Home › Punctuation & Text Symbols › Exclamation Mark
Exclamation Mark Symbol (!)
The exclamation mark (!) adds feeling — excitement, warnings, commands and surprise all borrow its energy.
Exclamation Mark codes
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| Unicode code point | U+0021 |
| Unicode name | Exclamation Mark |
| HTML named entity | ! |
| HTML decimal | ! |
| HTML hex | ! |
| CSS content code | \21 |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u0021 |
| Windows Alt code | No standard Alt code — copy it from the card above |
Exclamation Mark variants (5)
5 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.
Meaning & usage
The ! probably began as the Latin word 'io' (hurray!) written with the i over the o. It shouts so words don't have to: warnings (!), celebrations (Yes!), commands (Stop!) and, in maths, factorials — 5! means 5×4×3×2×1 = 120.
Programmers read it as 'not'. One is usually enough; professionals ration them, which is exactly why a single ! in a formal email now feels loud.
Examples in use
- Watch out!
- We did it!
- 5! = 120 in maths
How to type the exclamation mark
Windows
There is no Alt code or direct key for !. In Microsoft Word, type 0021 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 "Exclamation Mark", 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 0021 and press Enter (works in most GTK apps and terminals with IBus). Or copy it from this page.
Frequently asked questions
What does ! mean in maths?
After a number it is the factorial: 5! = 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 120. The symbol was introduced in 1808.
Why do programmers call ! 'bang'?
In Unix and coding slang, punctuation gets short names: ! is 'bang', # is 'hash', and != is read as 'not equal'.
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+0021 (Exclamation 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 Exclamation Mark 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