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Absolute Value (Vertical Bar) Symbol (|)

Absolute value wears vertical bars: |−5| = 5 — the distance from zero, sign ignored.

Vertical Line · U+007C · Math Symbols

Click the symbol or the button to copy it, then paste it anywhere — documents, messages, bios and code.

Absolute Value (Vertical Bar) codes

Code	Value
Unicode code point	`U+007C`
Unicode name	`Vertical Line`
HTML named entity	`\|`
HTML decimal	`\|`
HTML hex	`\|`
CSS content code	`\7C`
JavaScript / JSON	`\u007C`
Windows Alt code	No standard Alt code — copy it from the card above

Absolute Value (Vertical Bar) variants (4)

4 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.

∣Divides∤Does Not Divide∥Parallel To∦Not Parallel To

Meaning & usage

Absolute value wears vertical bars: |−5| = 5 — the distance from zero, sign ignored. The same bar glyph (the 'pipe') separates options in grammar, pipes data between programs in computing, and divides in maths (a|b means a divides b). One character, four careers.

Examples in use

Copy | into a post, document or message

How to type the absolute value (vertical bar)

Windows

There is no Alt code or direct key for |. In Microsoft Word, type 007C and press Alt+X to convert it. Everywhere else, click the Copy button at the top of this page and paste it (Ctrl+V) — that always works.

Mac

There is no Option-key shortcut for | on a Mac. Open the Character Viewer with Control+Command+Space, search for "Absolute Value (Vertical Bar)", and double-click to insert — or copy it from this page.

iPhone & Android

Most phone keyboards have no built-in key for |. Open this page on your phone, tap Copy, then paste it into your message or bio. (On Android, Gboard's emoji search finds some symbols by name.)

Linux

Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 007c and press Enter (works in most GTK apps and terminals with IBus). Or copy it from this page.

Frequently asked questions

How do I copy the | symbol?

Click the big | in the card at the top of this page — it copies as a standard Unicode character (U+007C) and pastes anywhere.

How do I type | on a keyboard?

There is no standard keyboard shortcut or Alt code for |. Copy it from this page, or in Microsoft Word type 007C and press Alt+X.

Why does | sometimes show as a box or question mark?

The box (called tofu) means the device or font viewing it has no drawing for U+007C (Vertical Line). The character itself is fine — try a different font or a newer device, or use one of the variants on this page.

Is the Absolute Value (Vertical Bar) free to use?

Yes. | is a standard Unicode text character published in the Unicode Character Database. You may use it in personal and commercial documents, designs and products without permission or payment.

Related symbols

±Plus-Minus Symbol ≠Not Equal To Symbol