Formula Watch: Convert to and from ASCII codes in Excel

If you ever need to look up an ASCII code, say for an HTML entity such as a © or ® symbol, you can simply use the CODE command in Excel:

=CODE("©")

This returns a value of 169, so your HTML code would be: ©

It's easy to make your own ASCII chart in Excel. Just select cells in a column at least down to 266 and use Fill, Series on the Home menu to number them from 1 to 255:

Now in the next column over next to the "1" in your ASCII code column, enter:

=CHAR(A2)

Now fill this down to finish your chart:

The ASCII code 1 (along with many other codes) won't show any value, and not every ASCII code will work as an HTML entity. But you'll find many useful codes including the ° degrees sign (°), ¥ Yen symbol (¥) and all sorts of accents for different languages.

Suzanne

Comments

• Anonymous
  April 07, 2011
  This is NEAT! Thanks for posting...

• Anonymous
  August 22, 2011
  This is great. Thank you for this information.

• Anonymous
  November 28, 2011
  In Excel 2003 the Alt 251 combination produced a check mark √ but this doesn't seem to exist anymore?

• Anonymous
  December 31, 2012
  very useful explanations, thanks :)

• Anonymous
  April 16, 2013
  Easiest way to find ASCII code you looking for...Thanks

• Anonymous
  July 11, 2013
  thankyouuuu

• Anonymous
  July 11, 2013
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  November 12, 2013
  " ... Alt 251 combination produced a check mark √ but this ... " √ is not a check mark, it is a square root symbol used in mathematics, Please, please do not use it as a tick in your documents

• Anonymous
  October 07, 2014
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