What is the exclamation mark?

Alternatively referred to as an exclamation point or bang, an exclamation mark “!” is a punctuation mark found on the 1 key on a standard United States QWERTY keyboard.

Exclamation mark use in computer

The image below is an example of exclamation marks in Microsoft Windows. As shown, there are 5 exclamation marks signs on five devices listed in the Windows device manager. These exclamation marks indicate errors with these hardware devices.

Typing the Exclamation mark symbol/emoji (!)

This is a detailed guide with several methods you can use to type or insert the exclamation mark symbol text anywhere on your PC keyboard, like in Microsoft Word/Excel/PowerPoint or somewhere in your browser like Google Docs.

You’ll learn all the easy methods to get the exclamation mark symbol shortcut and alt code.

Let’s get to work without wasting much time.

Quick Guide for typing the Exclamation mark symbol (!)

To make an exclamation mark symbol anywhere on your PC or laptop keyboard (like in Microsoft Word or Excel), simply press down the alt key and type 33 using the numeric keypad on the left side of your keyboard.

The table below contains everything you need to know to be able to make exclamation mark symbol on Windows.

If you are using Windows, the above information is enough for you to make the exclamation mark symbol into your Word/Excel document.

However, if you are not satisfied with this quick help, keep reading below as I will explain in detail, how to get the exclamation mark symbol text or any other similar exclamation mark symbol anywhere on your Windows PC like in MS Word/Excel/PowerPoint.

As you may already know, there are several dual-purpose keys on the Windows keyboard. That is to say that there are symbols readily available as second keys on the keyboard. Just by pressing two or more keys simultaneously, you can easily insert such symbol into your document. For example, pressing shift + 2 keys give you the @ sign.

However, other symbols aren’t printed on the keyboard as second keys. This makes it difficult to type. One of these symbols is the exclamation mark symbol text (!)

Typing becomes very difficult for you if you need to add some of these symbols regularly into your document. But it doesn’t have to be difficult. Especially now that you are reading this detailed step-by-step guide.

Shortcuts for similar exclamation mark symbols on keyboard

How to Make Exclamation mark symbol/emoji on your keyboard?

Now, I will show you all the easy ways to type or insert exclamation mark symbol anywhere on your Windows (such as Word or Excel or PowerPoint) or Mac.

Without any further delay, below are the methods explained in detail.

Method #1: Typing an Exclamation mark symbol/emoji on keyboard

Using Alt code Shortcut for Exclamation mark symbol for windows

Windows has several shortcuts for symbols, some of which work only in Microsoft Word. However, there’s a Windows shortcut for the exclamation mark symbol that works across all applications. It is the alt code shortcut which is Alt+33.

Now, I’ll further explain the alt code shortcut for the exclamation mark symbol.

Method #2: Typing an Exclamation mark symbol/emoji on keyboard

Exclamation mark symbol Alt Code (For Windows and Mac)

The keyboard shortcut for the exclamation mark symbol is Shift + 1 for both Windows and Mac. For windows, the exclamation mark sign alt code is 33. Every symbol in Word has a unique code that you can use to insert the symbol into your document. This code is known as “alt code”.

Below are the steps to type exclamation mark symbol on your keyboard by using the alt code mentioned above:

• Press the num lock key to enable the numeric keypad. Use Fn key + NumLk keys to turn on Num Lock on laptops without the numeric keypad.
• Press and hold the alt key and type 33 using the numeric keypad.
• After typing the alt code (i.e., 33), release the [Alt] key.

Once you’ll release the alt key, the exclamation mark sign will appear in your document.

Method #3: Typing an exclamation mark symbol/emoji on keyboard

Using insert symbol dialog

This approach isn’t as straightforward as the shortcut methods. But it’s fairly simple. And once you get the symbol into your document, you can always copy and paste it again when you need it into your document.

Below are the steps to insert the exclamation mark symbol in Word using the insert symbol dialog.

• Go to the Insert tab.

• On the insert tab, click the symbol button and choose more symbol…

These few clicks will bring up the symbol dialog box.

• Under the symbol’s tab, in the subset drop-down list, type and select Basic Latin. Now, type 0021 in the character code field. Once you’ll type the character code, you’ll get the exclamation mark symbol selected.

• Click on the insert button.
• Alternatively, double-clicking on the exclamation mark symbol will also insert the symbol into your document.
• Click the close button.

This is how you may insert an exclamation mark symbol text in Word using the insert symbol dialog.

Method #4: Typing an exclamation mark symbol/emoji on keyboard

Word’s AutoCorrect for the Exclamation mark symbol Text

You can also type the exclamation mark symbol text using the autocorrect feature in Word. It is a feature in MS Word designed for correcting spelling mistakes like thsi to this. Using this autocorrect feature, you can assign a shortcode to the exclamation mark sign (such as EMTT).

This way, whenever you type the text EMTT, Word will think that you actually wanted to type (!) and will convert it into the exclamation mark symbol for you automatically.

• Click add, and then hit the OK button.

Now, word will automatically insert the exclamation mark symbol into your document whenever you type EMTT.

Things you should remember before using the autocorrect feature in Word

Below are some things to take into consideration when you are using the autocorrect method to insert the exclamation mark sign.

• Autocorrect is case-sensitive. Meaning if you type emtt (in lowercase), Word will not convert it into the exclamation mark unless you type EMTT (in uppercase).
• If there is any text before or after the autocorrect text, Word will consider the autocorrect text as part of the text and hence will not convert it to the down-pointing symbol. For example, GetEMTT (without space) will not get converted, but Get EMTT (with space) will get converted to Get !.

Method #5: Typing an Exclamation mark symbol/emoji on keyboard

Copy and paste the exclamation mark symbol text

You can simply copy the exclamation mark symbol text given below and paste it into your document.

!

My favorite method for inserting symbol which I can’t easily type is copy and paste.

With this method, all you need to do is google the symbol you need to type, then copy it from one of the search results provided. Once you get the symbol into your document, you can always recopy and paste it as and when the need arises.

There is another way to copy this and any other symbol on Windows. It involves using the Windows character map.

Obey the steps below to copy and paste any symbol using the character map.

• Search for the character map app by clicking on the start button.

• The character map app will show up in the search results. Click on it to launch.
• After the character map window opens up, click to check the advance view checkbox to expand the window for more advanced options.

• On the advanced view section, type an exclamation mark in the search box.

• The symbol you searched for (i.e., the exclamation mark) will now appear on the character map. Double click on it to select it. You’ll see that the symbol appears in the characters to copy the text box. This allows you to select and copy several symbols at the same time.
• After selecting the symbol, you wish to copy, click on the copy button.
• Switch over to wherever you need the symbol, whether in MS Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, and press Ctrl + V to paste.

This is how you may copy and paste the exclamation mark symbol using the character map on Windows.

Method #6: Typing an Exclamation mark symbol/emoji on keyboard

HOW TO ADD EXCLAMATION MARK symbol/emoji IN HTML?

To add the exclamation mark symbol in HTML, you can use an HTML entity, an HTML code (decimal), and a Hex code. Use the shortcode section to copy the various shortcodes for the exclamation mark sign. Here is the example:

<span>&#33;</span>

HOW TO ADD EXCLAMATION MARK symbol /emoji IN CSS?

To add the exclamation mark sign in CSS, you can use a CSS entity or CSS shortcode. Use the shortcode section to copy the CSS code for the exclamation mark symbol.

Here is the example:

span {
  content: "\0021";
}

Conclusion

As you can see, these are the various ways you can use to type the exclamation mark symbol text in Word/Excel with or without using the keyboard.

My favorite method is using the copy and paste method followed by the exclamation mark symbol shortcut in Word. The alt code method also comes handy.

For any comments or questions about this exclamation mark symbol guide, please let me know in the comments section below.