Math symbols · U+D7

×Multiplication symbol

× is the Multiplication character. It is text, not a picture — it takes the colour of the type around it and pastes into anything.

How to type it
Unicode
U+D7
Alt code
Alt+215
HTML
×
Unicode name
Multiplication Sign
×
Your font
01 — Origin

Where the Multiplication symbol comes from

William Oughtred introduced the cross for multiplication in 1631. Leibniz objected almost immediately because it is too easily confused with the letter x, and proposed the dot instead — an argument he effectively won, since higher mathematics uses ⋅ or nothing at all.

Dimensions, resolutions and ratios: 1920 × 1080, 3 × 4 metres, 2× speed. In product copy it does work the letter x cannot, because it lines up vertically with the digits around it.

Worth knowing
Typing a lowercase x instead is the single most common typographic error in dimensions. The multiplication sign is wider, centred on the maths axis, and does not italicise.
02 — Codes

Multiplication symbol codes

Tap any value to copy it. All of them produce the same character — they just belong to different places.

03 — How to type

How to type × on any keyboard

Keyboard, code, markup or document — the route to U+D7 differs by tool.

Windows
Hold Alt and type 215 on the numeric keypad, then release. Without a keypad, use the Character Map app (search “charmap”).
Mac
Press Control + Command + Space to open the character viewer, then search “multiplication”. Double-click to insert.
Phone
There is no shortcut on a phone keyboard. Tap the symbol at the top of this page, then long-press in any text field and choose Paste.
Web and code
In HTML write × or ×. In CSS content: "\00D7". Make sure the page is served as UTF-8 and the raw character works too.
04 — Font support

Will × actually show up?

We checked 147 fonts installed on a normal machine and counted how many of them contain this character. A symbol missing from a font is drawn as an empty box — the text is still correct, it just cannot be drawn.

97% 143 of 147 fonts

Safe everywhere. This one is in almost every font ever installed, including the defaults on Windows, Mac and Android.

05 — Similar

Symbols people confuse with ×

Close enough to be mistaken for it, and still a different code point every time.

± Plus-Minus SignU+B1 · has its own page ÷ Division SignU+F7 · has its own page
06 — Related

Other mathematical symbols

The rest of the family, one page each — origin, typing routes and font support, across all 6.

µ Micro symbolIn 95% of system fonts ° Degree symbolIn 97% of system fonts ∞ Infinity symbolIn 89% of system fonts √ Square root symbolIn 89% of system fonts ∫ Integral symbolIn 89% of system fonts ≠ Not equal symbolIn 89% of system fonts
07 — Same block

Math symbols

Operators, set theory, logic, calculus — everything past the number row.

All math symbols →
08 — FAQ

Multiplication symbol — questions

How do I type the Multiplication symbol?
On Windows hold Alt and type 215 on the numeric keypad. On Mac open the character viewer with Control + Command + Space and search “Multiplication”. Or just tap the symbol on this page — it goes straight to your clipboard.
What is the HTML code for ×?
Write it as × or × in HTML, \00D7 in CSS content, and \u00D7 in JavaScript. All four produce the same character.
Is × an emoji?
No. × is a text character — it takes the colour of the text around it and works in usernames, filenames and documents. An emoji is replaced by a colour picture and is sometimes stripped by forms and systems.
Why does × show as a box on some devices?
Because that font has no drawing for this character. We checked 147 fonts on a normal machine and 143 of them include it. The character itself is always correct; only the drawing is missing.