Low asterisk ⁎
An asterisk that sits down on the baseline, level with the bottom of the letters, instead of up high.
Low asterisk codes
| Unicode | U+204E |
| Official name | LOW ASTERISK |
| Unicode block | General Punctuation |
| HTML (hex) | ⁎ |
| HTML (decimal) | ⁎ |
| CSS | content: "\204E"; |
| JavaScript | "\u204E" |
| Python | "\N{LOW ASTERISK}" |
| URL-encoded | %E2%81%8E |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 81 8E |
How to type ⁎
- Mac: press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer and search for “low asterisk”. Or switch to the Unicode Hex Input keyboard, hold Option and type
204E. - Windows: in Word, type
204Eand press Alt + X. Windows has no Alt code for this character, so copying it from this page is the fastest route in other apps. - Chromebook and Linux: press Ctrl + Shift + U, type
204e, 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
;asttypes it for you. Here's how on iPhone.
What the low asterisk is used for
- A footnote or note marker that doesn't stick up above the line.
- Decorative separators and usernames where a low mark looks tidier.
- Lining up with the baseline in tightly set text.
Good to know
Compare *⁎ side by side: same shape, different height. It's handy when a raised asterisk would collide with an accent or the line above in tightly set text.
Will it show up? Supported by most modern system fonts. Very old Android or Windows versions may show a box.