How to insert square root symbol in Excel (7 easy ways)

In this article, I will narrate how to insert square root symbol in Excel. The square root is one of the most used symbols in Excel.

I will show several ways. Choose the method that best suits your purpose.

Table of Contents hide

Inserting square root symbol in Excel (√)

1) Using Insert tab

2) Using Character Code 221A in the Symbol dialog box

3) Using Excel Function UNICHAR (8730)

4) Keyboard Shortcut ALT + 251

5) Using keyboard shortcut ALT + N + U

6) Using Custom Number Format

7) Using Excel VBA

Working File

Inserting square root symbol in Excel (√)

1) Using Insert tab

This is the simplest way.

At first, select the cell where you want to show the square root symbol.
Now, open the Insert tab -> Symbols group of commands (the last one on the tab) -> Click on the Symbol command

Symbol dialog box will appear. By default, as the Font, (normal text) will be selected. In the Subset (on the right side of the dialog box), choose Mathematical Operators. And you will find the square root symbol. Press the Insert command (bottom-right corner of the dialog box) and then choose the Close You’re done.

2) Using Character Code 221A in the Symbol dialog box

This process is almost the same as above.

Select a cell (where you want to show the symbol)
Open the Symbol dialog box (Insert tab -> Symbols group of commands->click on the Symbol command). The Symbol dialog box will appear.

In the dialog box, select Unicode (hex) from the drop-down (at the bottom right corner of the dialog, just above the Cancel button). In the Character code field type 221A. Square root symbol will be selected.
Now press Insert and Close button respectively.

3) Using Excel Function UNICHAR (8730)

You can also use the UNICHAR function (with code 8730) of Excel to insert the square root symbol in Excel. See how I have used this function (image below).

4) Keyboard Shortcut ALT + 251

Take a cell to the edit mode and select the position where you want to put the square root symbol.

Now press ALT + 251 on the keyboard. The symbol will be placed.

Finally, press Enter key on the keyboard.

5) Using keyboard shortcut ALT + N + U

This is also good.

Press ALT + N + U on your keyboard. The Symbol dialog box will appear with the square root symbol selected in the dialog box.

Now just Insert the symbol and then Close the dialog box. A straight-forward method.

6) Using Custom Number Format

This method and the next one (using VBA) can be used to insert the square root symbol in more than one cell (at a time).

Select the cells where you want to insert the square root symbol.

Now open the Format Cells dialog box clicking on the little arrow on the bottom right corner of the Number group of commands.

Select the Custom option from the left pane. And put your cursor before the General format and press ALT + 251 on your keyboard.

Now press OK and see what has happened. All the numbers are now having the square root symbols before them.

7) Using Excel VBA

To use this method, you have to save your Excel file with the extension .xlsm. Because .xlsx files cannot deal with VBA code. If you don’t like to use VBA code in your Excel file, then avoid this method.

Open the Visual Basic Editor (Developer tab -> Code window -> Select the Visual Basic command)
In the editor, insert a new module.

In the module window, insert the following code:

Source code

Sub square_symbol()
 
Selection.NumberFormat = ChrW(8730) & "General"
 
End Sub

Now close the Visual Basic editor and save the workbook (CTRL + S).
Let’s now select some cells that have some numbers.

Now go to Developer tab -> Code window -> click on Macros command -> Macro dialog box will appear -> In the dialog box, select the macro (square_symbol) -> click on the Run