How to Type a British Pound Sign

Computers made in the United States are, understandably, US-centric. There are only so many keys on the keyboard that can be devoted to symbols, which results in some useful symbols being left out, such as the British Pound symbol (£). Fortunately, if you need to type the sign for a British pound, it is possible to do so using a keyboard shortcut.

Instructions

1. On Windows based computers, hold the "Alt" key on the keyboard down.

2. Type the numbers 0-1-6-3 on the numeric keypad. Note that the number row at the top of the keyboard will not work for this function. Many laptops have no numeric keypad, but certain letters on the keyboard can be used for this function through the use of a special key with a label such as "Fn." If you have this type of laptop, you will need to hold both the "Alt" and "Fn" keys while you type the numbers.

3. Release the "Alt" key and the pound symbol will appear.

Tips & Warnings

• Although the steps to type the pound symbol on Windows computers are somewhat complicated, it is considerably easier to do so on a Mac. Hit the "Option" and "3" keys simultaneously to type the British pound symbol on a Mac.

References

• Type the British Pound Symbol in Windows
• Type the British Pound Symbol in Mac OS X