in iOS is similar to that on Android. Using the iOS keyboard of your iPhone or iPad, find the = (equal) key by tapping the 123 and #+= keys. Long press the = key until a popup bubble appears. Swipe over the ≠ symbol and lift your finger to insert the sign into your document or application.
How to Type the Not Equal Sign as HTML Code
If you want to include the not equal symbol in your website or web application, you can do so by using this HTML code:
≠Copy and Paste the Not Equal Sign
Perhaps you only want to copy the not equal sign (≠) and insert it into your document. Just click the box below to instantly copy the symbol to your clipboard (no need to right-click with your mouse or type Ctrl + C).
After copying the symbol, go back to your document and paste it by pressing Ctrl + V on your keyboard, or by right-clicking and selecting Paste. If you’re on mobile, just long press or hold down and select Paste.
Final Thoughts
Although not as popular as its close cousin, the equal sign (=), the doesn’t equal sign still has many uses not only in mathematics but also in everyday life. The biggest obstacle to its widespread usage is the fact that QWERTY keyboards don’t support it. Thankfully, there are several ways to type the symbol including but not limited to keyboard shortcuts.
If you still have trouble typing the not equal to sign (≠) despite going over this article, you can simply copy the symbol from this page and paste it (Ctrl + V) into your document.
