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Apostrophe Symbol (’)
The apostrophe (') shows possession and missing letters — and the curly ' on this page is the proper typographic one.
Apostrophe codes
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| Unicode code point | U+2019 |
| Unicode name | Right Single Quotation Mark |
| HTML named entity | ’ |
| HTML decimal | ’ |
| HTML hex | ’ |
| CSS content code | \2019 |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u2019 |
| Windows Alt code | No standard Alt code — copy it from the card above |
Apostrophe variants (5)
5 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.
Meaning & usage
There are two apostrophes in the wild: the straight typewriter ' (U+0027) that keyboards produce, and the curly ' (U+2019) that books and phones' smart punctuation use. The curly one is the 'real' apostrophe of publishing: it's, don't, the dogs' bones.
Straight ones are for code and measurements (5' = 5 feet). This page carries the curly form that makes documents and posts look professionally typeset.
Examples in use
- It's the baker's own recipe
- the class of '26
- rock 'n' roll
How to type the apostrophe
Windows
There is no Alt code or direct key for ’. In Microsoft Word, type 2019 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 "Apostrophe", 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 2019 and press Enter (works in most GTK apps and terminals with IBus). Or copy it from this page.
Frequently asked questions
Which apostrophe should I copy?
For normal writing, copy the curly ' on this page — it matches published books and looks right in names. For programming and plain-text data, the straight ' from your keyboard is expected.
Why does my phone change ' into '?
That is smart punctuation: your phone swaps the typewriter apostrophe for the typographic one because it looks better. Documents usually thank it; code editors usually disable it.
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+2019 (Right Single Quotation Mark). The character itself is fine — try a different font or a newer device, or use one of the variants on this page.
Is the Apostrophe 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.
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Data: Unicode Character Database · Page updated 2026-11-13