# Is there a symbol for the microsoft Windows Key? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 4, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472 "2011-08-04T15:38:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/1 "2011-08-04T15:38:55Z")
I’m writing documentation, and I want to include that key on a Microsoft box’s keyboard ,that’s usually in the lowest row, with the Windows logo on it. Is there a symbol for it? Or any easy way to get it in a document? ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/2 "2011-08-04T16:05:09Z")
There’s no Windows logo in Unicode, but there is such a glyph in the Wingdings font, mapped to code 255. You might be able to insert it by typing a **ÿ** character in your normal typeface (e.g. Times Roman) and then converting the character to Wingdings. (I’m assuming you’re using an ordinary word processor.) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/3 "2011-08-04T16:06:31Z")
In MS Word: 1. select from the menu bar Insert \> Symbol 2. dialog box opens, with character map of all available symbols 3. change font to Wingdings 4. Windows symbol is the last one on the list. 5. double click on the symbol to insert. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/4 "2011-08-04T16:10:41Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/5 "2011-08-04T16:48:40Z")
ÿ … ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/6 "2011-08-04T17:06:02Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > ÿ .. Apparently, not universal. I see a y with an umlaut. (ETA: Of course, I suspect that being a Mac would be the reason for this. 🙂 I doubt Windows has the Apple logo.) ETA2: Actually, the Windows logo does exist in my fonts. The browser apparently is just not picking up wingdings for whatever reason. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/7 "2011-08-04T17:14:20Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Apparently, not universal. I see a y with an umlaut. You could probably install the Wingdings font, and it would show up. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/8 "2011-08-04T17:33:16Z")
I have the Wingdings font, and, indeed, was able to get my word processor to display the Windows symbol by using it, but I still see a **y** with an umlaut in **Fear Itself** ’s post. Presumably, to see the symbol in a browser requires the browser font settings to be configured in a certain (and, I suspect, non-standard) way. Incidentally, this thread led me to discover that Windows 7, despite appearances, does still have the old Character Map application that actually enables you to find font specific symbols like this. It is hidden away, though. You have to go to Control panel --\> Fonts, and then click “Find a character” in the left side menu. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/9 "2011-08-04T17:41:44Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Apparently, not universal. I see a y with an umlaut. (ETA: Of course, I suspect that being a Mac would be the reason for this. 🙂 I doubt Windows has the Apple logo.) FYI, I’m on a Windows XP PC. In Firefox, I get the Y with the umluat, but in IE7, I get the logo. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/10 "2011-08-04T17:42:57Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Incidentally, this thread led me to discover that Windows 7, despite appearances, does still have the old Character Map application that actually enables you to find font specific symbols like this. It is hidden away, though. You have to go to Control panel –\> Fonts, and then click “Find a character” in the left side menu. You can also do Start----\>Run and type “charmap” (without quotes). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/11 "2011-08-04T18:17:43Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > You could probably install the Wingdings font, and it would show up. I do have Wingdings (and Wingdings 2 & 3), but Chrome apparently doesn’t load it up. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/12 "2011-08-07T02:11:24Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I do have Wingdings (and Wingdings 2 & 3), but Chrome apparently doesn’t load it up. I think it’s a mapping policy in the browser or the OS. Wingdings itself is being found, but character 255 (ÿ) is not a member, so the browser resorts to another font to actually render the glyph. For example, here are two characters, which I’ve enclosed in a FONT=“Wingdings” block: ☺ ÿ The first character is [U+263A](http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/263a/index.htm), “WHITE SMILING FACE”, which _is_ in Wingdings, and which displays as such, in my browser at least. The second character is our friend “code 255”, but that’s still going to be interpreted as Unicode — character U+00FF, y-with-diaeresis. What you’d need to do is somehow say, “here is a 255, but please use the font-specific encoding of the current font to map it to a glyph.” I don’t know of a way to do that in vBulletin. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/13 "2011-08-07T02:25:22Z")
Man, I’m glad you smart folks are here, 'cause I thought “WTF???” when I saw this, and was about to answer “sercond key on far left bottom”, before I read the thread through!:)🙂 Q ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/14 "2011-08-07T03:13:20Z")
It’s actually against web standards to use text to make graphics, as it screws up screen readers (for people with eyesight problems). This is why Firefox does not display Wingdings or Webdings. In places where ^ is Control, @ is Alt, and $ is shift, I see the windows key represented by #. Otherwise, I’d replace it with a small image, with the alt text “Windows key” for screen readers. EDIT: 😌 works because it’s not actually a Wingding, but a standard character. And since the name of that character is “white smiling face,” it doesn’t mess up screen readers. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/15 "2011-08-07T07:01:15Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Incidentally, this thread led me to discover that Windows 7, despite appearances, does still have the old Character Map application that actually enables you to find font specific symbols like this. It is hidden away, though. You have to go to Control panel –\> Fonts, and then click “Find a character” in the left side menu. Wha…? All of my Windows 7 machines have the Character Map application listed in the Start Menu, under Accessories –\> System Tools. I use it all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/16 "2011-08-07T07:08:53Z")
> [@Bytegeist](#): > > I think it’s a mapping policy in the browser or the OS. Wingdings itself is being found, but character 255 (ÿ) is not a member, so the browser resorts to another font to actually render the glyph. > > For example, here are two characters, which I’ve enclosed in a FONT=“Wingdings” block: > > ☺ ÿ > > The first character is [U+263A](http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/263a/index.htm), “WHITE SMILING FACE”, which _is_ in Wingdings, and which displays as such, in my browser at least. The second character is our friend “code 255”, but that’s still going to be interpreted as Unicode — character U+00FF, y-with-diaeresis. > > What you’d need to do is somehow say, “here is a 255, but please use the font-specific encoding of the current font to map it to a glyph.” I don’t know of a way to do that in vBulletin. Ok, when I view this post in Firefox I see the white smiley face and the y umlaut, but in IE8 I see _a hand holding a pen_ and not the white smiley face (I do however see the Windows key symbol instead of the umlauted (sic) y). ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/17 "2011-08-07T14:04:58Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > Ok, when I view this post in Firefox I see the white smiley face and the y umlaut, but in IE8 I see _a hand holding a pen_ and not the white smiley face (I do however see the Windows key symbol instead of the umlauted (sic) y). Yep, multiple browser support are fun for the devs. Under Win7 I see this: IE8: hand with pen & Windows logo FF3.6.12: white smiley face & Y-umlaut Chrome 13.0.782.107: white smiley face & windows logo Three browsers, three diferent renderings. ---
**Author:** ![kab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e68b1a/32.png) [@kab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kab1)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/18 "2013-02-28T22:42:11Z")
Use Marlett font and type capital ‘W’. ---
**Author:** ![j\_sum1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8baadc/32.png) [@j\_sum1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j_sum1)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/19 "2013-03-01T00:01:33Z")
> [@kab1](#): > > Use Marlett font and type capital ‘W’. I have never used Marlett. But that is actually quite cool. Might even be useful occasionally. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472/20 "2013-03-01T02:43:41Z")
Back to the OP, if you’re writing key combinations, the standard is simply “win”, like “ctrl” for (what used to be labeled the control key but is labelled simply as CTRL on every keyboard I’ve owned in the last decade), and “alt” for whatever the heck it’s supposed to stand for (possibly alternate, though I’ve only ever said or thought of it as alt). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-symbol-for-the-microsoft-windows-key/591472.md?page=2)