Not Equal Sign (≠): How to Type the Does Not Equal Symbol — Complete Guide

The not equal sign — written ≠ in math and rendered as !=, <>, ~=, or /= in different programming languages — is one of the most-used inequality symbols anywhere in computing. This guide covers every way to type it, paste it, encode it, and use it as an operator: across Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, iOS, and Android; inside Word, Excel, Google Docs, and LaTeX; and in 20+ programming languages with their exact syntax.

Copy the not equal sign

If you just want the symbol, here it is:

≠

Triple-click the box above to select, then copy. Useful Unicode metadata:

Quick reference: every way to type ≠

How to type ≠ on Windows

Method 1: Alt code (fastest if you have a number pad)

1. Make sure Num Lock is on.
2. Hold Alt and type 8800 on the numeric keypad.
3. Release Alt. The ≠ appears.

This works in most Windows applications including Notepad, Outlook, Slack, Discord, and browsers. It does not work using the number row at the top of the keyboard — only the dedicated number pad.

Method 2: Windows emoji and symbol panel

Press Win+. (Windows key + period) to open the emoji panel. Click the Ω symbols tab, choose Math Symbols, and click ≠. Works on any laptop without a number pad.

Method 3: Character Map

Press Win, type Character Map, open it, search for "not equal", select ≠, click Copy, then paste.

Method 4: AutoHotkey (if you type ≠ often)

::neq::≠

With this hotstring loaded, typing neq followed by space auto-replaces with ≠.

How to type ≠ on macOS

The shortcut on every Mac keyboard is:

Option+=

That's the equals key (the one to the left of Delete), held with the Option (⌥) key. Works in every macOS app — TextEdit, Pages, Notes, Safari, Slack, VS Code.

If the shortcut is intercepted by the active app, open Edit → Emoji & Symbols (or press Ctrl+Cmd+Space), search for not equal, double-click the ≠ to insert.

For frequent use, set up a Text Replacement: System Settings → Keyboard → Text Replacements. Add :neq: → ≠. After that, typing :neq: anywhere on macOS or iOS (when iCloud sync is on) inserts ≠.

How to type ≠ on Linux

Compose key

If you've enabled a Compose key (typically Right-Alt, Right-Win, or Caps Lock):

Compose = / → ≠

To enable a Compose key on GNOME: Settings → Keyboard → Compose Key. On KDE: System Settings → Keyboard → Advanced → Position of Compose key.

Ctrl+Shift+U Unicode entry

In any GTK or Qt-based app (which is most of them), hold Ctrl+Shift+U, type 2260, and press Enter or release the keys.

xmodmap or .XCompose

For more permanent bindings, add a line like this to ~/.XCompose:

<Multi_key> <equal> <slash> : "≠"

Chromebook / ChromeOS

ChromeOS supports the same Unicode hex input as Linux:

1. Hold Ctrl+Shift+U.
2. You'll see an underlined u.
3. Type 2260.
4. Press Enter or Space.

Alternative: copy ≠ from this page, then use Right-click → Paste wherever you need it.

iOS and iPadOS

The default Apple keyboard does not expose ≠ directly. Three reliable options:

• Set up a Text Replacement. Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement → add ≠ as the phrase and :neq: as the shortcut. Now typing :neq: anywhere replaces with ≠.
• Use the Emoji keyboard's symbols. Some third-party keyboards expose math symbols directly.
• Copy/paste from this page.

Android

On Gboard (Google's keyboard, default on most Android phones):

1. Tap ?123 to open the symbols layer.
2. Tap =< to open the secondary symbols.
3. Long-press =; ≠ appears as one of the alternates.

On SwiftKey, the path is similar: symbols → secondary symbols → long-press =.

For everyday use, set up a clip on Gboard: tap the clipboard icon, paste ≠, pin it. It now stays one tap away.

Microsoft Word

Word has more ways to insert ≠ than any other application, because of how often it shows up in technical docs.

• Math AutoCorrect: Type \neq and press Space — Word converts it to ≠. Enable under File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options → Math AutoCorrect, including outside math regions.
• Unicode shortcut: Type 2260, then press Alt+X.
• Insert → Symbol: Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, change subset to Mathematical Operators, double-click ≠.
• Equation editor: Alt+= opens the equation editor, then type \neq.

Excel, Google Sheets, and Apple Numbers

In spreadsheet formulas the not-equal operator is <>, not ≠. The Unicode glyph is purely cosmetic in this context.

=IF(A1<>B1, "different", "same")
=COUNTIF(A:A, "<>0")
=SUMPRODUCT((A2:A100<>"")*1)

If you want the literal ≠ glyph in a cell label or chart title, paste it as text — the operator stays <>.

Google Docs and Notion

Both support direct Unicode paste. In Google Docs, also Insert → Special characters, search "not equal".

For Notion, the slash command /equation opens a LaTeX block where \neq renders as ≠.

HTML, CSS, and the web

You have three encodings for the not-equal sign in HTML:

All three render as ≠. The named entity ≠ is shortest and well-supported in every browser since IE6.

In CSS, especially in content: for pseudo-elements, escape the code point:

.no-match::before {
  content: "\2260 ";
}

Note the trailing space after \2260 — without it, the parser would consume the next hex digit if there is one.

LaTeX and math typesetting

The standard command is \neq (or its alias \ne):

$x \neq y$
$5 \ne 7$

Related negations available via the amssymb package:

Not equal in 20+ programming languages

This is the section most general "how to type ≠" guides skip. Here is the complete operator-by-operator matrix.

The classic gotchas

• JavaScript: 0 != "0" is false — they're considered loosely equal. Use !==.
• Python: NaN != NaN is True. So is float("nan") == float("nan") being False. Use math.isnan().
• SQL: NULL <> NULL is NULL, not TRUE. To treat NULL as a value, use IS DISTINCT FROM (Postgres) or wrap in COALESCE.
• Java: "foo" != "foo" is sometimes false because of string interning, sometimes true if one of them was created with new String("foo"). Always use .equals() for strings.
• Perl: "abc" != "xyz" is false because != coerces both to 0. Use ne for strings.

Why does != sometimes look like ≠?

Modern programming fonts — Fira Code, JetBrains Mono, Cascadia Code, Iosevka, Monoid — use OpenType ligatures to render != as a single ≠ glyph. The underlying source is still two characters (! and =); only the rendering changes. Editors using these fonts include VS Code (with "editor.fontLigatures": true), JetBrains IDEs, and most modern terminals.

If you're staring at a screenshot and can't tell whether the source has != or a literal ≠, check the file itself — ligatures are display-only.

What ≠ actually means in math

The not-equal sign asserts that two expressions denote different values. It is the negation of the equals sign (=), introduced by Robert Recorde in 1557 in The Whetstone of Witte.

The exact phrasing of an inequality depends on what you're saying:

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ≠ and !=?

None — they mean the same thing. ≠ is the typographic Unicode glyph used in math and prose. != is the ASCII operator used in most programming languages. Some editors render != as ≠ via ligatures, but the underlying source is two ASCII characters.

What is the Alt code for the not equal sign on Windows?

Alt+8800. You must use the numeric keypad with Num Lock on. The number row at the top of a normal keyboard does not work.

How do I type ≠ on a Mac?

Option+=. That's the equals key with the Option (⌥) modifier.

Is there a not equal symbol on the iPhone keyboard?

Not by default. Set up a Text Replacement under Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement mapping :neq: (or any shortcut you like) to ≠.

Why does != not work in Excel?

Excel's not-equal operator is <>, not !=. Use =IF(A1<>B1, "different", "same").

What's the HTML code for the not equal sign?

Three options, all rendering as ≠: ≠ (named entity), ≠ (decimal), or ≠ (hex).

Why is NaN != NaN true in JavaScript and Python?

By IEEE 754 specification, NaN is not equal to anything — including itself. Use Number.isNaN() in JS or math.isnan() in Python to test for NaN.

What is the LaTeX command for ≠?

\neq or its alias \ne. For "not approximately equal" use \ncong; for "not identically equal" use \not\equiv (load amssymb for the wider set).

Is <> the same as != in SQL?

Yes, in every major dialect (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, SQLite). <> is the ANSI SQL standard; != is a non-standard alias accepted by all of them. Note that neither matches NULL values — use IS DISTINCT FROM for NULL-aware comparison.

Can I make my keyboard always type ≠ when I press !=?

Yes, via macros: AutoHotkey on Windows, Karabiner on macOS, or .XCompose on Linux. But it's rarely worth it — most code is ASCII-only.

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