How to Use a Tilde in a Windows Document

A tilde is the little character that looks like this: ~. When used with a letter (such as "n"), it looks like this: ñ.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer Keyboards
• Plastic Keyboard Covers

1. To insert a tilde in a Windows document, locate the ~ key on your keyboard. The tilde key is usually located in the upper left-hand corner of the keyboard.

2. Hold down the Shift key, then tap the key. The ~ character will appear.

3. To use the tilde over a letter, open the Windows Character Map. (Open the Start menu, then choose Programs, then Accessories, then System Tools and then Character Map.)

4. Choose the font you want to use.

5. Click the letter with the tilde from the map. Click Select, then click Copy.

6. Paste the character into your document.

Tips & Warnings

• Tildes are often used in Web URLs to reach Web sites that are "piggybacking" on a a larger site. For example, you might see a URL that reads: http://www.bigsite.com/~mysite.
• The tilde is also used in European and Asian languages written in the Roman alphabet.
• "Tilde" is pronounced "till-deh."