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Tilde Symbol (~)
The tilde (~) means 'about', shortens home folders in computing, and turns n into ñ in Spanish.
Tilde codes
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| Unicode code point | U+007E |
| Unicode name | Tilde |
| HTML named entity | None — use the decimal or hex code below |
| HTML decimal | ~ |
| HTML hex | ~ |
| CSS content code | \7E |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u007E |
| Windows Alt code | No standard Alt code — copy it from the card above |
Tilde variants (6)
6 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.
Meaning & usage
The tilde is the wavy line with a split personality. In everyday writing ~50 means 'roughly fifty' — which is why its close cousin ≈ does the same job in maths. In Spanish and Portuguese it changes the sound of letters, as in ñ and ã.
And in computing it is the shortcut for your home folder (~/documents) and part of web addresses for personal pages. As a decorative wave it also shows up in Japanese and Korean text for a friendly, drawn-out tone~
Examples in use
- ~30 people came (≈30)
- cd ~/projects on Linux and Mac
- jalapeño — the tilde makes the ñ
How to type the tilde
Windows
Press Shift+` (the key under Esc) — the Tilde is a standard keyboard character.
Mac
Press Shift+` (the key under Esc) — the same as on Windows.
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 007e and press Enter (works in most GTK apps and terminals with IBus). Or copy it from this page.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the tilde key?
On US keyboards it shares the key with the backtick, top-left under Esc — press Shift+` to get ~.
What is the difference between ~ and ≈?
In casual writing they mean the same thing — approximately. In formal maths, ≈ is the correct symbol; ~ there can also mean 'proportional to' or 'similar to'.
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+007E (Tilde). The character itself is fine — try a different font or a newer device, or use one of the variants on this page.
Is the Tilde 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