Asterisk *

Asterisk codes

Unicode	U+002A
Official name	ASTERISK
Unicode block	Basic Latin
HTML (hex)	*
HTML (decimal)	*
HTML (named)	* *
CSS	content: "\002A";
JavaScript	"\u002A"
Python	"\N{ASTERISK}"
URL-encoded	%2A
UTF-8 bytes	2A

How to type *

• Keyboard: On US and UK keyboards, press Shift + 8. Most full-size keyboards also have a * key on the number pad.
• Mac: press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer and search for “asterisk”. Or switch to the Unicode Hex Input keyboard, hold Option and type 002A.
• Windows: in Word, type 002A and press Alt + X. Anywhere else, hold Alt and type 42 on the number pad.
• Chromebook and Linux: press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 002a, then press Space or Enter.
• iPhone and Android: copy it from this page, then save it as a text replacement so a short code like ;ast types it for you. Here's how on iPhone.

What the asterisk is used for

• Marking a footnote or a disclaimer: *Terms apply.
• Multiplication in programming languages, calculators and spreadsheets (2*3).
• A wildcard in file searches, shells and many search tools (*.pdf).
• Bold and italic text in Markdown, Slack, WhatsApp and Discord.
• Correcting a typo in a chat message (*their).
• Marking required fields on forms.
• Hiding letters in a censored word.

Good to know

Its ASCII and Unicode value is 42 in decimal, so it's one of the first 128 characters every computer agrees on. In most text fonts it sits high, near the top of capital letters, with five or six arms. Programming fonts usually lower it to the middle of the line so it reads well as a multiplication sign.

Similar asterisks