Alt Codes & Keyboard Shortcuts
Curly Quotes
Typographic quotation marks that curl toward the text, unlike the straight marks a keyboard produces.
“ ” ‘ ’
- Windows
- Alt + 0147 / 0148 (double), Alt + 0145 / 0146 (single)
- Mac
- Option + [ / Option + Shift + [ (double)
- Unicode
- U+201C U+201D U+2018 U+2019
Try Curly Quotes
Edit the text, then change the font and size.
About this entry
What it is
Typographic quotation marks that curl toward the text, unlike the straight marks a keyboard produces.
Published prose, headings and anywhere straight quotes look unfinished.
Copy & use
How to copy and use curly quotes
- 01
Copy the complete value
Use the copy button above so the value is captured without its label, description or surrounding page text.
- 02
Paste it where you need it
Published prose, headings and anywhere straight quotes look unfinished.
- 03
Check the final result
Windows Alt codes may require a numeric keypad and Num Lock. Laptop keyboards, browser fields and regional layouts can behave differently, so copying is the dependable fallback.
What it is for
When to reach for “ ” ‘ ’
Curly quotes curl toward the text they enclose, which is what typesetting has always done. The straight marks on a keyboard are a typewriter compromise that word processors have been quietly correcting ever since.
Getting the shortcut to work
Smart-quote substitution is why pasting from a word processor into code so often breaks it. Turn the feature off before writing anything a compiler will read. The Windows code needs the numeric keypad with Num Lock on — the number row above the letters will not work. On a laptop without a keypad, use the copy button above or Windows Character Map.
Easily confused
Characters that look like “ ” ‘ ’
These are separate characters. They may look almost identical on screen, but they sort, search and compare differently.
Straight double quote
The keyboard character. Required in code, where a curly quote is a syntax error rather than a style choice.
Right single quote
Also serves as the apostrophe in typeset text, which is why don’t and don't are different strings.
Common questions
Using curly quotes
What is curly quotes?
Typographic quotation marks that curl toward the text, unlike the straight marks a keyboard produces. Published prose, headings and anywhere straight quotes look unfinished.
How do I type Curly Quotes without copying it?
On Windows: Alt + 0147 / 0148 (double), Alt + 0145 / 0146 (single). On macOS: Option + [ / Option + Shift + [ (double). Windows Alt codes need the numeric keypad with Num Lock on, so laptops without one are usually quicker to serve by the copy button above.
Will curly quotes work everywhere?
Windows Alt codes may require a numeric keypad and Num Lock. Laptop keyboards, browser fields and regional layouts can behave differently, so copying is the dependable fallback.
Can I customise curly quotes after copying?
You can add a short label, repeat compatible symbols or trim the design to fit. Keep important spaces, line breaks and uncommon Unicode characters intact while editing.
Also known as
Keep browsing