How to type a check mark on a Mac (✓)
There isn't a keyboard shortcut for this one, and the one you've seen floating around is wrong.
How do I type a check mark on a Mac?
There's no Option-key combination that types ✓ on a Mac — unlike °, ©, or ™, it doesn't sit on the US keyboard layout at all. The shortcut you may have seen suggested, Option + V, actually types √, the square-root sign. It looks close enough to fool a skim, but it's a math symbol, not a check mark. To get an actual ✓, use the character picker, a text replacement, or Mojito.
Why Option+V is a trap
√ and ✓ share a similar upward-tick shape and get confused constantly in "how to" lists online — including some that should know better. If you've pasted √ into a checklist and wondered why it looks slightly off, that's why. The real fix isn't a different modifier key; it's a different method entirely, since ✓ was never mapped to the US Option layout.
Getting an actual check mark
⌃ + ⌘ + Space opens the system character picker. Search "check" and you'll get several: ✓ (check mark), ✔ (heavy check mark), ☑ (ballot box with check), and the ✅ emoji. Double-click any to insert it at your cursor.
For something you type instead of hunt for, set up a text replacement in System Settings → Keyboard → Text Replacements — assign a trigger like chk to expand to ✓ everywhere on the Mac.
| Symbol | Unicode | How to get it | Mojito shortcode |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✓ | U+2713 | Character picker, search "check" | ::checkmark |
| ✗ | U+2717 | Character picker, search "cross" | ::xmark |
| ✅ | U+2705 | Emoji picker | :white_check_mark: |
| ❌ | U+274C | Emoji picker | :x: |
There is a real Option-key method — it just needs setup
macOS ships a keyboard layout called Unicode Hex Input that lets you type any Unicode character by its code point. Add it in System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources → Add Input Source, search "Unicode Hex Input," then switch to it from the input menu in the menu bar. With it active, hold Option and type 2713 — the Unicode code point for ✓ — to insert the check mark directly. It's more setup than a single keystroke, and you have to switch input sources to use it, but it's a genuine shortcut where Option+V is not.
Faster with Mojito
Mojito skips the picker for this one too. Type ::checkmark anywhere and it autocompletes to ✓ at your cursor — ::xmark gets you ✗ for the opposite. If you want the colorful emoji versions instead, Mojito's emoji mode handles those shortcodes directly: :white_check_mark: for ✅, :x: for ❌.
Check marks, checkboxes, and the mix-ups
Is Option+V a check mark?
No. It types √, the square-root sign. It's a common mix-up online because the two symbols look similar at small sizes, but they're unrelated characters with different Unicode code points.
✓ vs ✔ vs ✅ — which should I use?
✓ is a plain, light-weight check — good for body text and lists where you don't want it to shout. ✔ is bolder, closer to a rubber-stamp look. ✅ is a full-color emoji, best for chat apps and places where emoji already fit the tone; it reads as heavier and more casual than the other two.
How do I make a checkbox in Notes or Reminders?
That's list formatting, not a typed character. In Notes, click the checklist button in the toolbar (or ⇧ + ⌘ + L). Reminders makes every list item a checkbox automatically — there's nothing to type.
What's the HTML entity for a check mark?
✓ or the numeric ✓ renders ✓. For the heavier ✔, use ✔ — there's no named entity for that one.
More guides: How to type an em dash on a Mac · How to type the degree symbol on a Mac · How to type emoji on a Mac · All guides