Method 1: Alt+X codes
Type the code, then press Alt + X with the cursor immediately after it and no space in between. Word replaces the code with the letter. This is the fastest method for prose and it produces real Unicode characters.
| Small | Code | Capital | Code | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03B1 | 0391 | Alpha | ||
| 03B2 | 0392 | Beta | ||
| 03B3 | 0393 | Gamma | ||
| 03B4 | 0394 | Delta | ||
| 03B5 | 0395 | Epsilon | ||
| 03B6 | 0396 | Zeta | ||
| 03B7 | 0397 | Eta | ||
| 03B8 | 0398 | Theta | ||
| 03B9 | 0399 | Iota | ||
| 03BA | 039A | Kappa | ||
| 03BB | 039B | Lambda | ||
| 03BC | 039C | Mu | ||
| 03BD | 039D | Nu | ||
| 03BE | 039E | Xi | ||
| 03C0 | 03A0 | Pi | ||
| 03C1 | 03A1 | Rho | ||
| 03C3 | 03A3 | Sigma | ||
| 03C4 | 03A4 | Tau | ||
| 03C6 | 03A6 | Phi | ||
| 03C7 | 03A7 | Chi | ||
| 03C8 | 03A8 | Psi | ||
| 03C9 | 03A9 | Omega |
The codes are sequential, which makes them easier to remember than they look: small letters run from 03B1, capitals from 0391. Sigma is the only gap, because 03C2 is the final sigma ς used at the end of Greek words.
Method 2: the equation editor
Press Alt + = to open an inline equation, then type a backslash and the letter's name followed by a space: \alpha becomes α,\Omega becomes Ω, \theta becomes θ. Capitalising the first letter of the name gives the capital letter.
This is the correct method for anything with structure — subscripts, superscripts, fractions, integrals — because the equation field handles the layout. It is the wrong method for a single letter in a sentence, since equation fields behave differently from body text when the document is converted to PDF or HTML.
Method 3: Insert, Symbol
Insert, Symbol, More Symbols. Set the font to a normal text font such as Calibri, then set Subset toGreek and Coptic. Every letter is in that one panel.
The dialog's Shortcut Key button is the part worth knowing about. Select a letter you use constantly and assign it your own combination — the assignment is stored in the template, so it follows you into every new document.
Method 4, and why to avoid it
The oldest trick is to type a Latin letter and change its font to Symbol. Type a, set the font to Symbol, and it displays as α. It works instantly and it is what most tutorials written before about 2010 recommend.
The character underneath is still the Latin letter a. Only the appearance changed. That has consequences you will not notice until later:
- Searching the document for α finds nothing
- Copying into email, a browser or a plain text file gives you a, not α
- Screen readers announce the Latin letter
- PDF export can produce unsearchable or garbled text
- Anyone without the Symbol font sees Latin letters
Use Alt+X or the Symbol dialog instead. Both produce a real Greek code point that survives every one of those steps. If you have inherited a document built the old way, theunicode inspectorwill tell you what the characters actually are.
Related
Per-letter pages with Alt codes, HTML entities and CSS escapes are on theGreek letters hub. The macOS equivalent of this page isGreek letters on Mac.
If Alt+X is not converting, seesymbol shortcuts not working in Word, and for the broader Word symbol set seeWord special characters.