Home › Punctuation & Text Symbols › Colon
Colon Symbol (:)
The colon (:) introduces things — lists, explanations, quotations — and separates hours from minutes (12:30) and ratios (2:1).
Colon codes
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| Unicode code point | U+003A |
| Unicode name | Colon |
| HTML named entity | : |
| HTML decimal | : |
| HTML hex | : |
| CSS content code | \3A |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u003A |
| Windows Alt code | No standard Alt code — copy it from the card above |
Colon variants (3)
3 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.
Meaning & usage
The colon (:) introduces things — lists, explanations, quotations — and separates hours from minutes (12:30) and ratios (2:1). Its two dots make it the vertical cousin of the semicolon. In URLs it follows the scheme (https:) and in file paths it once ruled Mac disks.
Examples in use
- Copy : into a post, document or message
How to type the colon
Windows
There is no Alt code or direct key for :. In Microsoft Word, type 003A 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 "Colon", 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 003a 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+003A) 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 003A 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+003A (Colon). The character itself is fine — try a different font or a newer device, or use one of the variants on this page.
Is the Colon 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
More in Punctuation & Text Symbols · All symbols
Data: Unicode Character Database · Page updated 2026-11-13