Alt codes allow users to enter symbols and characters not on their keyboard by holding down the “Alt” key and typing a numeric code. This feature is useful for language-specific characters, copyright and trademark symbols, and system symbols. Alt codes can be used on keyboards without a separate number pad by activating an integrated number pad. The codes identify a position in a character set and can refer to either Windows or DOS-based code pages.
An Alt code is a technique used on computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system or disk operating system (DOS). The technique allows you to enter symbols and characters that aren’t on your keyboard by holding down the alternate character, or “Alt” key, of which there are usually two on a keyboard positioned either side of the space bar – while typing in a code. The technique allows localized keyboard layouts to produce language-specific system characters and symbols without requiring any hardware changes.
In order to use an Alt code, the Num Lock, usually designated as “Num Lock,” on the keyboard must be on. By holding down the “Alt” key and simultaneously typing a numeric code, Alt Codes allow the user to display characters and symbols that are not normally available directly from a standard localized keyboard. The code must be entered using the numeric keypad to the right of the main keypad section of a standard keypad.
This feature can be especially useful when typing words in another language, for reproducing copyright and trademark symbols, and for inserting system symbols into a text document. For example, holding down the “Alt” key and typing the numbers “0”, “2”, “3”, and “3” will produce a lowercase e with an acute accent — é. The uppercase version of the letter can be obtained by pressing the “Alt” key, then “0”, “2”, “0” and “1”. There are several websites on the Internet that specifically list all variations of the Alt code and the resulting character display.
Some keyboards, such as laptop keyboards and smaller wireless keyboards, don’t have a separate number pad as standard. Alt codes can still be used on these keyboards by activating an integrated number pad. Most smaller keyboards and laptop keyboards have alphanumeric key assignments whereby the letter keys can be used as a numeric keypad. Simultaneously holding down the function key – usually referred to as “Fn” – and the Num Lock key, you can activate the functionality of the numeric keypad. The alphanumeric keyboard can then be used to enter an Alt code in the same way as a standard keyboard.
By typing an Alt code, the user actually identifies a position in a character set and brings it to the screen. Codes starting with a zero refer to the Windows code page, often called Windows-1252. If the Alt code used does not start with a zero, it refers to a DOS-based code page.
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